Pillow ticking thickness

[flconch53]

In today's world the color of the stripes is irrelevant. Many times blue stripped is only .012 thick. Today's pillow ticking is just another twill woven fabric. The stripes don't indicate thickness maybe it used to but not that I can state now it doesn't any more. Just look for twill woven fabric in the thickness you need. (My former wife and I owned a sewing business so I have handled and measured alot of fabric )

 

[#blackpowderbill]

Material is sold by weight, ounces to the yard.
When you go to buy your material and you find one you like look at the end of the bolt.
The bolt is the material all wrapped up.
On those ends they'll be a tag. That tag will tell you what the material is where it was made who made it, & the weight.

When you find the material you like 10 15 18 20 thousandths that you've measured with your micrometer.
Save the information that was on that bolt end. The ounces that material was.
So the next time you go to buy material all you have to do is look for the ounces ,as long as you're buying cotton or pillow ticking.

Another thing will be the Weave/threads per inch.
Ox yoke used to have some really nice pre-cut patches. Super tight weave ,white & slick. I sure wish I knew what material they were using.
They don't sell it anymore.

 

[S.Kenton]

Mike Wetzel…I normally do the exact same thing. I bought my last yard on a whim whilst the wife and I were grocery shopping at Wally World. I’ve been to JoAnn fabrics many times, I may have to go there again.

 

[Grenadier1758]

Cotton #40 drill cloth from JoAnn's has been the most consistent patch material I have found. All fabric needs to have the sizing washed out to hold the patch lube. Drill cloth has no stripe.

Denim cloth is sold by weight. Take micrometers or Vernier calipers to measure the thickness.

What's important is that the material is 100% cotton.

 

[64Springer]

Here comes one of those no BS fish stories.

Went to JA Fabrics this morning and asked for some #40 Drill. Since you guys are talking it up.

The lady at the cutting counter said We Don't Sell Tools. After I explained she embarrassingly said Oh, You Mean Drill Cloth.

Of course, they didn't have any. And all the red and blue ticking was .011/.012.

 

[Caterpillar Hunter]

Or try pillow ticking from Onlinefabric store. 47" ACA Blue Ticking Fabric
This is good stuff. Washed, it mics out to 0.015"

 

[Grenadier1758]

Sometimes the good ladies don't know where to find drill cloth. There really isn't a big demand for the fabric. I usually find it buried in the small supply of utility cloth. Ticking may or may not be in the selection of utility cloth. Certainly, the #40 cotton drill cloth can be purchased on line at the JoAnn's web site.

Keep trying @64Springer. You should be able to find some.

 

[Togo]

Sometimes the good ladies don't know where to find drill cloth. There really isn't a big demand for the fabric. I usually find it buried in the small supply of utility cloth. Ticking may or may not be in the selection of utility cloth. Certainly, the #40 cotton drill cloth can be purchased on line at the JoAnn's web site.

Keep trying @64Springer. You should be able to find some.

This post got me curious about drill cloth so I went to my local Joans Fabric and picked up a couple yards, they had it listed for $8.99, the online price was $4.79 they were able to price match it, also the gal used a coupon on her phone that dropped my price to $5.07 out the door. It measured .018 thick. Next range day I'll give it a try. I washed it twice already.

 

[Grenadier1758]

In the nature of full disclosure, I must point out that JoAnn's #40 Cotton Drill Cloth is manufactured in India. The good news is that the cotton is a long thread staple cotton and well suited for being woven into the cloth we need for patching round ball.

 

[hanshi]

I've used a lot of pillow ticking; the blue stripe material compresses to around .016" to .017". When I discovered MATTRESS ticking it felt thicker and measured thicker. While pillow ticking is okay and usually does a good job mattress ticking worked even better. It is good enough to be used in any of my rifles. Cotton duck was even heavier and made great patch material. My pistol, smoothbore and the US M1841 need the lighter pillow ticking.

The mattress ticking came in both blue AND brown stripes. I've very rarely had any problems with it and I rate it very good. The red ticking was a looser weave and rather thin and useless for patches. Denim is excellent as is the drop cloth canvas which is .030" and compresses to .023" - .024". The canvas makes for a tight load but still manageable with the wood ramrod.

 

[flconch53]

I've used a lot of pillow ticking; the blue stripe material compresses to around .016" to .017". When I discovered MATTRESS ticking it felt thicker and measured thicker. While pillow ticking is okay and usually does a good job mattress ticking worked even better. It is good enough to be used in any of my rifles. Cotton duck was even heavier and made great patch material. My pistol, smoothbore and the US M1841 need the lighter pillow ticking.

The mattress ticking came in both blue AND brown stripes. I've very rarely had any problems with it and I rate it very good. The red ticking was a looser weave and rather thin and useless for patches. Denim is excellent as is the drop cloth canvas which is .030" and compresses to .023" - .024". The canvas makes for a tight load but still manageable with the wood ramrod.

It guess it depends on the source. I have blue and red stripped ticking in my shop right now after washing the blue is
.016/.017 the red stripe is .020/.023. I can't tell much difference in the weave. The bottom line is if you are buying patch material bring you mics with you

 

[ohiochuck]

Found some fabric at Jo-Ann's on Saturday.
Blue Denim if I measured correctly 0.022" thick
Canvas 0.018" thick
all are 100 % cotton and these were made in India.
Washed both several times then line dried.
Could not find the drill cloth
Question-the canvas needs ironed- do you just use water sprayed on the fabric to get it smooth?
The denim seems fine after it dried.
Our local Jo-Ann's (Zanesville) is closing by the end of this year along with 3 others (2 near Cincinnati on the KY side).
Rats

 

[nhmoose]

Easy way is to bring your mike or calipers when you shop for patching. Then you can try all available. Duh! Don't and you will be disapointed and we will listen to your complaints and say Duh!