Another name for #40 drill?

[Jim K]

Twice I’ve tried to order it including yesterday. No luck. They let you go through everything including credit card info, then not in stock.

 

[longcruise]

I was under the impression that the 40 refered to threads per inch.

 

[Grenadier1758]

The bolt I get my drill cloth from has always been marked as #40 Cotton Drill. It can be located in the located in the utility cloth shelf of the fabrics. My drill cloth measures 0.018" for a slip measure and about 0.012" compressed. I have been accused of measuring my cloth as if it were a sheet of metal. I learned to measure things from my father who was a tool maker. He would never abuse his micrometers by compressing cloth between the jaws. I still can't do it. I can squeeze the jaws of my vernier calipers. The measurement is well withing the tolerance of measurement and good enough for our purposes. In the store, the cloth is sized and a compression measure will not be the true compression measure.

Note: When loading, the 0.012" (compressed) has to fit into that 0.005" of windage most of us use between the ball and the lands of the barrel. The cloth compresses and the soft lead is engraved into the cloth.

Good alternatives to drill cloth are denim or some of the canvas fabrics.

 

[IanH]

I think JoAnne's has been going through bankruptcy procedures all year, the drill was unavailable to order for a long time.

I found that three different Walmarts had three different colors of striped ticking that is an honest .018" when firmly compressed with a c-clamp micrometer. Perfect for most rifles with a .005" under ball. Who knows when this will change, but that's the current state of inventory here. I shopped a dozen fabric stores and the ticking and utility drill ( which is twill, or three thread weave with one diagonal) was ALL .013-.0015". I was going nuts trying to find some for a competition. Finally found some small scraps at an upholstery shop that got me by until I checked Walmart (which I avoid like the plague).

 

[longcruise]

I use the #40 almost exclusively but this is every bit as good.

https://www.meininger.com/canvas/

 

[oldwoodchas.]

To eliminate future problems , get a compression micrometer to take to the fabric store. There's many kinds of good cotton material for patching , but w/o a way to measure true thickness , you could be wasting your time. Precut patches in commercial plastic bags , are mostly mislabeled as to thickness. .018 mics out to .014 , .015 at .012 , etc.. Get a mic . to take to the fabric store.

 

[waarp8nt]

Damn it! I've looked at this post twice and keep thinking #40 drill bit...