Owens Corning Covering

[ebot9000]

Okay, before I get the standard "do a search" reply, let me say that I haven't found a thread really answering my question here.

I'm going to be building some gobos using 4" thick 705 (double 2"). I'm trying to find a suitable fabric to cover them in. I know Guilford of Maine is the best stuff, but I'm trying to keep costs down.

Obviously I could walk into a fabric store and buy some cool-looking breathable fabric, but I'd like to find some information on how to tell if a fabric is tightly-woven enough to keep fiberglass fibers from escaping. That stuff is nasty!

Is there a spec or a rule of thumb to determine this oh-so-important quality? "Breathable enough to retain the acoustic properties of the absorbers, but tightly-woven enough to keep the black lung from escaping"

many thanks...

[Dimes]

I tried this stuff and like it a lot.

Burlap Fabric 56 Inch Wide

[ebot9000]

A friend of mine used burlap and said he felt it was too porous to keep the fibers from escaping, but obviously not all burlap is the same.

Is there a way to determine if a fabric is too porous for this application?

[Dimes]

In my experience with the stuff I recommended, I've not had any problem with fibers. That's also with most of mine being hung from the ceiling. I can't comment on any other types of burlap since this was my first try with both materials (703 and burlap) but I'm completely happy with the setup that I have.

[ebot9000]

The product description looks good, thanks for the pointer. I may go for that. I like the stylish color options.

Any other pointers on what criteria to look for if I go peruse a local bulk fabric store would be very much appreciated, especially in terms of keeping fibers in.

Thanks!

[Jake Gilla]

I don't know how it would work, but I always thought about using a relatively light more tightly woven fabrick behind burlap as a just in case.

[ebot9000]

Originally Posted by Jake Gilla

I don't know how it would work, but I always thought about using a relatively light more tightly woven fabrick behind burlap as a just in case.

Well in that case you wouldn't really need the burlap, right? Unless you specifically like the burlap's look, it's no longer serving the role of keeping the fiberglass sealed.

From the couple responses I've gotten it seems like you just guestimate how good a job a particular fabric will do at keeping fibers in while letting sound through.

[RCM - Ronan]

The general rule seems to be that natural fibers tend to perform better than synthetics for letting sound get through but not the fibers.

I have been told by guys way smarter than me about this stuff, that if you can blow through it easily, than it should be a pretty good choice.

[ebot9000]

Originally Posted by rcm

The general rule seems to be that natural fibers tend to perform better than synthetics for letting sound get through but not the fibers.

I have been told by guys way smarter than me about this stuff, that if you can blow through it easily, than it should be a pretty good choice.

Although the universally accepted best fabric seems to be Guilford of Maine, which is 100% polyester.

I've read and heard that "blow-through" rule. I think I'll be able to find a breathable soft fabric pretty easily. I'm more concerned with containment, especially since I've been seeing/hearing that some burlaps are not good on that end (prolly the potato sack style).

I guess I'll try to find a tightly-woven yet breathable material that's thin and soft. Got some swatches on the way...

[leebridges]

Parts Express:Grill Cloth Black Yard 70" Wide

i use this stuff to cover my 703. it works great, and it's super cheap.

[Glenn Kuras]

Is there a spec or a rule of thumb to determine this oh-so-important quality? "Breathable enough to retain the acoustic properties of the absorbers, but tightly-woven enough to keep the black lung from escaping"

I really would not worry so much about that. If the panel is not beat on with a bat or any other HEAVY object the fibers will not go into the air. It is only while building that you want to be careful.

Glenn

[Yago]

I was looking into this , and I read that natural fibre is more acoustically transparent , but will sag over time and look like Nora Batty's drawers !
A mix of natural and synthetic was recommended .
Just what I read , no claims to be a "man of the cloth" :P

[Rednose]

I've used burlap with good results.
I don't have any problems with fibers getting through.
Also using a fire ******ent spray seems to help, and remember, this stuff your building is very flameable.

[chris carter]

I used muslin. It's tightly woven (think bed sheet). It's very cheap. You can dye it whatever color you want (my friend did this in his washer/dryer with great success... huge batches of it too). It's very easy to work with.

Muslin is what fashion designers use to mock-up clothing designs before they use expensive fabric. You can find it at any fabric store or order it bulk.

I've never had one single particle of 703 get through - cause it's damn near impossible. Although, I don't like clients touching the panels and getting them dirty so I tell them, "don't touch those; fiberglass will come out and get into your skin and you'll itch for days and there's nothing you will be able to do about it." They freak and avoid them like the plague

[SRS]

Just use 3M adhesive spray (there are several adhesive levels available) on the entire surface for a thin coat and apply whatever breathable, nice looking fabric you choose and get on with recording. This will prevent fiber escape and fabric sagging. The fiberglass fibers will stay put if not aggressively disturbed. Like Glenn said, just use protective measures while building them. After that, you are safe. I used burlap for mine, and then a VERY similar fabric to GOM that I got from a local fabric store for all bass traps.

[ebot9000]

Thanks guys.. this has turned into a much more comprehensive thread than I've found elsewhere.

I have a bunch of different types of fabrics coming from an online discount fabric spot. I'll look into some sprays as well. Do they leave any type of glossiness or are they pretty low profile?

[jsteiger]

Just visit your local Joann fabric store. They have many colors to choose from in Burlap which works just fine. The price is pretty darn good too. Way cheaper than ATS (which is where I bought my fiberglass). I feel a little fruity walking in there but what the heck.

Joann Fabric Burlap Assorted Colors

[ebot9000]

Originally Posted by vin-gear

Just visit your local Joann fabric store. They have many colors to choose from in Burlap which works just fine. The price is pretty darn good too. Way cheaper than ATS (which is where I bought my fiberglass). I feel a little fruity walking in there but what the heck.

Joann Fabric Burlap Assorted Colors

There's actually a revered wholesale fabric spot up the street from me in Greenpoint called Tip Top. Gonna check it out after I get the samples and have some clue as to fabric types that seem workable. Seems like a good idea to have a clue in those spots.

I ain't scared of fruit

[cojo67]

So along the lines of this article... What happens if the fabric IS tightly woven. Is this the instance where it will reflect mids and highs back into the room? I have been reading GS forums on this, but I usually only see where it says that "shiny" fabrics bounce the sound back into the room.

The fabric that I found at Wal-Mart is a good color, and it's 50% off, so it's $.75 a yard. I gave my bedsheets the same "blow" test as I did the fabric in the store, and I CAN get air through it both ways, in and out, on both of them, but it is harder than what people usually say. My bed sheets are a high thread count, don't know specifically though. So will this material be a bad choice for covering superchunks and broadband panel absorbers with 703? It's not shiny, just not porous.

Thanks

Cory

[Dean Roddey]

You can buy prefab bags for 703 traps from a few places. After you add up the cost of the cloth, and the need to come up with some kind of corner bracing and mounting mechanism, it may not be any cheaper than just purchasing the empty bags and the 703. That's the route I took. I did use muslin cloth when I did my home made iso cab, so wrap the 703 I used in there.

I guess it was like $9.99 a yard or something like that, 120" in width I think it was. At that width I guess you could get two 2" or 4" traps in that width. A 4" would be 58" or so if you include some overlap. A 6" would be 60" to get all the way around so no overlap to play with. So for about 5' in length (to leave some wrap around on the ends, depending on the thickness of the traps, I guess you could get two traps out of that if you were careful.

[qtuner]

i used curtain liner for my 703 traps. It is very similiar to muslin and was very cheap. It works great, looks great, and doesn't sag

[Don Hearl]

I use natural canvas for my trap covering. I just bought another 20 yards. I get it from fabric.com.