Please note the current production batch of 8" wide is on light grey backing. The 12" is a red backing. Backing colour can change
Specification
8 inch cloth:
Wire 25 Carder Wire Gauge
Wire setting 72 points per square inch. This is a good general setting
Total width of backing 8.5 inch (215mm) Width of wire working surface 7.5 inch (185mm)
The margin of the card cloth can be trimmed back if neccessary
12 inch cloth
Wire 25 Carder Wire Gauge
Wire setting 72 points per square inch. This is a good general setting
Total width of backing 12 inch (300mm) Width of wire working surface 11 inch (295mm)
The margin of the card cloth can be trimmed back if neccessary
Drum carder information
We sell a lot of cloth for drum carders, either as a replacement for old machines or for those looking to build their own carder. This card cloth is to the same wire setting as our standard drum carder.
Sold in sheets of continuous lengths.
To calculate the amount, length, you'll need multiply the diameter of the drum by 3.142. We always add a little bit extra for free to allow space for making the join. The length can be adjusted by picking out the pins, with a small bladed screwdriver through the back of the cloth and trimming the backing with a sharp knife. Thin bladed sharp craft knives are best for cutting the backing cloth.
Card cloth is normally fixed to the drum by staples or tacks along the edges only. A joining line, often made of a thin strip of metal or wood will not only fix the cloth but also provides a space allowing the carded batt to be removed when you've finished.
Do not use glue on the back of the cloth as this ruins the flexibilty of the cloth and turns it into rigid pins that would tear the fibres.
We don't recommend the use of double sided sticky tape as all adhesives on tapes have a life and it may fail. Tacks or staples do a much better job.
Blending board information
Blending boards can be made with either 12" or 8" wide cloth. This is the fixed dimension. Any length can be ordered. Please seee the drum carder information above for suggested fixing methods.
Old Carders
We suggest that before looking to recover an old drum carder you check that it is running ok. Its important that the drums are still cylindrical as the carding action requires the working surfaces to be parrallel. Slight imperfection is ok.
You may find on very old carders that they are covered by strips of card cloth about 1" wide with a very stiff action. This is carding fillet designed for use on very large drum industrial machines. It was often used because it was acquired from industrial machine covering companies. More often than not it is too stiff for hand drum carders. It does card but the very stiff action can tear the fibres rather than gently open them. It can be replaced with the card cloth we produce to give a gentler action to the carding of the fibres.
If you have an old carder that is narrower than the standard card cloth it is possible to reduce the width of the cloth by picking out the pins and cutting it back. The pins are like staples being u shaped in the back so easy to pull out.
