"Drill" has to do more with the weave (heavier diagonal bias) than the weight. It comes in varying weights, from light to heavy.Rifleman1776 said:
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.018 VS .015 thick patch
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Billnpatti
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Here's Wikipedia's definition of drill fabric.
"Drill is stout durable cotton fabric with a strong bias (diagonal) in the weave"
It does not specify a specific weight of fabric, just the kind of weave and later in the article, it says that light weight drill is used to make clothing while the heavy drill is used in such things as boat sails, awnings, tarps, etc. I have found that the weight of drill that I use is often used to make pockets because of its durability. I have told some people about it and when they went to the fabric store and asked for "pocket drill" the clerk didn't know what they were talking about. To the best of my knowledge, all full line fabric shops carry it but may call it by a different name. Of course, it is also highly likely that the clerk to which this person talked just didn't know their fabrics and didn't know what was being asked for. Since I know exactly what I am looking for, I just ask for cotton drill, I look for the weight that I want and then I whip out my micrometer and start measuring. I have bought that fabric from several different shops and have never failed to find the weight of cotton drill that I want. I was originally told that the fabric was called "pocket drill". Maybe it is and maybe that was just a local term for it. I don't know. I just know it is a light weight cotton drill with a nice tight durable weave. 'Tain't hard to find once you know what to look for even if the clerk doesn't. :hatsoff:
"Drill is stout durable cotton fabric with a strong bias (diagonal) in the weave"
It does not specify a specific weight of fabric, just the kind of weave and later in the article, it says that light weight drill is used to make clothing while the heavy drill is used in such things as boat sails, awnings, tarps, etc. I have found that the weight of drill that I use is often used to make pockets because of its durability. I have told some people about it and when they went to the fabric store and asked for "pocket drill" the clerk didn't know what they were talking about. To the best of my knowledge, all full line fabric shops carry it but may call it by a different name. Of course, it is also highly likely that the clerk to which this person talked just didn't know their fabrics and didn't know what was being asked for. Since I know exactly what I am looking for, I just ask for cotton drill, I look for the weight that I want and then I whip out my micrometer and start measuring. I have bought that fabric from several different shops and have never failed to find the weight of cotton drill that I want. I was originally told that the fabric was called "pocket drill". Maybe it is and maybe that was just a local term for it. I don't know. I just know it is a light weight cotton drill with a nice tight durable weave. 'Tain't hard to find once you know what to look for even if the clerk doesn't. :hatsoff:
This is something you will have to try and see for yourself. No two barrels are the same. I will tell you this though. I use the .018 patches in my .50 cals with both .490 and .495 roundballs. It is something you will have to try and let your rifle tell you what it likes. Your groups will show it.
Thanks for all of your folks help. I will just have to see what she likes. Thanks again all. :grin:
Hunter John
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Really dumb question, but after you take the fabric out of the washer, should you air dry it or put it in the dryer?
If putting in the dryer, what heat level would you recommend?
I'm asking this since I'm wondering if the manner in which the drill or ticking is dried affects the tightness of the weave or it's performance.
If putting in the dryer, what heat level would you recommend?
I'm asking this since I'm wondering if the manner in which the drill or ticking is dried affects the tightness of the weave or it's performance.
I just wash my patch material by hand in the sink & air dry it.
If you put the washed patching material in the dryer, you will first need to put it inside some sort of fine, open mesh type bag.
If you don't, the loose threads at the edges of the material will dislodge and do their best to plug up the dryer vent screen.
Being that finding or making some sort of ventilated bag is a PITA, just air dry your wet material.
That is slower but a lot easier.
It also eliminates the possibility of upsetting your significant other by plugging up the dryer.
If you don't, the loose threads at the edges of the material will dislodge and do their best to plug up the dryer vent screen.
Being that finding or making some sort of ventilated bag is a PITA, just air dry your wet material.
That is slower but a lot easier.
It also eliminates the possibility of upsetting your significant other by plugging up the dryer.
Hunter John
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Got it. Air dry it is.
I was unsure whether heated drying would perhaps tighten the weave (shrink the material like when you accidentally shrink a cotton T-shirt by putting it in the drier at a high heat setting or for to long a cycle)...but at the expense of softening the fabric and perhaps reducing its strength.
At one point, I bought some nice 100% cotton 0.018 ticking material from Wally World, washed it in using plain 'ol detergent with NO fabric softener, and dried it in the dryer in an attempt to tighten the weave.
However the funny thing was that I found that rifles that never had a habit of shredding patches were now chewing my Wally World ticking to pieces. Accuracy was terrible as a result. I solved the problem by using multiple felt wads, but always suspected the root of problem was using a high heat to dry the ticking after washing it.
In any event, it's air dry from now on !!
I was unsure whether heated drying would perhaps tighten the weave (shrink the material like when you accidentally shrink a cotton T-shirt by putting it in the drier at a high heat setting or for to long a cycle)...but at the expense of softening the fabric and perhaps reducing its strength.
At one point, I bought some nice 100% cotton 0.018 ticking material from Wally World, washed it in using plain 'ol detergent with NO fabric softener, and dried it in the dryer in an attempt to tighten the weave.
However the funny thing was that I found that rifles that never had a habit of shredding patches were now chewing my Wally World ticking to pieces. Accuracy was terrible as a result. I solved the problem by using multiple felt wads, but always suspected the root of problem was using a high heat to dry the ticking after washing it.
In any event, it's air dry from now on !!
I wouldn't think that drying it on high heat would weaken it. I would think just the opposite but stranger things have happened.
I'm betting it was the fabric softener that messed up your cotton patches.
Anything that can take good old cotton and make it fuzzy bunny soft has to be doing something to the cotton fibers.
Anything that can take good old cotton and make it fuzzy bunny soft has to be doing something to the cotton fibers.
Hunter John
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Zonie - Great point 'bout the fabric becoming bunny soft. Yeah, that's kinda what happened to the Wally World fabric that became no more the chewed patch fodder. Now I'm beginning to think that there must have been trace amounts of fabric softner in the cloths washer that broke the cotton fibers down.
I think next time I'm gonna try just hand washing the newly purchased fabric in a 5 gallon bucket with baking soda in plain 'ol warm water and then air drying.
I know JoAnne Fabric is running a sale on fabric right now. Picked up some pocket drill for about $4.00 a yard while the pillow ticking was about $4.50 a yard. Both are pretty stiff so there must be sizing on it.
Time to experiment.
Thanks again for the advice.
I think next time I'm gonna try just hand washing the newly purchased fabric in a 5 gallon bucket with baking soda in plain 'ol warm water and then air drying.
I know JoAnne Fabric is running a sale on fabric right now. Picked up some pocket drill for about $4.00 a yard while the pillow ticking was about $4.50 a yard. Both are pretty stiff so there must be sizing on it.
Time to experiment.
Thanks again for the advice.
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