Here's what I did to make my drygloves and rings. Much thanks to everybody who contributed to this thread.
DIY Dry Gloves and Rings.
DIY Dry gloves and ring are a fairly easy DIY project, requiring fairly few tools.
Step 1 – Acquire the necessary parts:
- 3” PVC coupling
- 4” diameter vacuum cleaner belts
- Rubber or Vinyl gloves
- Glove liners
- Contact cement
Step 2 – Mark the 3” PVC coupling and cut it in half. I used a 10” chop saw, but it could be done by hand if you’re careful.
Step 3 – I used a router to cut a grove, closer to one end. This will be where the vacuum cleaner belt will sit to hold everything together. This step can be done with a dremmel or just a file. I then sanded both pieces thoroughly to make sure that all surfaces were smooth so that nothing will snag on the latex seals on the suit.
Step 4 – Prepare the gloves. The inner surface of the gloves I bought was lined with some sort of fabric. Since this probably wouldn’t seal very well, I folded the gloves back on themselves, and applied a line of contact cement at the fold, and at the edge. Then fold the two together, to have the outside folded in permanently.
It’s a good idea at this point to make sure that every thing goes together. I assembled the gloves on the rings to make sure everything fits. Slide the glove over the ring, then slide the vacuum cleaner belt over the top to hold it in place.
Step 5 – Place the ring in the suit. The directions I was working from recommended going from inside the suit with the ring, but I found if worked better to just use a lot of talc and work the rings in from the open end. Make sure the end with the grove goes in towards the suit. I left mine so that the seal is still in place around my wrist. This way if the gloves leak the suit won’t flood.
Step 6 - Stretch the glove over the ring and latex seal. Then stretch the vacuum cleaner belts over the top of the gloves. You’re now ready to dive. Don the liner first, and put on the suit.
Step 7 – Go diving! Enjoy dexterity and dry hands!
I Dove them this last weekend in the local 55 degree lake. Not too bad, but the gloves didn't allow for much of a liner, so I switched it out for a set of atlas 66o smurf gloves and a thicker liner. Diving those tomorrow.
Jake