TM 5-1940-321-13&P
APPENDIX F
SPECIAL SHOP PRACTICES
FOR
F530 IAB FABRIC REPAIR
F-1. GENERAL. Repair of the F530 IAB fabric components requires specialized shop practices.
Becoming proficient in these practices requires a thorough knowledge of the materials and processes
used to repair the craft. The techniques used to build the F530 IAB are very similar to the techniques
used in the factory to build the F530 IAB. The F530 IAB is constructed from flat fabric that is joined by
hand glued seams. Flat fabric and hand gluing are also used to repair the F530 IAB. Wooden
components such as the transom and thrust board, and molded components such as handles and D-ring
pads, are glued to fabric following the same procedures used for gluing two pieces of fabric. The quality
of the repair is very sensitive to the quality of the preparation that precedes the actual repair. The fabric
repair practices addressed in this appendix include:
a.
Fabric Composition and Fabric Cutting
b.
Scuffing Fabric
c.
Gluing Fabric
d.
Ungluing Fabric
e.
Patching Techniques
F-2. FABRIC COMPOSITION AND FABRIC CUTTING. Fabric is the primary material used to
construct and repair the F530 IAB. A knowledge of how fabrics are constructed and their properties is
necessary for performing quality repairs. The F530 IAB is constructed from coated fabrics. A cloth made
of nylon or polyester threads is coated with plastic on both sides as shown in figure F-1. Two types of
fabrics are used to construct and repair the F530 IAB; hypalon neoprene and strongan. The two different
fabrics require different solvent treatments and different glues.
a. Hypalon Neoprene Fabric. Hypalon neoprene fabric is used for the buoyancy tubes and
most other components. The fabric threads are coated with hypalon on the outside and neoprene on the
inside surface. Hypalon neoprene fabric is designed to retain air and resist the effects of abrasion, sun,
and atmospheric pollutants. The hypalon neoprene fabric used for repairs is part number (PN) 7046.
b. Strongan Fabric. Strongan fabris is used for the craft s roll up floor, inflatable keel, and
carrying bag. The threads are coated on both sides with polyvinyl chloride (PVC) plastomers. The
molded D-ring assemblies, carrying handles, and bow handles are similar chemically to the strongan
fabric and use the same glue and solvent treatment. The large towing D-rings are an exception. They
are made from neoprene and are glued using toluene and neoprene glue. The strongan fabric used for
repairs is PN 7132.
F-2
