Nice thread Hal
all these numbers you speak of 1708 etc etc care to elaborate lol.
Sent from my dirty buthole
Hey Justin, i would love to elaborate. I gives me a woody, talking about fiberglass!

1708, is a E-glass Biaxial cloth, with chop strand mat backing.
The fiberglass tows are held together by light nylon stitching, as well as the mat backing.
The flat non-crimped fibers give reduced print-thru and higher stiffness than other woven fabrics
The mat backing adds extra thickness and makes for a smoother finished product, as well as a goog bonding layer, because glass cloth, with out a first layer of csm, tends to peel.
Now before you go scratching your head! E- glass is basicly, your every day, woven glass fabric and chop strand mat.
Biaxial, means that the tows, or strands run at a bias, to each other, which in the case of 1708, the strands run at +/- 45* to each other. With chop strand mat(CSM), the strands run random directions to each other and held together witha bonding agent that is disolved in the resin.
Biaxial fabric takes on compound shapes or curves, better than a 90* woven fabric.
By the way tows, are a bunch of strands, grouped together, in one direction.
The number 1708 means it is a 17oz biaxial fabric, with a 8oz chop strand mat, sewn to the back.
1708 is ideal for repairs, tabbing, and reinforcing.
Hope that helps. I am not an expert by any means! I have just used alot of glass and done ton of research on it.