Kitebuilder.com

bzzh8c · Joined: 21 Sep 2004 Posts: 13 Location: Ontario

I found what looked like a great sale here in Canada the other day in a store called Fabricland. They have 1oz 100% polyester on sale for $2.50 CDN (about $2 US)/yard. I bought 10 yards of bright orange on a whim.

They told me you can't hotcut this stuff, but need to cut it. Also, once it's started, it rips across the weft(?) easily. They also warned me not to get it wet since it rots, unlike Ripstop.

So what's the party line on trying to use this stuff for a kite. It's so vibrant I couldn't resist. It positively Idea

GLOWS

flourescent orange!

Todd

Fellow Canadiens, check out the Halloween sale at Fabricland...

Progcraft

Kitesquid

dpb · Posted: Thu Oct 07, 2004 10:56 am Post subject:

Uncoated Ripstop is tricky to hotcut, so if someone did not know what they were getting into, they might well decide that you could not hot cut it. So merely being told you can't hot cut it, does not necessarily disqualify it.

Also, I find that some of the people working at fabric stores are not really all that technical. Leaving synthetic fabric out in the weather can cause degredation from the sun, and will probably attract mold/mildew (For instance, the heavy vinyl cover for my BBQ will attract mold (this is Oregon after all), but it is not the BBQ cover which is molding, but rather that organic particles (pollen and etc) which have attached themselves to the cover). If left wet, I don't doubt you could even get some interesting and stinky bacterial cultures in the folds as well. I doubt though that many people would bother to draw that fine a distinction when they pick up a stinky, moldy piece of fabric which is starting to fall apart from the sun degradation. Most people would probably just call it rot. Heck I would probably call it rot (even if it was just stinky and moldy).

In any case, the best thing to do to find out that actual material makup is to look at the manufacturer's description label on the bolt. The salesperson may be mistaken, and it may be in the wrong fabric section, but the label had better be correct.

Dave
_________________
Fall leaves red and gold,
Flotsom lifted by the wind,
Small kites fill the sky.

Progcraft · Posted: Thu Oct 07, 2004 11:47 am Post subject:

kiteguy · Posted: Thu Oct 07, 2004 12:19 pm Post subject:

bzzh8c · Joined: 21 Sep 2004 Posts: 13 Location: Ontario

After hearing the experts chime in (thank you!) I went back to Fabricland. It is 100% polyester. The lady I spoke to before wasn't there, but another one (get ready to be surprised - older, much older) said you CAN hotcut this with a straight edge and a "hot stick" which I think she means soldering iron. When asked about the rot she said, anything will rot if left out in nature long enough. Then she laughed and said, "You kite guys only fly on sunny breezy days anyways, what are you worried about?"

I had to hand it to her. And to you guys. It's a good sale going on here. I might go back tomorrow!

Thanks Dave and Squid! We beginners need your kind of straight shooter guidance.

Now I gotta figure out how to cut this stuff so I get minimal stretch along the edges of my Tri-D triangles. Still listening if you have a suggestion...

Todd

kiteguy · Posted: Fri Oct 08, 2004 12:48 am Post subject:

Do not hem the edges with a folded hem. Use some strips of Ripstop NOT cut on the bias to edge bind the edges of the sail, That will stop a lot of stretch. Easier to put on, too. For me. Very Happy

Also, use strips of Ripstop for forming the longeron tubes as well.
_________________

Dave Ellis
Kites + Kids = Education