Fieldcraft ghillie color ratio's

[ScottG1911]

I just started my first ghillie build today. I'm doing it the hard way, glueing a grid with string instead of a net (went everywhere and couldnt find one) and dyeing my own burlap, i feel I will meet the colors of my AO much better doing this. now I already know you will only be able to help me out a little until I can go out and take pics of my AO. but where I will be opperating is in the woodlands of Northern Ohio. my suit will be used probably year round, but mostly in the fall. My educated guess is a lot of Tan and brown, with a little green maybe 50% tan 30% brown, and 20% green? or maybe more tan and less brown? Imput will be much appreciated.

here's my bdu so far, ran outa shoe goo so it's not complete

 

[wphoto]

Re: ghillie color ratio's

You may also want to try PVC adhesive to attach the netting to your bdu's.

Don't ask how we figured this out.

 

[brutus1776]

Re: ghillie color ratio's

pvc adhesive, eh? hmmm never thought of that.

i've had good success with black E6100 adhesive. i just did a desert style suit and feel confident enough that it will last me just fine without any stitching, with just that glue. i tried to rip off a peice of the netting off teh suit and ended up ripping the fabric off instead of breaking the adhesive seal.
get it in caulk tubes. an online company 'creative wholesale' sells it pretty cheap. get a bunch of tubes because whether you get 1 or 5 tubes its 10 bucks shipping because its hazmat

for a fall suit you can probably get away with using a 'idaho potato bag' color burlap only and using natural veg. as was said on here before, after some good usage the garnish usually always end up a mud color anyway no matter what colors you initially dye it. one method i've used on other projects is natural dyes. if you live in the woods or near black walnut trees or have access to oak bark, you can get great varieties of earth tones out of these. throw black walnut hulls in a pot on a propane burner outside... the more you cook it the darker it gets. you can almost get black out of it if you concentrate it enough, but generally you will get the exact color of hardwood leaves.

speaking of which, anyone have a good way to attach regular hardwood leaves to a suit???? or is this the impossible?

 

[ScottG1911]

Re: ghillie color ratio's

I've been using the trusty shoe goo so far. I've gotten the entire back panel done but not the arms cause i ran outa goo. what I'm thinking of now is using un-dyed natural burlap, and the sage burlap. both are very nice natural colors, and then i can just dye the green myself. I started watching some of the sniper school programs on the TV and observing their suits. definatly natural burlap oriented. what i have gotten off here is to cut a 12" X 12" piece and strip it, then tie it half way so there are two section just under 6 inches each? my squares are about 2" X 2" (another thing i picked up here) but I don't know how much material to use in each square. I know these may be stupid questions, but hey it's my first build, and you all have lots more experience. thanks to the previous posters and futer ones! by the way, i used jute rope for my net, wise or unwise?

 

[Ghillie Zen]

Re: ghillie color ratio's

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: ScottG1911</div><div class="ubbcode-body">i used jute rope for my net, wise or unwise? </div></div>

I'd have to say unwise. Once you give your ghillie a good mudbath, that jute rope is going to start to weaken. Always a good idea to use nylon-based netting.

 

[Ross0341]

Re: ghillie color ratio's

http://www.combathunting.com/GHILLIE_SUIT_KITS-GHILLIE_SUIT_BODY_NET.html

 

[Fongman]

Re: ghillie color ratio's

Once you roll around in enough dirt, mud, water etc... you'll wonder why you ever spent much time at all worrying about what color to make your suit. The key is adding the right natural vegetation for what ever AO your crossing at that moment...IMO.

 

[Ghillie Zen]

Re: ghillie color ratio's

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Fongman</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Once you roll around in enough dirt, mud, water etc... you'll wonder why you ever spent much time at all worrying about what color to make your suit. The key is adding the right natural vegetation for what ever AO your crossing at that moment...IMO. </div></div>

+1 I've been trying to convey this point to my customers for years. I get alot of customers that want very specific tones for their ghillies, but don't realize that once their suit gets mudded up, the difference in tones is barely noticable.

Don't get me wrong, color choice can be important, but in order to keep those tones visable, it's best to drag the ghillie on dry ground and keep it out of heavy mud.

 

[ScottG1911]

Re: ghillie color ratio's

I'll definatly take your guys' words for it. I guess the real question a person should ask themselves is light or dark. I'll definatly go for a lighter scheme of tans and browns with little green, just enough to blend with the dead leaves but be usable in the spring too. I just hope my netting dont rott bad

know any good tricks to water proof it?

 

[SIERRAWHISKEY]

Re: ghillie color ratio's

Go to Walmart and pickup some Amazing Goop,its made by the same company that makes Shoe Goo and cost less.You can cut some small squares out of some old BDU's and put some glue on the squares and it will make your bonding area larger and help stick to the material better.

 

[ScottG1911]

Re: ghillie color ratio's

Hey good looking out Sierra, Thank You

 

[ScottG1911]

Re: ghillie color ratio's

Got my green dyed and have started tieing into my netting.. will update when done. probably not for a few days will it be completely done. hell schedule.

 

[Killswitch Engage]

Re: ghillie color ratio's

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: SIERRAWHISKEY</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Go to Walmart and pickup some Amazing Goop,its made by the same company that makes Shoe Goo and cost less.You can cut some small squares out of some old BDU's and put some glue on the squares and it will make your bonding area larger and help stick to the material better.

</div></div>

just curious...does glueing hold up and can it replace the old sew on?

 

[SIERRAWHISKEY]

Re: ghillie color ratio's

I tack all my netting down with glue and then go back and sew it all down with #69 thread.

 

[Midnight]

Re: ghillie color ratio's

You may not want to use the hemp for netting, but it you take it apart it makes a great grass on a Ghillie