Having custom drapers made?

I've heard of a lot of guys saving money on All-Crop drapers by having them custom made by Amish/tent makers/sail makers, etc. 

They'll last a long time if you shed the machine during harvest time at nights, so dew doesn't set in on the canvas. Also, always take the drapers off at the end of the season and store them in a dry rodent free area. That includes on a shedded machine. The areas of the canvas that are in contact with any metal will deteriorate even sitting in a shed because of humidity.

CrestonM wrote: I've heard of a lot of guys saving money on All-Crop drapers by having them custom made by Amish/tent makers/sail makers, etc.  My questions are: For the slats, do you just cut wooden slats and have them riveted on? What do you use for the two attaching slats with all the holes and the tiny machine screws? What do you make those out of? Thanks

Well I have a few of those metal slats left,(riveting them is your problem) and I have the attaching slats with the hardware.

Or as said, buy the superior rubber version.

Edited by TomYaz - 30 Aug 2016 at 4:08am

Stand on top with a long pitch fork. Problem solved.

I have no problems putting the old slats back on when I have the Amish make mine. The metal covered rubber slats requires 4 rivets and the rest is staples between rivets. It's best to let the dew on your canvases after the days harvest and after the tension is released from them since in the morning as the dew dries off of them it shrinks them . i

combinechris wrote: I have no problems putting the old slats back on when I have the Amish make mine. The metal covered rubber slats requires 4 rivets and the rest is staples between rivets. It's best to let the dew on your canvases after the days harvest and after the tension is released from them since in the morning as the dew dries off of them it shrinks them . i

But the attaching slats are my concern. Wonder what to make those out of?

Creston....dad had some made by a welding shop when he needed new ones on his. they used a small square steel tubing they had, cut to length and drilled holes where needed in them. was a lot cheaper at the time than buying from A/C. he used small bolts with washers to re-attatch as he didn't have a rivet tool. after putting the bolts in and tightening them he ground off the excess sticking out. out lasted him! rivet tools are pretty cheap, but get a good one.