Fraying sail cloth

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Neil

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Just sowed a little patch over a hole in my sail. I cut two little rectangles, stuck them on with evostick (pritstick didn't do it) and proceeded to sew in situ using a 'Speedy Stitcher", which was far from speedy.

By the time I'd finished, there were loose threads coming away from the edge of the patch. I noted that all the original seams had no hems, but there is no sign of loose threads. Do they cut the sailcloth with hot scissors or something?
 
Neil said:
Just sowed a little patch over a hole in my sail. I cut two little rectangles, stuck them on with evostick (pritstick didn't do it) and proceeded to sew in situ using a 'Speedy Stitcher", which was far from speedy.

By the time I'd finished, there were loose threads coming away from the edge of the patch. I noted that all the original seams had no hems, but there is no sign of loose threads. Do they cut the sailcloth with hot scissors or something?
Click to expand...

[Do they cut the sailcloth with hot scissors or something? ]
yes
 
Polyester sailcloth frays when just cut with scissors unless it's coated or laminated.
Sealing with a hot knife or equivalent fuses the weave back together .
Laser cut sails have a minimum pass the cut edge, with a short clean cut Unfortunatly,this breaks down in time as the sail is used and the fabric will start to fray again.
With the stitching close to the seam edge, it's very difficult to re seal without melting other parts of the sail .
Running a solder iron against the edge of a patch will seal it from fraying,best done before sewing to the sail:eek:.
Cindy
 
In a pinch, running a decent fag lighter (one of those mini-blowtorch type ones) along the cut edges will do a pretty decent job of sealing the weave, and not leave a brittle or lumpy edge. Don't invest in a hot knife unless you plan on doing yards of it.
 
I've used my mains electric soldering iron with a spare head filed to a knife edge when sealing the leach on my dinghy jib sail, did the job OK and sealed the edge.

ianat182
 
Here's a trick

Stick the edge -flamed patches on as per the original poster.

Lay the sail on a scrap piece if wood( can be done insitu if you're dexterous)and draw with a pencil a series of zigzags around the perimeter of the patch.
Using a hammer ( winch handle, whatever) and spike, nail, something, prick holes at all the zigs and zags.
Now using a needle and thread, feed it through to make a continuous quick real stitching job, it is very easy and looks neat.
Sit back and apply cold bottled reward to sailmaker.
 
dolphin said:
what about a zigzag scissor ?
is this workable on the sail cloths ?
Click to expand...

No. They just leave lots of short bits of thread falling off before the big ones start. Hot knife BEFORE stitching is the way to go. I usually put the piece from which I am cutting the patch (wonderful what you can find in marina skips) on a bit of ply, cut with my trusty Lidl soldering iron and proceed as suggested above. That is a good tip about marking and pricking holes BTW. Wish I had thought of it.
 
hot knife

Wight Dawn - thanks for advise as i almost was ready to use a zigzag scissor!

any tips for hot knife as the ones i have found on the net are quite expensive!
planning to make my test sails and will cut a lot of dacron !
any idea is welcome

thanks and brgds
 
Dolphin..

For the past eight years (or more) I have used an Antex GasCat 75. It comes with the soldering iron tip, hot air tip, blow torch tip and the hot knife tip. Like other irons, it is refillable with lighter fuel and has variable heat. I also find the stand (built into the case) quite useful.

It has been useful for both cutting/sealing sail material but even better when cutting acrylic fabric for sail covers and dodgers. Perfect cut every time - Although I always cut using an old batten as a straight edge and a piece of old plywood (instead of the marina pontoon) as a base!

Cutting ropes and sealing the ends at the same time is also a doddle, as is soldering where you have no power and shrinking heat shrink sleeving. You will find a multitude of uses for it once you have one.

Search google for Antex XG075KT GasCat 75 if you want to see the style I use.

Hope this helps Martin_J
 
Dolphin..

If you're just cutting/stitching test sails for now.. how about taping where you are going to cut then cutting and stitching through the tape (leaving it in place).

On second thoughts.. tape will become expensive.. the gas cutter is great!
 
hot knife

thanks martin!
just have a look on the net and found a CatGas tool in UK, USA, AUSTRALIA & HONG KONG with different prices ! not decide which one to buy as all looks the same! but the price-wise and quality, maybe will go with IRODA SOLDERING IRON KIT GAS / BUTANE - PRO-70K / T2592
for the test sail i am planning to use also the ventura 12 mm tape for easy sewing the cloth
or first cut with hot knife, then arrange with double tape and finally sewing with ziqzag
hope will succeed on the end :)
thanks again
regards
 
Just a note to follow-up and thanks for all the tips. I actually already had a Gascat soldering iron, so managed to get a hot knife tip for it. The end needed a whetstone, not to get it sharp, but to extend the 'cutting' edge to the forward profile. A little practice on cutting speed got the right balance between a 'just melted' edge and a blobby one.

Kept the patches (one each side) in place (but only just) with iron-on web, followed by stitching with a 'Speedy Stitcher' (not speedy). I'd taken a 'brass rubbing' of the size and pitch of an existing zig-zag stitched seem and cut it out as a stencil to mark the patch. It all turned out quite well, though keeping the zig-zag true with the Speedy Stitcher was a challenge. The only mistake was not quite aligning the two patches each side - they weren't quite congruent - so it looks great from one side, not so hot the other.........
 
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