SAE F-3 Wool Felt
also J314 F-3
SAE F-3 Wool Felt is a medium-density industrial wool felt under SAE J314, about 0.30 g/cm³ with roughly 1.7 MPa tensile strength, balancing softness against durability.
Reference datasheet — SAE F-3 Wool Felt is not in the instant-quote catalog. Upload your part and an engineer will quote it in this grade or suggest the closest stocked equivalent.
SAE F-3 Wool Felt tempers and conditions
SAE F-3 Wool Felt is supplied in 2 conditions, soft to hard.
Compare all 2 conditionsHide
| Condition · open for datasheet | Best for | Yield MPa | Tensile MPa | Elong. % | Hardness | Conductivity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Oil-impregnated / saturated F-3 felt | Pick when the felt must act as a lubricant reservoir or oil wiper on shafts, ways and bearing seals. | 1 | 45 | 0.08 W/m·K | ||
Flame-retardant / mothproof treated F-3 felt | Choose for enclosures, rail/transit and appliance parts needing self-extinguishing behaviour and insect resistance. | 2 | 35 | 0.05 W/m·K |
Supply forms, finishes and certifications
Ways SAE F-3 Wool Felt is supplied — form, process route, surface or paperwork — without a datasheet of their own. The property values above apply.
| Option | What it is | Type |
|---|---|---|
STDDefault | As-manufactured dry pressed wool felt | Standard supply |
What is SAE F-3 Wool Felt?
SAE F-3 Wool Felt is a medium-density industrial wool felt under SAE J314, about 0.30 g/cm³ with roughly 1.7 MPa tensile strength, balancing softness against durability. Engineers choose it for general gaskets, padding and filtration where conformability matters more than load-holding firmness; it is stocked as sheet, roll and die-cut parts in plain (STD), oil-impregnated (OIL) and flame-retardant (FR) conditions. Thermal conductivity is 0.052 W/m·K and maximum service temperature is about 100 °C; it absorbs moisture and has poor resistance to strong acids and alkalis. Where higher firmness and lower compression set are required, step up to SAE F-1. SAE F-3 Wool Felt has a density of 0.3 g/cm³ (0.0108 lb/in³), lighter than 93% of natural material grades. SAE F-3 Wool Felt has a tensile strength of 2 MPa (0.247 ksi), weaker than 94% of natural material grades. Elongation at break is 40% and the elastic modulus is 0.01 GPa (7.25×10⁻⁴ Msi).
What is SAE F-3 Wool Felt used for?
- gaskets
- vibration dampers
- instrument padding
- filters
Advantages
- Lightweight — 0.3 g/cm³ (0.0108 lb/in³), better than 93% of natural material grades
- Ductile — tolerates forming and impact — 40%, better than 92% of natural material grades
Limitations
- High embodied carbon — 22 kg CO₂/kg, worse than 100% of natural material grades
- Low stiffness — 0.01 GPa (7.25×10⁻⁴ Msi), worse than 98% of natural material grades
- Poor heat conductor — 0.05 W/m·K (0.03 BTU/hr·ft·°F), worse than 94% of natural material grades
SAE F-3 Wool Felt properties
Typical room-temperature values; bars are the position among natural material grades.
Physical2
SAE F-3 Wool Felt has a density of 0.3 g/cm³ (0.0108 lb/in³), lighter than 93% of natural material grades.
Mechanical4
SAE F-3 Wool Felt has a tensile strength of 2 MPa (0.247 ksi), weaker than 94% of natural material grades. Elongation at break is 40% and the elastic modulus is 0.01 GPa (7.25×10⁻⁴ Msi).
Thermal4
SAE F-3 Wool Felt is rated for continuous service to 100°C (212 °F). It conducts heat at 0.05 W/m·K (0.03 BTU/hr·ft·°F), worse than 94% of natural material grades.
Electrical1
SAE F-3 Wool Felt has an electrical resistivity of 1×10¹⁰ Ω·m.
Chemical & Environmental1
Corrosion resistance is fair (45/100), better than 53% of natural material grades.
Sustainability4
Producing a kilogram of SAE F-3 Wool Felt takes about 80 MJ of energy and emits 22 kg of CO₂ — more than 91% of natural material grades. Typical recycled content is 10%.
Manufacturability1
SAE F-3 Wool Felt's machinability is excellent (85/100, better than 63% of natural material grades).
Common Calculations3
Values are nominal handbook figures for design screening. Certified mill or lot data ships with every FabDigit order on request.
Working with SAE F-3 Wool Felt
Is SAE F-3 Wool Felt easy to machine?
Die-cut, rotary-cut, waterjet or laser (laser scorches and smells); avoid conventional milling — clamp lightly to prevent crushing.
Can SAE F-3 Wool Felt be welded?
Not weldable; join by sewing, stitching, mechanical clamping or adhesive lamination.
Can SAE F-3 Wool Felt be formed, bent or molded?
Cold-forms readily into rings and washers; can be steam-moulded/blocked over a mandrel and dries to shape.
SAE F-3 Wool Felt chemical composition (wt %)
Limits by weight percent from the governing specification, written the way the spec states them — a single maximum for impurities, a range for alloying elements, and the base element as balance. Nominal is the typical mid-range value.
| Element | Spec limit (wt %) | Nominal |
|---|---|---|
| non-wool fibre (reprocessed/other)allowed only in blended J314 grades; nominally absent in F-3 | 0 – 10 | 0 |
| moisture regainat 20 °C / 65 % RH; affects weight and resistivity | 8 – 14 | 11 |
| residual processing oil / greasescouring residue on dry felt | 0.3 – 2 | 1 |
| wool fibre (keratin)SAE J314 F-series wool content; F-3 is an all-wool pressed felt | ≥ 90 (balance) |
What surface finishes work on SAE F-3 Wool Felt?
Available with PSA backing, oil/wax saturation, silicone or flame-retardant/mothproof treatment; no plating or painting.
Equivalent designations
Standards and trade names that resolve to SAE F-3 Wool Felt in FabDigit's catalog. Equivalence is nominal — check the exact specification when certification matters.
- Trade names
- J314 F-3
How much does SAE F-3 Wool Felt cost?
SAE F-3 Wool Felt is a high-cost natural material ($$$$), pricier than about 78% of the materials FabDigit quotes. Part price depends far more on geometry, tolerance and quantity than on the raw stock — upload a CAD file for a live quote.
SAE F-3 Wool Felt — frequently asked
What is SAE F-3 Wool Felt used for?
SAE F-3 Wool Felt is typically used for gaskets, vibration dampers, instrument padding and filters. In short: general-purpose wool felt; softer than SAE F-1; conformable gasket stock.
What is the tensile strength of SAE F-3 Wool Felt?
SAE F-3 Wool Felt has a typical tensile strength of 2 MPa (0.247 ksi) — weaker than 94% of natural material grades. Strength varies by condition: see the 2 listed tempers.
Is SAE F-3 Wool Felt easy to machine?
Yes — machinability is rated excellent (85/100, better than 63% of natural material grades). Die-cut, rotary-cut, waterjet or laser (laser scorches and smells); avoid conventional milling — clamp lightly to prevent crushing.
Can SAE F-3 Wool Felt be welded?
Not weldable; join by sewing, stitching, mechanical clamping or adhesive lamination.
What surface finishes work on SAE F-3 Wool Felt?
Available with PSA backing, oil/wax saturation, silicone or flame-retardant/mothproof treatment; no plating or painting.
Can SAE F-3 Wool Felt be formed, bent or molded?
Cold-forms readily into rings and washers; can be steam-moulded/blocked over a mandrel and dries to shape.
What is the maximum service temperature of SAE F-3 Wool Felt?
SAE F-3 Wool Felt is rated for continuous use to about 100°C (212 °F). Strength falls off well before that limit — check the elevated-temperature data for load-bearing parts.
How much does SAE F-3 Wool Felt cost?
SAE F-3 Wool Felt is a high-cost natural material ($$$$), pricier than about 78% of the materials FabDigit quotes. Part price depends far more on geometry, tolerance and quantity than on the raw stock — upload a CAD file for a live quote.
Sources
- SAE J314 — Felt, Wool and Part-Wool — SAE International (2016)
- ASTM D461 — Standard Test Methods for Felt — ASTM International (2018)
- Industrial wool felt grade & property tables — Sutherland Felt / Western Felt (US felt mills) (2023)
- Wool fibre physical and thermal properties — Textile Institute / Woodhead (2009)
Property data is compiled from published supplier and standards handbooks and normalised for comparison; hardness values on non-Brinell scales are converted approximately for charting only. Manufacturability limits are FabDigit quote-engine defaults and may be relaxed by engineering review. Nothing on this page is a certification — request mill certs, CoC or material test reports with your order.