Nomex Thread thread!

[johnw]

Can anyone sell me a small reel of nomex thread please?
Need to do some running repairs and cannot find a supplier anywhere.
White preferrred, but anything will do.
Many thanks
John

[Minicross424]

Give nick a ring at AWS in ashford kent im sure he will sell you some

[johnw]

Will do. Many thanks

[Al Weyman]

Slightly off topic but I do embroidery (industrial, don't sit there with a hoop and needle) amoungst other things and I had an enquiry for a big logo on race overalls and was a bit worried about the fire implications so looked into it a bit and it transpires there was no laid down requiremnent to use Nomex thread in the design and my supplier suggested polyester was the prefered option as it just melted as opposed to catching alight like Rayon. I must say this surprised me a bit and I turned the job away but another company did it for him.

[johnw]

Think that you were right to turn it down Al. I can't imagine that a molten mass would do much for the integrity of the suit.
Be interesting to hear from any manufacturers.

[haggispeed]

I would recommend contacting Jays Racewear (Dale Techniche) in Nelson, Lancs. They actually manufacture the materials (and supply AWS apparently). I took my suit up there for a new zip recently (£30). I'm sure they can help you out. Regarding embroidery, regulations do now stipulate that any embroidery must be done with fire retardent material, additionally it is only allowed on the outer layer and not through multiple layers, at least for international level anyway, may be worth clarifying at national level. As far as sew on patches are concerned that is a bit of a grey area, it is up to interpretation by the scrutineers but if they see a suit covered in sew on patches that are through all layers they may just impound it, as for iron on, well the material may be flameproof but you can bet the glue isn't ! Hope that helps.

[Al Weyman]

Well it would be impossibel to embroider it without going right through all the layers of the material including the nomex, thats just how it works. According to Maderia Threads (my supplier) the polyester threads were concidered the best fire retardant option. I doubt very much that Nomex thread would either be available in the colour range required or be very easy to use in the machine so I would suggest all the fancy embroidery you see even in F1 is a compromise to fire safety, interestibg thought eh?

[Eddy V]

Al, if a manufacturer does the embroidery, it is only done in the first layer of Nomex, before they put the 3 layers together.
Nomex thread is available in more colours and the manufacturers use "normal" machines.
All FIA 8856-2000 type suits must have fireproof embroidery.
I have been told that if you put some embroidery on a suit afterwards, it should be covered from the inside with some nomex.

[Al Weyman]

Ah right I see yes that does make sense sew the garment up afterwards, I will tell the guy who had it done as I know the mob that did it and guarantee they did not give a toss, just take the dosh. Years ago at the Race car show I bought a pair of triple Nomex overalls and they sewed my name on them there and then and right through the material, so what was that all about?

[Eddy V]

Well, some do it properly and others don't give a s**t. Sold is sold. If somebody gets (minor) burns afterwards, who is thinking of those little stitching holes?
Therefore I only work with proper companies.
Names should be placed only on the belt, if done on a ready to wear suit.

[johnw]

Now have my thread!
From SOMAC Threads in Chester.
Excellent, friendly customer service.

[jminsh]

If suits are to be embroidered they now in compliance with the new FIA rules (ie FIA8856-2000)have to be done on the outside layer before the suit is put together !Fact

[Chris Y]

Does that mean that if an FIA8856-2000 suit is embroidered, it loses its FIA compliance (or something like that)?

And does that also hold true for sew-on patches?

[jminsh]

If embroidered after it's been made then yes at a FIA event you would not be able to use it .

As for a sew on patch i'm not sure but if used with nomex thread and only going through the outer layer of the suit i can't see the problem.

[johnw]

Anyone want some nomex thread?

[Al Weyman]

Originally Posted by jminsh

If embroidered after it's been made then yes at a FIA event you would not be able to use it .

As for a sew on patch i'm not sure but if used with nomex thread and only going through the outer layer of the suit i can't see the problem.

Oh dear.

[Chris Y]

Originally Posted by jminsh

If embroidered after it's been made then yes at a FIA event you would not be able to use it .

As for a sew on patch i'm not sure but if used with nomex thread and only going through the outer layer of the suit i can't see the problem.

Therein lies the problem. It's very difficult to sew to just the outer layer when the suit's already complete. I suspect most people with patches on the newer suits have gone through all the layers. If only this issue was made a little clearer..

[midgetman]

Remember (?) Verstappen when his Benetton caught fire in the pits at the Ring in 1994 (memory dims, if the details are wrong, sorry, but the point remains).

Sparco had obviously used polyester piping which had disappeared in the heat without compromising the suit. It was on display at Autosports Int and there was no doubt the integrity of the inner layers was there.

However, it's all down to the letter and not the spirit of the rules. I remember seeing a note to scrutineers pointing out the new embroidery rule, and we all know how notoriously unreliable they are about understanding rules :-)

Embroidering through the suit used not to be a problem, but FIA 8856-2000 specifically prohibits it. Badges must now be on flame retardant backings, so be careful with those, even if you manage to stitch on the top layer only. I've avoided badges completely mainly because my pidgeon French/German/Dutch doesn't extend to arguing - sorry explaining - about fireproof badges.

Which means that if you want to carry sponsors' names you'll need to have a suit specially made - obviously we retailers are in league with the FIA ;-)

[Chris Y]

Just read in Autosport that a number of F3 drivers failed scrutineering at the Marlboro Masters over protective clothing. Apparently "socks, boots, and non-compliant stitching of badges on overalls were the problem areas"

So, not limited to club racing either..

[johnw]

Originally Posted by midgetman

...Which means that if you want to carry sponsors' names...

Not going to be a problem for me then!

[andy97]

Originally Posted by johnw

Anyone want some nomex thread?

Yes please. What's the deal?

[johnw]

See your PM's Andy97

[Eddy V]

Originally Posted by johnw

Not going to be a problem for me then!

It seems you found "some" Nomex thread then, John.

[johnw]

Unfortunately not from your contact Eddy
Had to buy half a Kilo (min quantity), so happy to sell on smaller reels to anyone. (At cost, not for profit.)

[zefarelly]

hmm . . .So I have a few patches on my suit ones theyre on the front, sewn with nomextx thread to the outside layer, and I know my patches are on fire retardant cloth, but I have an old heuer sports timing patch (genuine 70's one) if it was good enough for F1 drivers then its good enough for me.

well thats my argument anyway . . .we'll find out at Dijon on Friday !