Building your own wet suit

[deepseafalcon]

True. Money was certainly an issue when I started diving. But the tinkerer in me took over. I had to rebuild my own regs, not because I couldn't pay for it, but because I couldn't stand NOT doing it. I mentioned in another thread that I made an old jacket style bc into a wing. That project started with a "hmmmm, what if....." Even my new* double hose regulator is partly an exercise in tinkering.


*new to me, the reg is older than I am

yeah, I know that. still love to maintain/build at least some of my stuff. Unfortunately, time is at a premium now, so I have more than one half-finished project sitting in our basement. Much to the joy of my wife. Although I usually try to determine whether the likely outcome of my undertaking is worth the effort. I would, for instance, not built another camera housing. I built two, many years ago. One from a piece of wastewater pipe and plumbing parts (way too heavy, but learned a lot), and one custom-welded aluminum. However, novadays, in times one can buy one for under 200$ for digicams, I don't consider worth it.
Buuut, I couldn't resist to build my own camera tray and arms. Especially the arms I am proud of, as I haven't found similar ones to buy...

And I would definitely not "build" another wetsuit, just not worth it.

d-s-f

 

[TheRedHead]

Seriously, wetsuits are sewn on sewing machines. They have flatlocked seams which requires another machine. Sewing is a craft which takes practice. Thick neoprene would probably require a heavy duty sewing machine, even if you didn't flatlock the seams. The flatlocking is important in order to prevent chaffing when the neoprene compresses. I suppose you could wear a home made suit with a skin underneath and avoid that.

Think of a fine suit of clothing. You can't glue something like that together. It acutally takes a lot of skill to sew well. Evelyn Bartram Dudas was, I believe, the first woman to dive the Andrea Doria and she sewed wetsuits and started a company making custom wetsuits. But I'm sure she knew how to sew because most women of her era were taught to sew.

Making a buttonhole is as difficult as making a mortice and tenon join in carpentry. But if you are willing to take the time to learn, I suppose you could do it. It certainly wouldn't be cost effective.

 

[icantdive55]

I have never built a complete wet suit before but I've helped. It's time consuming and is an art to do it right. My friend who actually made custom suits for a while took some old suits and cut them apart at the seams to make patterns. He used different design from different suits and modified them unti he got the pattern he wanted. Then you cut it out and glue it together. Lots of suppliers out there, we made contact at a DEMA show. As far as the stitching goes you DON'T need it if it's glued correctly. Stitching actually weakens the suit. Look at a neoprene dry suit and it won't be stitched on the inside. They only stitch the outside so that the seams have a nice finished look and the nylon won't unravel. About 3 years ago I had Baily suits make me a custom suit. One of his sales pitches was that it will never see a sewing machine. Instead they put seam tape over the seams. If you ever wear a suit long enough you will noitce that the first place they start to leak is in the seams. After a suit is stitched inside and out there is very little neoprene between the threads. After you don and doff the suit a hundred times all that stretching does a number on the weakest part of the suit. Not the actual seam but the stitching beside it.

 

[SamDiver14]

I am not an old enough diver to know the following story to be true first hand, but my rebreather instructor was a diving pioneer from back in the old days. He told the story in training about his first wet suit. He said you ordered it and they sent you a pattern a roll of neoprene, and a can of glue. Then you just traced out the pattern, cut it out, and glued the seams together. He said the suit was very serviceable and gave him several good years of use.
I am sure the same process could be repeated, and with all things, practice makes perfect. In fact, using a serger "sewing" machine a person could even glue and then stitch the edges together for a more professional look. I do have a hard time guessing how a person could make the flat style seam at home though.

 

[Silvertip57]

True. Money was certainly an issue when I started diving. But the tinkerer in me took over. I had to rebuild my own regs, not because I couldn't pay for it, but because I couldn't stand NOT doing it. I mentioned in another thread that I made an old jacket style bc into a wing. That project started with a "hmmmm, what if....." Even my new* double hose regulator is partly an exercise in tinkering.


*new to me, the reg is older than I am

About the double hose reg.....................................

 

[Creed]

About the double hose reg.....................................

What about it?

 

[DiveGolfSki]

You mean sewing? It used to be a common skill at least among women. I would suggest starting small with a Speedo or two before tackling zippers.

Uhhh, I seem to be under the impression that a bespoke suit from savile row was made my men tailors?

I'm with some of the posters on this board. Making (as opposed to repairing) a wetsuit doesn't seem to be cost effective even after considering the sheer joy of building something on your own.

 

[SteveC]

Does anyone know where you can buy bulk neoprene?

 

[spectrum]

Here's one link:
http://www.owfinc.com/Hardware/Shardware/neoprene.asp
Google will net you more. Heavier weight material (7mm) is harder to get and not all of what's out there is of the density suitable bor scuba diving. As TheRedHead stated, it's not going to be cost effective. But if it's some thing you want to take on have a blast.

Pete

 

[Nemrod]

JFYI, it was common practice somewhat before my time to make your own wetsuit. You do not need flatlock sewing machines or any of that. I have seen homemade suits but never made one. They used to sell the patterns in dive magazine advetisments back before the travel industry took diving over. They even had articals on how to do it in books and magazines.

The suits are not sewn, they are glued together using rubber cement. Then the seams are taped over with usually a contrasting tape and if you must the stress areas are sewn--by hand--and then rubber cement doped onto the threads to seal them and hold them. The ends--cuffs, bottom of jacket, leg openings are not sewn either, they are cut and left raw. The real issue is a good pattern.

I am not going to make my own but the reasons are many, no huge logo across your butt or chest, no stupid colors whirling around you, smooth or sharkskin exteriors, two piece beaver tail suits like they used to make before the dive world went with poodle jackets and leotards.

N