Drysuit repair-wish me luck!

[DivingCRNA]

OK, the seals and glue came today. It is pretty cold out, so I will let everything assume room temperature. I will take pictures as I go.

Anyone know how to decide how much to trim the seals?

 

[CD_in_Chitown]

Once you get them on and dry try them on and see where you're at with the fit.

Trim 1-2 rings at a time and try the fit each time until you get it comfortable without constricting. Latex doesn't have to be tight to seal, it just has to lay flat. Depending on the size of your wrists and your seals you may be like me and get away with the default fit or like my dive buddy who cut like 8 rings off of his seals to get his meaty paws and forearms in there. After all the experience though he's pretty comfortable trimming the seals with an exacto or razor blade. Ditto on the thumbs-down for scissors

 

[DivingCRNA]

Well, it was a little anxiety provoking.

The wrist seals were not bad at all. Just took my time, made sure the jigs fit and lined everything up before I glued. The right wrist seal is not on as far as I wanted, it must have slipped up on the jig while I was applying glue. But it will be fine.

The neck was hard. I used a 5 quart pot as a jig, but the neck would not lay flat. I was doing great getting it glued in place and got a wrinkle. I think that it will be fine, because the wrinkle stuck to itself. I am also aquasealing the wrinkle together inside and outside the seal.

I took a bunch of pictures and uploaded them to the site. We will see how it went when I get in the water! It will be a pool session first. I have never dove a drysuit before, so that alone warrants a pool session.

I am going to let the glue dry tonight and look at trimming the seals tomorrow, when I am fresh. I also have to get the jigs out of the wrists.

Never do this stuff in a rush.

The pictures are kind of big to post here, but all the pics from the repair are posted in my gallery. Airstream press was a huge help.

 

[H2Andy]

sounds awesome!

 

[DivingCRNA]

I was really afraid of mucking up the whole job by cutting the seals too short. But it did not happen.

I used new, sharp scissors. I practiced on a paper cone, then followed the lines on the seals.

The first wrist seal took 5 cuts to get it right-a little at a time. The second wrist took 2. I left a little the first time in case the other wrist was a little smaller.

The neck was a pain-mainly trying it on after each cut. It is VERY unconfortable to wear a drysuit neck seal that is too small and get it off without tearing it!

I got them all right. They are snug, but not too tight, and they all lay flat against my skin.

I cannot wait to get in the pool and try diving dry!

 

[DivingCRNA]

I took my drysuit down to the YMCA pool today and got in. No SCUBA gear, just the suit.

1. I learned what suit squeeze is, and I was standing in 5 feet of water.

2. I learned that it is good to test a drysuit in warm water before you hit the cold water.

3. In warm water you hardly feel leaks at all.

4. A pressure test with soapy water in a spray bottle would have saved me the time of driving to the pool and getting wet in my drysuit.

The zipper and wrist and neck seals are water tight. NONE of the seams on the suit are. I have to reseal all of them.

I guess I will post how that goes!

 

[DivingCRNA]

Last night I inflated the suit and sprayed it with soapy water. Most of the seams leak. I looked up what to do in my handy dandy airstream press drysuit book. Ugh.

I spent 2 hours today getting all of the old glue out of the seams of my suit. I have it hanging inside out in my basement. I pealed and dremmeled all the old glue out and pulled off all of the old tape (the stuff that did not fall off after getting wet!). I am not being selective. It all looked like crap, so I am redoing it all. There is no use in searching out individual leaks.

I have to hit the hobby store tomorrow to find watertight seam tape. I already have glue and aquaseal.

The good news is that the laminate part of the suit, on the inside, looks reaaly good. But the suit is at least 20 years old. The stamp on the inside of the latex socks says 1986.

If resealing the seams does not do it, I may toss the suit. I am not going to get in a position where I spend more than I would on a new suit, and still have a 20 year old suit.

I am posting all of this suit info so that those considering eBay "bargain" drysuits will see what you can run into. I figured it would be like this, but I want other to see it before they spend.

 

[HarryWhisman]

If resealing the seams does not do it, I may toss the suit. I am not going to get in a position where I spend more than I would on a new suit, and still have a 20 year old suit.

Don't give up now!! If you're willing and able to replace the tape, it sounds like you're going to be home free.

I am posting all of this suit info so that those considering eBay "bargain" drysuits will see what you can run into. I figured it would be like this, but I want other to see it before they spend.

I have found your accounts very interesting.

 

[H2Andy]

yes, i too am finding your "battle of the dry suit" interesting

i have tackled a 1994 DUI TLS350, and it has been easier than yours. had
a significant leak on the neck. GDI (a member here) found and patched that
for me.

still leaking, i found a smaller pinprick on the right shoulder. still leaking, found
a second leak next to the first leak.

then, i noticed my right lower leg and foot was getting wet. found and fixed a leak near the right knee.

right lower leg and foot still getting wet (though less), so i suspect at least
another leak.

i have searched by inflating the suit on the bathtub. no go. i searched with
a flashlight in the dark (from inside). no go.

luckily, it's a very small amount of water, and it barely gest my undies wet, but..
still... it's a matter of principle!

 

[oly5050user]

Last night I inflated the suit and sprayed it with soapy water. Most of the seams leak. I looked up what to do in my handy dandy airstream press drysuit book. Ugh.

I spent 2 hours today getting all of the old glue out of the seams of my suit. I have it hanging inside out in my basement. I pealed and dremmeled all the old glue out and pulled off all of the old tape (the stuff that did not fall off after getting wet!). I am not being selective. It all looked like crap, so I am redoing it all. There is no use in searching out individual leaks.

I have to hit the hobby store tomorrow to find watertight seam tape. I already have glue and aquaseal.

The good news is that the laminate part of the suit, on the inside, looks reaaly good. But the suit is at least 20 years old. The stamp on the inside of the latex socks says 1986.

If resealing the seams does not do it, I may toss the suit. I am not going to get in a position where I spend more than I would on a new suit, and still have a 20 year old suit.

I am posting all of this suit info so that those considering eBay "bargain" drysuits will see what you can run into. I figured it would be like this, but I want other to see it before they spend.

dilute the aquaseal with cotol and create a "seam" seal on the inside where the tape is/was..this is what dui uses on their seams..