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12 footer

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BowEd:
Yes it does take a lot of room.Looooooong tables etc.The canvas is cut on the bias and sewn on that way too to eliminate uneven stretching and a tight fit around the poles.The funnest neatest outdoor structure to sleep in,and it's not a tent like some people call it.It's a lodge.I hav'nt gotten into painting mine but just like the smoked used look it acquires after a while.That's enough for me.

M. Demetrius:
Excellent work.  I made a 14 footer once, way back in the 20th Century, and utterly wore out my wife's sewing machine.  Not the needle driving mechanism, but the feed dog just couldn't handle the stress.  I got invited out to sleep in it for a few days... >:(

I spent more time debarking and smoothing the pine poles (those little twigs can cut the fabric) than sewing the skin, though.  It's a big piece of work, but well worth it.  When you pitch it, if you put the prevailing wind (usually from the west) at the back of the lodge, the flaps create a low pressure zone above the smoke hole, and draws the smoke outside.  If you go the other direction, well, not good for asthmatics.

BowEd:
Yes it can be very hard on home type model sewing machines.Paying attention to prevailing wind direction is a must with set up.I peeled my own poles too.Making them as smooth as possible because this is where water will run along the belly side of your poles so you don't want places where water can catch and drip from a big knot or twig.Water pegs are used or liner poles to make the water go clear to the bottom of your lodge between the liner and outside cover.I used spruce.21 footers for this 12' lodge.It's nice to have a good looking hour glass look coming out of the smoke hole.

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