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> Do you have more information of Defender Industries?
> What is the best weight and size of tape to use for seams construction in
> a kayak. Now that the frame of my Putz-Walrus is finished (skin will be
> put on next spring), I am planning to build two stich and glue kayaks
> using my own design.
Their catalog is online at www.defenderus.com.
Go to where you can download their online catalog. It is in adobe acrobat format, and if you do not have a free acrobat viewer you can download one from their site. The opening screen is the index. Every line is a link. Go to the index page with ``fiberglass'' listed, and click on the line. That should bring up a file with the first 8 pages of their catalog -- all filled with goodies!
The tape I have seen advertised is either 9 ounce or 6 ounce (or the weight is not specified.)
Three layers of 4 ounce is (in theory) the same amount of glass and resin as 2 layers of 6 ounce, but may be a stronger combination. Note that Defender's catalog does not have a big listing for 4 ounce glass cloth, but mentions it as a footnote under their listing for 2 ounce cloth.
If you are going to try cutting this while rolled: get a large diameter wood dowel rod or closet rod. (You can use this later for building a paddle!) If you plan to cut all 7 yards at once, forget the dowel, and get a 10 foot section of rigid 3 inch or 4 inch diameter PVC at the local plumbing supply.
Roll the fabric tightly around the dowel or plastic pipe and secure the end with many small pieces of masking tape. Use a sharp carpenters utility knife to cut through the fabric as you rotate the roll of fabric. Use shallow cuts and keep rolling and cutting until you have worked down through all the layers of fabric. Don't try to hurry things by pushing hard to cut. You'll increase your chances for injury should the knife slip, and blood on the glass cloth is not a good thing. A gauge block cut from a scrap of wood will help you space your cuts. Don't cut more than you need to use at any time. This way you won't be storing a lot of rolls.
If you are planning to use bias cut strips, roll your fabric on a tube for storage if it does not come that way from the dealer. Cut off a triangle from one end and then cut your bias strips from the rest of the roll. If you rip a piece of wood to the width of your desired strips you can use it for a gauge, and just roll the rotary cutter along it. Get a rotary cutter at the local fabric store. They are very popular for cutting cloth for quilts. Skip over the smallest diameter cutters (about 25mm). They wont do as good a job as the larger ones. Fiberglass is a lot harder on cutting tools than fabrics like cotton. Use sharp tools. You could use a utility knife, but as they get dull they tend to snag the fabric and you'll get irregular width strips. If you don't want to buy a rotary cutter, get a utility knife and a few extra blades.
Hope this helps
Paul G. Jacobson
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Guillemot Kayak - High
Performance Wooden Sea Kayak Designs
