Down Recovery Questions

[Nift]

These may have already been covered, but I have been unable to locate any info.

1. If you are recovering down and do not have the FP listed how do you determine it for reuse? Is there a volumetric chart? Such as 1gal zip lock of down weighed as x oz = xx fp or something like that.

2. If you mix different FPs together is the resulting FP an average?

3. It seems that quills/feathers are not wanted at all. Since we know down will "leak" through none down rated fabric and the quills shouldn't since they are larger, can you simply filter the recovered down through a porous fabric into your recovery bag? This way you could separate and figure how much of each you want.

Thank you for any information you can give.. still watching the thrift stores for possible salvage items. Rare since I live in a warmer area.

[Metavo]

As I get my down from places that don't have exact values of FP, I'm planning to make my first UQ using volume of it not by weight. I hope it will work fine and measuring should be more exact also.

[Boston]

Here's what I've learned. I'm not an expert.

Fill power is a volumetric measure of down's ability to loft (trap air). Generally speaking the larger the down cluster, the higher the FP. The more of those large clusters you have, the higher the overall FP. FP is measured in cubic inches per oz (in^3/oz). Mixing FP will result in an average based on weight percentage.

To measure fill power down is compressed in a glass cylinder with a weight (I don't know how heavy). The weight is then removed and the down allowed to loft. The FP of the down is how much volume the down lofts out to. You could try to replicate a similar test yourself.

Feathers have very low lofting ability, and the quill portion will poke holes in the fabric and cause leakage. The more feathers you have the less FP you'll have, and the more leakage you'll see - especially after compressing the quilt. If you're using a super light weight fabric, like M50 or Argon, the quills will cause LOTS of problems. Heavier fabric will be more resistant to leakage. Lower FP down is MORE prone to leakage (because the clusters are smaller, and there are more feathers).

Edit: Here's a good read.

[Mrprez]

You are close, but this is how down FP is measured.

[Ramblinrev]

1. If you are recovering down and do not have the FP listed how do you determine it for reuse?

Essentially you can't. There are so many variables that without the highly technical sorting and grading machinery there's little you can do. Recovered down can also lose it's loft from poor storage, dirt and a variety of other contaminants. Recovered down is a crap shoot.

3. It seems that quills/feathers are not wanted at all. Since we know down will "leak" through none down rated fabric and the quills shouldn't since they are larger, can you simply filter the recovered down through a porous fabric into your recovery bag? This way you could separate and figure how much of each you want.

Down clusters leak through non down proof fabrics less that quills do. The quills may be bigger but they are sharper and stiffer meaning they stick through all the same. Down is processed and separated using air pressure. Unless you can figure out a way to blow the stuff around loose and collect it (Kids... don't try this at home) you are pretty much stuck with what you got.

The best way to get quality down is to buy quality down. Don't get me wrong, recovered down has it's place. But it is never a substitute for high quality down from reputable vendors.

[Nift]

Thanks for the replies.

Ramblinrev, I understand buying it is a lot better for quality control. I have more time to work on getting quality than money to buy quality.

More on my idea for number 3. I was thinking of using drifter's down movement tool. Air flow induced vac. Then as it is discharging into the recovery bag go through say thulle then a gap and next would be say noseeem, then if needed a loosely woven fabric piece, m50 or such is what I was thinking.

Thought was that as the down was blown into the recovery bag through the filter layers I would wind up with down in bottom of bag and feathers stuck in filter layers. This allowing choice as to fill in future. Would the down not filter fast enough? Will the feathers let go of the down?

[e_2]

...Thought was that as the down was blown into the recovery bag through the filter layers I would wind up with down in bottom of bag and feathers stuck in filter layers. This allowing choice as to fill in future. Would the down not filter fast enough? Will the feathers let go of the down?

I have been envisioning some filtration system in my head at night... I'm not sure how effective any of my current materials would be at this, but it may be worth a shot.

The other idea I had is what I would consider the wet and tedious method.

• soak all of the down really good
• grab a clump of down and a squirt bottle of water
• slap that clump of down on a clean cookie sheet or platter
• pick out the obvious feathers from the down
• as you pick, squirt the feathers to help release the clingy down
• put the discard feathers in a bowl of water
• repeat until it's all sorted

[nothermark]

I think you will find that large down plumules clog filters faster than you can cut the blower. At least the one's I have seen would. Air sorting with some kind of baffle or air knife is used because the bigger, lighter down plumules float to a different level than feathers when in an air column.