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  1. #1
    Senior Member stevebo's Avatar
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    how to cut fabric?????????????

    This is kind of embarrassing, but i have to ask........................when cutting large pieces of ripstop or sil, how do you guys cut a straight line ? I have a terrible time with this, since fabric stretches etc. (my straight cuts tend to be.....very creative!) Also, do you guys sear the edges of the fabric to prevent unraveling? Thanks!
    FYI: If you want to know what type a certain bear is, sneak up behind it and kick it. Then,
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  2. #2
    Senior Member JohnSawyer's Avatar
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    The nice thing about ripstop is it has built in cut-guides.

    That said, my first two hammocks, I used my tile floor and some blue tape. I figure I got within 1/2" and that was close enough...


    John
    "Do or do not, there is no try." -- Yoda


  3. #3
    Senior Member fred1diver's Avatar
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    When cutting really long pieces I taped the fabric to the floor and marked it with my chalk line, then you just fallow the line

  4. #4
    Senior Member JerryW's Avatar
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    The key, for me, is to use a rotary cutter. Scissors always made a crooked line, but you can use a straight edge with the rotary cutter.

    Be careful - they are extremely sharp!


    Jerry
    The "Search" function is your friend!

  5. #5
    Senior Member WV's Avatar
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    I got an 8' straightedge intended for cutting sheetrock. It comes in two 4' sections that screw together. My cutting surface is a sheet of masonite. I spread the fabric out and hold it down with weights. Then I cut along the straightedge with a small soldering iron, which sears the edges as I cut. It helps to have weights holding the straightedge down firmly also. Firebricks standing on edge do well for this. Theoretically I could add another section and a longer piece of masonite to handle 12' cuts, but fortunately I haven't needed to.

  6. #6

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    THIS TOOL is what we use at Hammock Gear for cutting. We follow a chalk line that is made from tracing our pattern. It does not have to be perfectly straight since that raw edge will never show. Generally speaking of course since I do not know what your specific project is....

    Owner/Founder at Hammockgear.com - Hammock Camping Outfitters
    Home of the Burrow, the Incubator, and the Phoenix

  7. #7
    Senior Member turnerminator's Avatar
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    I've been using a straight edge to either mark lines and cut, or I run down the straight edge with a hot cutting tip on a soldering iron similar to this;
    http://www.tooled-up.com/Product.asp?PID=113213
    Its great for cutting single layers, but useless for doubled or more as it welds the edges of the fabric together.

  8. #8
    PapaSmurf's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by turnerminator View Post
    Its great for cutting single layers, but useless for doubled or more as it welds the edges of the fabric together.
    That's one one the big reasons I use a hot knife. If you plan ahead and cut 2 pieces of fabric "wrong side out", you can use the hot knife to baste the seam. On bug netting, it reduces the likelyhood of the 2 layers stretching unevenly.

  9. #9
    Senior Member RootCause's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by PapaSmurf View Post
    That's one one the big reasons I use a hot knife. If you plan ahead and cut 2 pieces of fabric "wrong side out", you can use the hot knife to baste the seam. On bug netting, it reduces the likelyhood of the 2 layers stretching unevenly.
    Ooooohhhh, now that's smart!

  10. #10
    Senior Member turnerminator's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by PapaSmurf View Post
    That's one one the big reasons I use a hot knife. If you plan ahead and cut 2 pieces of fabric "wrong side out", you can use the hot knife to baste the seam. On bug netting, it reduces the likelyhood of the 2 layers stretching unevenly.
    How do you manage to pull the fabric apart after cutting without pulling threads Papa? Do you 'Baste' them apart with the iron?or seperate them as you are cutting?

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