drysuit seal replacement

[xs 400]

have bought a little diy project for my son

a typhoon alpha drysuit in need of tlc

anyone got any tips on seal replacement ( I think they are laytex), ie where to buy them, how to do it, what glue to use (is bostik 2402 ok?)etc

any advice gratefully received

[tony t]

Originally Posted by xs 400

have bought a little diy project for my son

a typhoon alpha drysuit in need of tlc

anyone got any tips on seal replacement ( I think they are laytex), ie where to buy them, how to do it, what glue to use (is bostik 2402 ok?)etc

any advice gratefully received

Yea skin flint ain't your son worth a new one

[mick]

As Tony said look after your kids should have got him a BS
But any good dive shop will sell the seals but by the time you av burgered about you might as well av got a new one.

Sent from my soon to be old iPhone using Rib.net

[willk]

XS 400 - and you thought they were called the BS Gang because of their suits

It's a cheap repair - any diver with latex seals has to replace them every couple of years - more often if he's hamfisted. If the suit is sound, trashing it because of seals would be like scrapping your car 'cos the tyres are worn.

Here - this is what you need, or similar from the UK.

[captnjack]

Neck seals can be tricky to replace without making a mess. Any dive shop should be able to do those though.
Wrist seals are much more suited to DIY at home. Having a cone shape which fits the sleeve end is a huge help. Wine bottle wrapped in a towel to fill out the shape are crude but effective.

[xs 400]

thanks willk and captain jack!

i find the comment about my son being worth it offensive

[willk]

There are instructions in that very cheap kit. I seem to remember people using soft drink bottles as forms for the sleeves. Maybe large plastic tubs or small buckets for the neck. You prepped the material, placed the new seal in the right position and then peeled it back, applied the adhesive and rolled it back down with your fingers in the fold. Something like that.

It's simple. There are ladies who can do it in the dark for £50

[m chappelow]

A good tip if you are replacing latex seals especially the neck one is to mark the front /Back & shoulder or quarter positions on the seal & suit with chalk /crayon as a guide, though it's not imperative
that way when you adhere it to the suit you get the spacing correct and lined up , otherwise you can go around sticking it down and then get to the end and have a load of excess left !

[xs 400]

Originally Posted by m chappelow

A good tip if you are replacing latex seals especially the neck one is to mark the front /Back & shoulder or quarter positions on the seal & suit with chalk /crayon as a guide, though it's not imperative
that way when you adhere it to the suit you get the spacing correct and lined up , otherwise you can go around sticking it down and then get to the end and have a load of excess left !

top tip. like that!

[Leapy]

Originally Posted by willk

There are ladies who can do it in the dark for £50

Expensive round your way...there's ladies (?) in Atherstone who'll do it for a pint o Guinness and it doesn't have to be dark

[jyasaki]

Originally Posted by willk

Maybe large plastic tubs or small buckets for the neck.

A large wooden or plastic disk held in place with a half-dozen or so binder clips works really well to hold the bond area flat and taut. Also gives you a good surface to burnish the seal on.

jky

[xs 400]

thanks!
but what are binder clips?

[Peter_C]

I have done tons of seal replacements. Super easy to do after practice. You need some type of bottle that fits perfectly into the wrist area. I use a plastic water bottle. You remove the old seals with heat, then clean the glue with Acetone. Prep the seal with some sand paper, then without glue put the seal where it is going to be. Now roll the seal back onto itself. Wipe everything down with MEK as a pre prep wipe. Apply layers of glue allowing them to dry in between. When mostly dry and barely tacky roll them carefully down into place. If out of place use a heat gun to reposition, but don't count on doing that. Apply a bead of Aquaseal mixed with a little Cotol around the inside edge to seal it completely.

Necks are harder to change. You can do it by removing the old one with heat. Prepping the new seal with sand paper. Mount the drysuit onto a round board, or piece of sheet metal if it is a DUI International or similar inside mounted neck seal. You can use clamps aka binder clips to hold it in place. Clean everything with MEK after dry test fitting, than apply glue layers, and again once mostly dry and barely tacky start putting it into place. DO NOT stretch it at all when installing or as mentioned above you will have a bunch at the end. Marking it sounds like a good idea.

Our drysuits are being changed over to SI-Tech permanently mounted rings so we can change seals in the field, and run silicon for comfort.

[chewy]

Originally Posted by mick

As Tony said look after your kids should have got him a BS
But any good dive shop will sell the seals but by the time you av burgered about you might as well av got a new one.

Sent from my soon to be old iPhone using Rib.net

Changing the seals isn't hard, what your saying is once the seals have gone replace the suit?

Make sure you remove all the old glue and take your time and it'll be fine. Don't forget you'll need tape to run round the outside (and inside if your that way inclined) to finish it off.

[jyasaki]

Originally Posted by xs 400

but what are binder clips?

Paper clips, but the folded spring steel type with the fold-back handles.

See attached.

jky

[chewy]

Originally Posted by jyasaki

Paper clips, but the folded spring steel type with the fold-back handles.

See attached.

jky

Bulldog clips.

[Peter_C]

Hmm...I prefer "spring clamps", for changing the neck seal, although more expensive at around $1.00 each. Their jaws open wide and their holding power is very good.

[xs 400]

Originally Posted by Peter_C

Hmm...I prefer "spring clamps", for changing the neck seal, although more expensive at around $1.00 each. Their jaws open wide and their holding power is very good.

my god everything is big in america!

[Peter_C]

Originally Posted by xs 400

my god everything is big in america!

Oh the comments I will refrain from

[jyasaki]

Well, you're not from Texas. Otherwise, we'd never hear the end of it...

jky