mitchmellow Posted July 4, 2013 Report Share Posted July 4, 2013 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. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Echo Valley Posted July 4, 2013 Report Share Posted July 4, 2013 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. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mitchmellow Posted July 4, 2013 Author Report Share Posted July 4, 2013 Thanks for the encouragement! Yes, it is Jeff's recycled 8 oz. polyester. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kudzu Posted July 4, 2013 Report Share Posted July 4, 2013 That fabric shrinks like crazy. Once stretched it seems to stay that way after shrinking. But it will pull those wrinkles right out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
P Doug (WA) Posted July 4, 2013 Report Share Posted July 4, 2013 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". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bcone1381 Posted July 4, 2013 Report Share Posted July 4, 2013 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 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mitchmellow Posted July 4, 2013 Author Report Share Posted July 4, 2013 Amazing!!!! I calibrated the iron to 230 degrees using Brooks method and proceeded to iron. The wrinkles are gone! There is still a little bit under the coaming but I'm not going to worry about it. I included before and after pictures. Before: After: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pat Mellema Posted July 4, 2013 Report Share Posted July 4, 2013 Looks good Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hirilonde Posted July 4, 2013 Report Share Posted July 4, 2013 Am I blind? Or is there no lip on your combing? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mitchmellow Posted July 5, 2013 Author Report Share Posted July 5, 2013 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. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hirilonde Posted July 5, 2013 Report Share Posted July 5, 2013 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? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JReed Posted July 5, 2013 Report Share Posted July 5, 2013 To add to Daves question. What sort of rope do you have in mind? Natural or synthetic fiber? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
P Doug (WA) Posted July 5, 2013 Report Share Posted July 5, 2013 Really looks like a great skinning job! Let's get some paint or whatever on that and hit the water! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mitchmellow Posted July 5, 2013 Author Report Share Posted July 5, 2013 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. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mitchmellow Posted July 5, 2013 Author Report Share Posted July 5, 2013 Yostwerks link came through funny. Here it is again: http://yostwerks.com/HoopCoaming4.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kudzu Posted July 5, 2013 Report Share Posted July 5, 2013 I used nylon rope and it was a pain to sew through but it worked well. I am sure you could epoxy one in place too. It was just as much if not more work than a wood lip so I just did the one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charles Treichel Posted July 18, 2013 Report Share Posted July 18, 2013 On a previous boat I experimented with various adhesives and found that "Goop" really worked well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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