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Heat shrinking question


mitchmellow

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I have the FreeB 14 skinned. I was feeling quite good about it. The center seams are nice and straight with nary a wrinkle. I was even wondering if heat shrinking was necessary.........then I sewed in the coaming last night. Wrinkle city! So today's question is: how much can I expect from the heat shrinking? Will it correct these wrinkles or am I expecting too much? I've included a picture but I think the wrinkles look worse in real life. If you enlarge it you get a better perspective.

post-3195-0-87599800-1372941665_thumb.jpg

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I'm guessing you've used polyester, so if that's correct it will shrink out the wrinkles very well. I was amazed at just how much the poly shrank, it really cleaned up those areas that I was  somewhat concerned about.  Judging from your picture, you'll be fine.

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It will help to shrink.  Around the coaming I could not get them all out, maybe I was a little timid with the heating, but it is a very difficult place to get completely smooth.  I would iron the whole boat because there could be a little stretching with use.  Nothing wrong with a "keeping a tight ship".

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Use a calibrate iron. Your wife's iron calibrated with a candy thermometer sandwiched between paper towels works well, but a temp sensing gun is a handy alternative. Adjust the thermostat to specific temps and then mark the knob position. 225, 250, and 350 are good settings. Also use the same extension cord when shrinking as you did when calibrating.

As the fabric Is heated it shrinks and should not loosen up when it cools. A hotter setting shrinks it a little more up to a point. But when it's heated over 350, it will start to permanently loosen. ( I think polyester fibers start melting above 350.)

Therefore, never use a heat gun or unregulated iron.

I bet that your wrinkles will vanish at 225 degrees.

Brooks

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You are not blind. In fact, you are rather observant. I'm going to post something on the coaming later. I was thinking of doing the rope style lip/edge but may never do anything. This is meant to truly be a recreational kayak and I don't plan to be in the rough water that would require a spray skirt. I live in an area of small lakes and mostly quiet waters.

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I don't use a skirt either, but I like to use a cover when I carry my kayak on my truck.  I have a habit of leaving it there for days and don't want it filling with water.  The wider surface is easier on my hands getting in and out as well.  The rope  lip sounds interesting.  How would you attach it?

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On this forum I know that GPStick has used a rope lip on the coaming of his Curlew. You can see it in some of his pictures. On the web, Yostwerks (http://yostwerks.com/HoopCoaming4.html)describes a method using epoxy. Jeff described a sewn on method in his development of Vardo in this post: http://messing-about.com/forums/topic/6579-development-of-vardo-sof-kayak/page-2. Maybe he or GP will weigh in on it. I think I would go with a synthetic and sew it on.

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