Patch Material

[t.caster]

Most of the guys in our club used to use a very tight weave material that miked around .017-.018, it had colored stripes and flowers printed on it. It is no longer available in Mid Michigan fabric stores. Store managers say is is no longer made, but I'll bet someone still has access to it, somewhere in America or Canada.  My scores have suffered since I switched to pillow ticking of the same thickness. Help!
Anybody have some yards for sale?

[Harnic]

Tom, the only patching I've ever used is blue denim.  It mikes the same thickness & is very tough.  In a pinch I can walk out & collect my fired patches, lube & fire them again, denim is very tough & stands up well.  If you can't find the stuff you used, maybe try this?

[longcruise]

I hate it when a good patch material goes away!

A few things that do work pretty good are the #40 pocket drill from JoAnnes fabrics and you can buy bulk unsized artists canvas off the roll in the larger art supply houses.  If not in your town, probably on the net.  I'm able to buy it locally in 8, 10 and 12 oz.  When washed it shrinks up nicely and makes a very tough patch. 

[longcruise]

Here is a link.   http://www.meininger.com/store/SearchResult.aspx?CategoryID=65

[t.caster]

Longcruise, all I see on that link is artists canvas. I have a couple yards of 18-20 thou cotton drill/duck I used to use many yrs ago, and I know a lot of you use pillow ticking. I should be able to make one of them work, I just have to get some time on the range to work up an optimum  new load.

[Daryl]

you can buy bulk unsized artists canvas off the roll in the larger art supply houses. 

T.Caster - your notice of artists canvas on that site was spot-on as per Longcruise's post.  It's the weight that is important - 8oz. usually runs in cotton, around .017" to .018" the way I measure it.  10 oz. measures .020" to .0215" and 12oz. about .0235" to .025" depending on the make, I'd about bet that canvas has similar dimensions. I use a 1" michrometer for measuring - calipers usually differ somewhat in the end result, depeinding on how they are manipulated.

[Roger Fisher]

As Slick Willie Clinton once said: I feel your pain

Been there in the search for that ol tyme feather pillow ticking, I now have a good supply.  Some good ol boy put me on to a general store in Craig Missouri I believe a number of yrs ago.  I bought the last they had.   I also understand that it is no longe r made.  Wally world sells the same print (which as nothing to do with the quality) that mikes around .008.  Maybe you could double it.  The old stuff had the v high thread count (for the feathers, for the feathers!!)

Nearest stuff I found to it is called 'Carhart or Carhardt' handled by go ol Wade Reynolds of Carolina Calicos.   He knows shooting!!!.  Solid colour and mikes abt the same and has a very tight weave.  I use it nearly as often as the ol tyme stuff!
The Carhardt is a mite thicker, seems like    Look ol Wade up I assume he has a web site!  Not sure!

[William Worth]

Carhartt, as in the coveralls, is cotton "Duck".  The early namesake material was trademarked with a duck imprint I am told.  Comes in different weights.

[longcruise]

It's the weight that is important - 8oz. usually runs in cotton, around .017" to .018" the way I measure it.  10 oz. measures .020" to .0215" and 12oz. about .0235" to .025" depending on the make, I'd about bet that canvas has similar dimensions. I use a 1' michrometer for measuring - calipers usually differ somewhat in the end result, depeinding on how they are manipulated.

I don't bother to measure my stuff any more but I always use an marker in one corner to label what it is and where it came from.  That corner is the last piece that gets shot!

My old pieces of artists canvas date to when I did measure and also wrote the measurements in the corner.  They are exactly in the range you stated in your post.  This stuff is tough!

[Candle Snuffer]

Longcruise, all I see on that link is artists canvas. I have a couple yards of 18-20 thou cotton drill/duck I used to use many yrs ago, and I know a lot of you use pillow ticking. I should be able to make one of them work, I just have to get some time on the range to work up an optimum  new load.

Tom,

I don't know what caliber you're shooting and I can certainly understand finding the time to get to the range to work up a new load.  I was just wondering, and I'm sure you're already aware of it, but how about staying with the ticking and just going up .005 on ball size?  Just a thought.

[crispy]

for the last two years I've been using a coarse cotton painters drop cloth bought at Wally mart,, it's a plain off white cotton with a regular square weave ,, not like denim,, works great for me , and it also makes a good primative shirt too . sorry but I dont measure either, but it is close to denim

[t.caster]

Snuffer, I had shot .530s in my Getz .54 for about 4 yrs and it loaded easy and shot great. This fall I moved up to .535 and it shot great til I had to switch to pillow ticking. Same thickness, same lube. This is a very tight loading combo. I am sure I can make it work, I just have to spend some time on the range.
Or I may want to go back to the .530s and try some of the thicker .022-.024  cotton drill I also have. It's all part of the game!

[Daryl]

At times, a .010" under ball can be made to shoot, as long as the thickness of patching is increased. Years ago, we've found about .022" to .024" works find with the smaller balls.  We then tried .005" under balls and the .020" to .022' denim which was easier to find then. Too, the thicker pocket-drills also worked with the .005" under balls.  It worked with the smaller ones, except during hot weather - so around here, you could start off just fine, but 5 shots later as the barrel warmed up, or later in the day with the temp climbing 40 degrees, they'd start to fail.  This happened to me at Hefley Creek Rendezvous 4 years ago.  The load worked up here in PG through the spring barely above freezing weather, failed badly at Rondy with temps in the 80's and higher. (I didn't shoot all summer - silly me).  So, I've settled on a .0215" denim patch (10 oz) for .005"-under balls and I use the 8oz. or .020" denim for even larger, bore-size balls. I don't use .010" smaller than bore balls at all, anymore.

  Of course, smoothbores require .020" to .030" under balls with appropriate patching.

[Roger B]

I have found this particular type of flowered ticking on ebay under "vintage fabric" or textiles.  You have to be careful as some of the newer stuff (which isn't feather proof) is also offered. 
Roger B.

[t.caster]

Roger B, thanks, never thought to look on Ebay! After an exhaustive search, I found some and then narrowed search down to pillow ticking and found some more swatches that look right. My son has a Paypal account so I will have him bid on some for me.