Felt for Pads

[RWL]

Is there any particular type of felt that makers and repairers consider the best type for making pads?  e.g. hard / medium/ or soft.  Wool vs synthetic?  Alternatively, what qualities should pad felt have or what function does it serve?  Are there any downsides to the 1/8" thick craft felt sheets sold at Michaels / Hobby Lobby / Joann Fabrics, etc?

 

This company http://durofelt.com/products.html  gets good press in the black powder antique firearms community.  This is the American outlet for a specialty felt manufacturer in India.  Does anybody have any experience with their felts?

 

[wes]

Good questions. I have used the wool felt sold at joanns fabrics. It's not the felt sold in small sheets and colors, it's real wool felt sold by the yard. It seemed perfect. Very compact and even. I've used foam sheets too and that works, but it may contribute to pad slap sound. Maybe  someone can answer your other questions.

[David Lay]

There's this post that might be of help: 

 

[RWL]

I had read Terry McGee's experiments at the time, but had  forgotten about that thread.  There was one comment by another maker regarding the use of 1 or 1.5 mm felt that was fairly dense.

 

[Greg Jowaisas]

In my experience dense felt starts out fine but can contribute to pad slap noise down the road.  (How much glue used in their construction might be a contributing factor.)  I can't tell you how many people have sent me instruments not all that old, suspecting action arm rivet noise, when the primary culprit turned out to be hard pads.  (Thankfully much easier to replace pads than squeeze or replace rivets!)

 

Greg

[RWL]

Greg.  Glad to hear your advice.  It pays to listen to the voice of experience.

[d.elliott]

My experiences support Greg, especially the glue comment