Tarps ?

[baileydale]

I have read a few threads on tarps but I am looking for a neat answer where there may not be one. I have only been skate boarding for a couple of months, as least things I have to tarp. I would guess my tarps are around 80 lbs or so and I am no where near as young as I once was; when I finished tarping a full 48 foot load of particalboard yesterday in Va I was complettly wasted. Hopefully I will learn some tricks that will help but untill I do....what are the lightest tarps ( within reason price wise) that willl do a good job, the best place to get them and the approx cost? I was talking with a Mitchell driver yesterday, his tarps appeared to be about 1/2 the weight of mine but he didn't know where they got them or the price. I think the ones I have now are ~ 24'x28 or 30'. Mostly partical board, some steel but I will keep my old tarps for that. Long post I know but I really like what I do and want to be able to physically continue to do it.
Thanks

[GMAN]

Most tarp people can make a set of light weight tarps for you. I would check the Tri-State Tarp in E. St. Louis, IL. Another store is in West Memphis, AR. I don't recall the name, but they are across from the big Pilot. I believe the name is Arkansas Tarp or something similar.

when I finished tarping a full 48 foot load of particalboard yesterday in Va I was complettly wasted.

HA HA HA HA HA Welcome to the freaking club!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I take Ibuprofen before I tarp and after. Drink a ton of water also or you'll cramp up after your done.

Didn't mean to laugh but misery loves company!!!

[rank]

You flatbedders are a bunch of wimps. You've usually got what....4-6 feet to tarp and 8' at the most? Try tarping a 10' high stepdeck load or a 53' long x 11' - 6" double drop load. Those tarps are 31' wide.

Sheesh! 8) :shock:

[rank]

Oh btw, get the heavy material on the top and one step lighter on the sides.

You Candian Bacon Head. Those are metric sizes. Your tarps end up being like 12' long X 4' - 2" when you do the conversion to US measurements.

[rank]

The Canadian dollar is 1.04 US.

Oops

[Double L]

The actual name is Tri City Canvas Products and it's in Granite City, Illinois. If your coming from 270 get off at route 3 and head towards the Waffle House and Hardee's, it's at the first stop light and turn left. I found the website http://tricityflatbeds.com/index.html It has directions on there too.

[baileydale]

Thanks guys and by the way rankI would much rather it be 8 foot than 4 that much less i have to fold under. My perfect load is where the sides of my tarps just touch the bed of the trailer. I am thinkin that my next tarps will have an 8' end drop, what I have now are square, harder to make the ends look nice and more wasted weight.

[Double L]

When I use to repair tarps at Riechmann Transport (Granite City, across from that truck lot on West Chain of Rocks) I use to love to repair the 17x17's because they were the lightest of them all. But we had alot of 20x24's because they hauled alot of steel and don't even ask me about the Alvey (machine tarp) them things were a pain in the rear to handle. I enjoyed it and sometimes I got to tarps loads and it was a blast, I really like flatbed work because you get to get fresh air and not stay in the truck 24/7. But the disadvantage is that I have severe asthma, so I got to take my time.

[Camstyn]

You haven't lived until you've had to tarp 2 loads every time!
Lightweight tarps make life much much easier.. I absolutely dread having to mess around with an old heavy canvas tarp! They don't freeze up as much, they fold and roll up ten times easier. Get 8' drops, 8' end flaps and 1' flaps on the ends of the drops that the end flap would be on. These are great for wrapping around the sides and keeping air out. You can see them on my first picture here.. On the second picture, they are inside of the end flap. If I were to replace these tarps I'd consider getting the end flaps 10' wide in this similar fashion so that they wrap around the load a little bit. I've got 2 24' and 2 12' tarps here, the longer ones are nice as sometimes when I'm not cubed out a single 24' tarp will be enough to cover my load. The 12' tarps come in handy sometimes when hauling steel coils etc.