creases in cloth | SouthernPaddler.com

creases in cloth

Obie

Active Member
Mar 15, 2006
27
0
Wisconsin
Grrrrr !
I had everything set to glass(my canoe) tonight, had the garage ready---i had ordered 4 oz glass from a company that i had ordered from before, and it came just in time today, but......they had not sent the glass "rolled", it was folded up in a 1' size baggie(and squished in a box) and when i rolled it out on the boat, it showed creases(not ridges, but showing lines up and down, all the way around the hull).---so i put off glassing for now. Maybe there is a solution besides railing on the company and/or buying more glass. i already have glass for the interior of the canoe.
this company had always sent me glass in a roll so i'm not sure what happened, i will call them tomorrow.....
Two questions for you-all.
1. will the creases disappear when i wet it out?
i've heard about ironing them out, but also that it doesn't work most of the time.
2. I put on a seal coat last night and lightly sanded it this afternoon.
Will it still work a few days from now or do i need to re-seal it?...
guess i could save it for a kayak, in the future....
thanks !
 

oldsparkey

Well-Known Member
Aug 25, 2003
10,479
123
Central , Florida
www.southernpaddler.com
I have gotten glass in that way and what I do is to lay it out over the boat for a few days to get most of the creases out.
One time I actually hung it out on a clothes line. I have found spreading it out over the boat as the best answer.
If you have any dough's about the glass when you wet it in then keep an eye on it to see if it pulls back into the creases.

Since you have epoxyed saturated the wood then it will be OK for a long time. If 72 hours passes before you glass it is best to sand it to remove any blush that might of formed...... You have already sanded it covering that step...But to be safe.
It might require a very light sanding , to decide that you need to look at it and see if a blush has formed on there.

One pirogue I epoxyed saturated it three times because of the way it soaked the epoxy up before glassing it.

Chuck.
 

JEM

Well-Known Member
When you wet it out those ridges or creases should flatten out an be undectetable.

Sounds like you bought from U.S. Composites. They will often send fiberglass folded in order to keep customer shipping costs down. I've ordered from them and gotten the cloth folded before.

As long as it's just some ridges but not like gaps in the weave, you should be fine. Wet out by starting from the middle of the cloth area and work your way out to the edges.

Chuck it sounds like you had some thirsty wood!
 

Bullhead

Well-Known Member
Mar 27, 2005
172
0
Indiana
Hmm, The glass I got from Raka was folded just like you said. I didn't think anything about it until I glassed my boat and all of the creases lifted, I thought I didn't know what I was doing until I read this. I didn't know fiberglass wasn't supposed to be folded and every fold I had ended up being an air pocket. I even checked the glassing in thirty minutes and again in an hour before letting it harden which resulted in the crease bubbles. I have cut them all away and have filled them all now...I wish I had known about the folds being the wrong way to go. Oh well, I guess the next one will be better.
 

Bullhead

Well-Known Member
Mar 27, 2005
172
0
Indiana
Yeah, I even talked with Larry when I ordered the glass and epoxy but I didn't know they were not supposed to fold the cloth. Well, I just consider this a learning experience... too late anyhow.
 

oldsparkey

Well-Known Member
Aug 25, 2003
10,479
123
Central , Florida
www.southernpaddler.com
The glass I get from Larry (Raka) is folded and I asked him why one time when I called. He advised it is less cost for the customer if it is folded opposed to rolling it. I get the 60 inch cloth so if it was rolled it would be a big package.
When I get the glass I lay it out over the boat and the creases (which are minor ones) leave after a day or so. Never have had any prolems when doing it that way.

That Red Wood Pirogue took three coats of the epoxy saturation, it was thirsty wood. The wood had been in covered (inside) storage for over 20 years , as close as we can figure out by guess work , might of been longer.

Chuck.
 

gpratt

Member
Jan 29, 2004
17
0
St. Cloud, FL
It may help a little to lay the glass out on the hull with the V point of the crease toward the hull Keeps the sharp point of the crease pushed against a flat surface.
 

Obie

Active Member
Mar 15, 2006
27
0
Wisconsin
thanks-all

I appreciate all the help ! I did call Raka and they, as foretold here, said they send cloth folded to save the customer money in shipping. No reason given for shipping all of my previous orders, of the same amounts, "rolled".
They wouldn't pay, for shipping, to send me some more cloth so i'll follow you-all's advice and see if the creases come out in time as it hangs on the boat before glassing--it does get pretty warm in my garage/shop.
and then try searching out different vendors of glass for the future.
Maybe, as is possible, we need to alert all new builders of the need to specify and buy only "rolled" cloth....another thing some of us learn the hard way.
When I informed the staff at Raka about other complaints of the same type, they said that they had never heard of this problem before, but would check it out.......Maybe they could actually ask customers if they want it rolled or not. at least it's nice to commiserate with others on this board. thanks again ![/u]
 

Bullhead

Well-Known Member
Mar 27, 2005
172
0
Indiana
If I had known the trick of laying the cloth out for a few days to relax maybe my piroque would not have all those funny(haha, not) lines on it.
 

Bullhead

Well-Known Member
Mar 27, 2005
172
0
Indiana
I thought mine would go away when wetted too, but they raised back up by the time the epoxy hardened. I even rechecked the glass in 30 minutes and an hour but when I checked 4 hours later the glass raised in the old creases.... maybe I did something wrong.
 

Kayak Jack

Well-Known Member
Aug 26, 2003
13,976
171
86
Okemos / East Lansing Michigan
Bullhead,

Was this a tight weave or a close weave cloth? This seems to have a stronger memory than does loose weave cloth. I have loose weave folded up, and unfold it for use without another thought.

But, my tight weave left wrinkle behind AFTER it had been wetted through and smoothed out. Maybe it was just folds reasserting themselves.