What is drill cloth?

[hankfannin]

I've seen pocket drill and drill cloth mentioned several times as being good for shooting patches.
No one at my local JoAnn's, WalMart or Hobby Lobby has a clue what that is. Is there another name? Does it say drill cloth on the label? I'd like to try some for patching if I could identify and find it. What color is it?

As always - thanks

Greyhawk

 

[necchi]

Cotton Drill,
It's common fabric,, the designating feature is a diagonal weave/.
If Joannes doesn't know what it is you spoke to someone that's clueless and should not be working in a fabric shop. http://www.joann.com/jo-ann-stores-unbleached-drill-fabric/683532.html

 

[Maven]

Greyhawk, Take a look at this: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Drill_(fabric) Also, if you go to the Jo Ann fabric website and search for "pocket drill," you'll find they do actually stock it, and probably more than one variety as well. Btw, my local Jo Ann's does carry it under that name, but who knows whom they hire and how new personnel are trained.

 

[Grenadier1758]

I have only been able to find drill cloth at JoAnne's Fabrics. It may be called pocket drill or #40 Cotton Drill. Its often found with pillow ticking or muslin fabrics.

 

[Rifleman1776]

There are many kinds of cloth called 'drill'. I don't know one from the other by looking at it. I have bought and tried drill that was very loose and weak weave. I have seen others that more resembled denim. My choice for patch cloth is: pure cotton, tight weave and right thickness for my needs. If it works, it works.

 

[M. De Land]

I have switched to cotton felt for all my ball and cleaning patch needs. I get it from my worn out Field and Stream shirts I buy at Costco.
It is the best cloth I have ever seen for both jobs as it is very tough, tightly weaved , soft and best of all............. FREE!
It measures .018 and does not fray out either. Mike D.

 

[crockett]

At my Joanns I asked and they knew drill. I asked what was the difference between drill and duck and they showed me samples of the way the threads ran.

 

[tom deinek]

"If Joannes doesn't know what it is you spoke to someone that's clueless and should not be working in a fabric shop."

Why do you tell a guy with an honest Q,something like that? He has no control over JoAnn Fabric hiring practices.

Most of the people working there now tie a knot in the tread they use to sew on a button. This is not 1954; there are no Butterick catalogs @ Jo Ann F these days.

OP, ask for that heavy material they use to make overcoat pockets.

 

[necchi]

Maybe he could go back and speak to someone at Joannes that works in the fabric department.
Asking a teenager stocking shelves in the hobby craft area might not be the best choice.
Sorry, my mother was a seamstress, I've been around fabric and sewing all my life.

Many folks with computers have a printer, I provided a link to Joannes Drill fabric, printing that page (that includes the stock number) and returning to the same store and the same "clerk" might provide education for both.

Forums can help people, but I can't take folks by the hand and walk them into the store and show them, unless they wanna drive up here to Minn.

 

[longcruise]

First time I walked in and asked for it the fabric dept. clerk had no idea. With both of us doing some detective work we found the #40 drill I had asked for. It's there, just keep looking.

 

[azmntman]

Minn? Isn't that in far north west AZ? :blah:

 

[Zonie]

Minn? Isn't that in far north west AZ? :blah:

No it's not.

It's over by Albuquerque, New Mexico. :grin:

 

[buckhorn]

Response to topic-

I bought some drill a couple of years ago.
It only measured .014 but it's so dense
it was harder to load than .018 pillow ticking.

 

[nchawkeye]

If they don't understand drill cloth, try telling them it's the material used to make pockets in blue jeans...

 

[Okie Hog]

The Lawton Hobby Lobby has drill cloth. The lady told me muzzleloader shooters often buy the stuff.

Drill cloth is the best material i have found for round ball patches.

 

[JDBraddy]

#40 is the drill size or guage of the thickness of the cloth.

Found it on their website.

Unfortunately says no stores in my area have it in stock, and is not available for shipping

 

[Brokennock]

Wow, I hope the OP comes back and sees he finally got his answer. He waited from 2014 until 2016 when he was last on this forum.
Better late than never?

 

[ohiochuck]

It helps to take the item # with you.
I found some employees did not know what it was. But usually someone there will. Found it in the Heath, Ohio store after the Zanesville store closed in January.
There is another thread on this forum that discussed the importance of where it is made and what fibers to look for- I believe cotton vs man made

 

[JDBraddy]

It helps to take the item # with you.
I found some employees did not know what it was. But usually someone there will. Found it in the Heath, Ohio store after the Zanesville store closed in January.
There is another thread on this forum that discussed the importance of where it is made and what fibers to look for- I believe cotton vs man made

I guess the OP never came back, but finally got notified Jo-Ann's had it back in stock, immediately ordered 10 yards, that should last me a while.

I just hope that they haven't changed the product, saw one review stating that he had been buying it for years to use for patch material, and the last order he received was a completely different texture and weave than what he had recieved previously.

Just got notified that my order has shipped, guess I will find out soon!

 

[bldtrailer]

drill cloth is used for pockets in most jeans, tight weave 100 % cotton