I'd like to experiment with homemade patches. I'm going to go the pillow ticking and crico route. I understand that for a .54 it is advised to use patches in the range of .015 to .020 thickness. Are these measurements standard for pillow ticking? Will they be written on the package? Will I need to convert a measurement somehow?
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Measuring pillow ticking thickness
- Thread starter hung load
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Russianblood
45 Cal.
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If you buy your pillow ticking from a "gun store" it is pretty consistant at .017-.018. If you buy it at JoAnn Fabrics, it could be almost any thickness. You will need to use calipers to measure it then.
Big John
45 Cal.
Get a micrometer, use tight weaved material only and patch thickness will depend on ball size, not caliber. ex. .530 or .535 ball.
Just go to your local Wal-Mart their pillow ticking runs from .15 to .20 and seems to work well for most of the forum members. If you are going to measure you will need a micrometer. Just make sure you wash the ticking to remove the sizeing before you use it. It will tear in strips along the lines. I use 4 lines and don't need scissors just pull apart. Then cut at the muzzle to get the perfect patch. I make mine so that when rolled up the strips just fit into 35 mil film cans. That way I can prelube and carry as many as necessary for the day.
Fox :thumbsup:
Fox :thumbsup:
Guest
:rotf: Take a micrometer with you, they will look at you funny and ask why you measure it that way, tell them that you wish to make a very small pair of shorts. They fall about laughing ,if you do it deadpan, ask me how I know..
jimeckersley
40 Cal.
(
(1) You really do need a micrometer for measurment. You can buy them for very little at places like Harbor Freight or Sears. Why a micrometer? You can get a better "feel" for the thickness. You will get used to applying the same amount of pressure each measurment using just your finger tips. This is important: Take two measurments and write them down, then attach a tag with the measurments to the cloth that you end up buying. The two measurments are the "light measurment" when the micrometer has first made firm contact with the cloth. The second is the "crushed" measurment that is taken when the micrometer is cranked down fairly tight on the cloth. Why do this? It makes sense that the crushed measurment is going to give you a closer estimate of how thick the cloth is in actual use.
Another tip: When you wash the cloth in a washing machine, the edges usually fray and you end up with a lot of strings and threads in your tub that used to be woven cloth. So, either sew a hem, or zig zag stitch around the edges of the cloth OR get a bottle of waterproof wood glue like Elmers and run a bead around the edges of the cloth. Now you can wash and rinse the cloth as much as you care to and it won't fall apart in the washer.
For a fairly tight fitting ball, say .05 under bore, Wal-Marts' Ticking works pretty well. Don't assume that all the ticking will be the same size. If you need to take up more room tween the ball n barrel, you can use unbleached denim or drill cloth. Again, measure and record the crushed thickness. When you find something that works, you'll want to be able to duplicate the results.
One other thing: make sure you use only 100% cotton, unless you like the idea of cleaning melted plastic from your barrel.
hung load said:
(1) You really do need a micrometer for measurment. You can buy them for very little at places like Harbor Freight or Sears. Why a micrometer? You can get a better "feel" for the thickness. You will get used to applying the same amount of pressure each measurment using just your finger tips. This is important: Take two measurments and write them down, then attach a tag with the measurments to the cloth that you end up buying. The two measurments are the "light measurment" when the micrometer has first made firm contact with the cloth. The second is the "crushed" measurment that is taken when the micrometer is cranked down fairly tight on the cloth. Why do this? It makes sense that the crushed measurment is going to give you a closer estimate of how thick the cloth is in actual use.
Another tip: When you wash the cloth in a washing machine, the edges usually fray and you end up with a lot of strings and threads in your tub that used to be woven cloth. So, either sew a hem, or zig zag stitch around the edges of the cloth OR get a bottle of waterproof wood glue like Elmers and run a bead around the edges of the cloth. Now you can wash and rinse the cloth as much as you care to and it won't fall apart in the washer.
For a fairly tight fitting ball, say .05 under bore, Wal-Marts' Ticking works pretty well. Don't assume that all the ticking will be the same size. If you need to take up more room tween the ball n barrel, you can use unbleached denim or drill cloth. Again, measure and record the crushed thickness. When you find something that works, you'll want to be able to duplicate the results.
One other thing: make sure you use only 100% cotton, unless you like the idea of cleaning melted plastic from your barrel.
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