How to Cut Straight Ends
On a boat building or repair project, cutting fiberglass cloth properly
can benefit both the boat and the owner's budget. Proper cutting keeps the
cloth fibers straight for laying up, preventing humps in the fibers that
can lead to weak spots in the hull. For jobs requiring narrow strips of
fiberglass, cutting tape strips cleanly, from a single large fiberglass
roll, can save the expense of buying smaller rolls of fiberglass tape.
Following a few simple steps can ensure a straight cut on fiberglass
cloth:
First, find sharp scissors or a fabric wheel cutter, a flat table and
a well-lit workroom. Lay the fiberglass flat on a table and locate a single
fiberglass strand that runs all the way across the fabric.
To create a clearly defined cutting path, pull on the strand from one
edge while holding down the opposite edge of the fabric. If you need a better
hold on the strand to pull it free, cut a 2" or 3" slit into the
edge of the fabric so that more of the strand is exposed. Some fabric strands
are more difficult to remove than others.
This method works on most plain weave fabrics with a true 0°/90°
fiber orientation. The fiberglass strand often makes a zipping sound as
it is pulled free from the woven fabric. Now you have a visual path to follow
with the scissors or fabric wheel cutter.
Cutting the fiberglass cloth cleanly will result in better lay up and
a stronger hull that provides extra years of enjoyment.
From Gougeon Brothers Inc.
P.O. Box 908, Bay City, MI 48707.
By Tom Pawlak
Phone: 517-684-7286, Fax: 517-684-1374.
Website: http://www.westsystem.com.
Note: Tom Pawlak is a technical advisor at Gougeon
Brothers Inc., which manufactures the WEST SYSTEM, line of epoxy products.
He has worked with epoxy projects for 15 years.
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