Shop rags?

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Ghillie

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What do you look for to get high quality shop rags?

I used to have a source at a local car dealership. They got rags through their uniform exchange company. My buddy would give me clean ones and I would give him the dirty ones back.

I just can't find the quality rags at the parts stores and you can't get a "thread count" like you can with bedding. (yes, I said thread count in bedding!! I am secure enough in my masculinity that I could....errr...never mind...)

Any tips?

Fred
 
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I buy my shop rags from a company E.R.C. in Lynn Ma.
They sell all types of rags and towels. The ones i use are like old flanel shirts ripped in pieces. One big box for around $60.00 and lasts almost a year.


Just my thoughts Lee
 
My company buys the cheapest crapola they can find. Our rags are usually some kind of synthetic blend and don't absorb fluids very well. They wipe sealant up ok though.

Ian
 
Well, since you know about thread count, head to a store having a sale and buy some 300 count bed sheets. Or to the fabric store. Some fabric stores also have nice stickers and sticky rhinestones you can put on your saw. You can then tear the sheets, or do some engineering and hem them nicely. Perhaps embroider your initials on them. It is manly to sew. Smokejumpers sew. :)
 
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I do like you an "exchange" them at work.My stepfather bought a package of those blue rags,they looked like myy shoprags but they are cheaper.:)
 
I get a garbagebag full at the salvation army store. They get a lot of donations that are worn or ripped and they will sell that stuff to greasemonkeys for cheap plus your helping out a good cause.
 
when work-clothes start looking more like rags than clothes.... i move them from the washing pile to the rag pile...
 
Well, since you know about thread count, head to a store having a sale and buy some 300 count bed sheets. Or to the fabric store. Some fabric stores also have nice stickers and sticky rhinestones you can put on your saw. You can then tear the sheets, or do some engineering and hem them nicely. Perhaps embroider your initials on them. It is manly to sew. Smokejumpers sew. :)

Lol...Well since you mention it. I do sew, just bought a new sewing machine this spring.

Did some repair and custom fabrication for a nearby Sherriff's Dept. tactical unit. Got some ballistic vests in my "sewing room" right now that needs some fixin'.

Like I said, I am secure in my masculinity. Should have seen my banker's face when he asked what the business account was for. "You sew like curtains and such???????" he asked.

I have been told I have too many hobbies and to little ti....was that a squirrel? :biggrinbounce2:

Fred
 
I dont want to turn this into a sewing thread but I do most all the mending of ripped clothes and Ive sewn on almost all of the Brownie patches for my girls. When my MIL passed away wife got her sewing machine, Ill bet Ive used it more than wife. Im good with my masculinity too.:greenchainsaw:
 
Fred, Bounty is the quicker picker upper.

No, I would go with the cheap sheet idea. I actually found some onsale at a local store not too long ago. If it matters to you it was a 400 thread count:). I took the back to the house and cut the up into about 2" squares.

I think the pack cost me $10 and I even had some cool elastic left over.

Adam
 
Fred, Bounty is the quicker picker upper.

No, I would go with the cheap sheet idea. I actually found some onsale at a local store not too long ago. If it matters to you it was a 400 thread count:). I took the back to the house and cut the up into about 2" squares.

I think the pack cost me $10 and I even had some cool elastic left over.

Adam

Come to think of it.. My 371 came with some nice thread count packing!! :)

Fred
 
Well, since you know about thread count, head to a store having a sale and buy some 300 count bed sheets. Or to the fabric store. Some fabric stores also have nice stickers and sticky rhinestones you can put on your saw. You can then tear the sheets, or do some engineering and hem them nicely. Perhaps embroider your initials on them. It is manly to sew. Smokejumpers sew. :)

Fred, Bounty is the quicker picker upper.

No, I would go with the cheap sheet idea. I actually found some onsale at a local store not too long ago. If it matters to you it was a 400 thread count:). I took the back to the house and cut the up into about 2" squares.

I think the pack cost me $10 and I even had some cool elastic left over.

Adam

It is a good idea, I could hem them so they don't unravel when I wash them.

Wooohoooo!! Another project!!! :dizzy:
 
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We used to use shop rags, but we did a cost comparison and for us buying the disposable blue shop paper towels at Walmart was the cheapest way to go for us.
 
I have been told I have too many hobbies and to little ti....was that a squirrel? :biggrinbounce2:

Fred[/QUOTE]

That's funny>:)
 
+1 for the blue paper towels

Nothing to clean, just use and toss in the burn barrel. They work well for me.
 
We use to use one of those services that would collect and clean our rags, but they would seem to disappear in the cleaning process. They'd pick up 50 and bring back 32 and charge us for the missing 18 that they lost. Buying and washing our own were too much of a hassle, so blue paper towels are the clear winner with us.
 
When my kids were little we used a diaper service, and they somehow got the count off. I ended up with a big bag of nice cloth diapers to use as shop rags...

Now days I mainly use those blue throw-aways. Once in a while I can "liberate" some rags from work.
 
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