Date: Tue, 26 Jan 2010 20:14:49 -0500
Reply-To: Jonce Fancher <streetbugs@VERIZON.NET>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Jonce Fancher <streetbugs@VERIZON.NET>
Subject: Re: Tight Canvas??
In-Reply-To: <C707721E-CC43-40E1-A8C8-B9BCA38E37FD@comcast.net>
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Hi
OEM style canvas ( Cotton ) will act like a pair of jeans. Damp or
wet it will stretch. When it dries it will shrink up a bit. Like
taking a pair of jeans out of the dryer and putting on ( tight fit )
wear for a bit and it will stretch out. Dampen your canvas then put
up. let dry real good then it should hold a form. When cotton gets
wet it will swell to prevent water from entering the top.
Now, If it is Acrylic I have found that most Manufactures with the
"sunbrella" versions of Pop top canvas are using NON Boat
Cover/Awning grade. They are using Furniture Fabric grade since it
has a better hand ( easier to work with ). This unfortunately is not
water proof as they may state. Sorry guys but that is the facts. True
Awning /Boat cover Sunbrella is Fairly Rigid and water repellant.
Sunbrella is NOT dimensionally stable and will stretch and shrink
over time. At my shop we do not use sunbrella for tight applications
like Cockpit, Bow and snap on style covers since they will change and
get slack or shrink which is not good for a custom top. It does work
well for Bimini's, Conv. Tops and such where it can vary in shape and
not really matter.
But, If your going to replace your top I would recommend the OE
Canvas over the Sunbrella versions. Now I do not sell them or Make
them for people since there are plenty of companies out there making
them there is no reason to get into it.
Good Luck
C-ya Jonce
>>On Tue, Jan 26, 2010 at 6:45 PM, Jon Kanas <kanas@qadas.com> wrote:
>>Any suggestions on how the get the canvas to
>>>stretch a little bit? Just leave it locked open for awhile?
>
>
>>Dampening the canvas will allow it to stretch without tearing.
>
>Hmmmm,
>I recommend that volks using my Busware tilts NOT try & stretch
>their cotton canvas when wet as it is harder to stretch than when dry-
>Acrylic fabrics like Sunbrella might vary, as their integral shrinkage
>is only 0.5% instead of 4% w/ cotton.
>
>I would be very careful in trying to stretch your poptop, might try &
>leave it popped dry & see if that improves it any.
>
>Richard Jones just had this issue w/ his new OEM Westfalia poptop-
>Richard has yours stretched any since installation last Spring?
>
>
>YMMV,
>
>Mr. BZ
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