Installing Drysuit Boots

[Dectek]

I decided to switch from the latex socks on an OS Systems Nautilus drysuit to boots. I wanted to find out if the process is pretty much the same as changing wrist seals or a latex neck seal. If there is a big difference in the preparation process for boots as to latex seals...please share.
I was just going to dive into the project because I feel comfortable changing latex seals but everyone wants so much for the labor of installing boots. It raised the question of "Why do they charge so much more?" Is it because the boots are that much more labor intensive or maybe just because they can.

OS Systems get a little confusing sometimes because they give repair and care instructions that go against the norm ...or what I have been told is normal.

EX: 1. Don't scuff the seals before applying adhesive. Our seals are special and don't need it. (I don't know exactly what adhesive is used because it is the stuff provided by the manufacture.)

2. Lubricate wrist and neck seals with silicone. (Even states that they can be stretched by soaking in silicone.)

3. Do not use paraffin or Max Wax on the zipper teeth.
4. Use silicone grease on the zipper area between the metal teeth and the seem. ( I was always told that if you did this and the trilam material absorbed the silicone then you would never get adhesive to stick if you ever have to change your zipper.)

Thanks in advance for any input.

 

[Bob3]

What kind of boots are you going to put on, neoprene "wet suit" type, or a hard boot?

Boots aren't like doing bypass surgury, they're quite similar to cuffs. You'll be halfway done if you pay good attention to the surface prep.

About not scuffing cuffs... Cuffs won't take a scuffing very easily anyway, but what you DO need to do is a thorough wiping/cleaning with the appropriate solvent in order to remove any mould release agents, finger grease, etc. A stray fingerprint can mess up a glue joint. Scuffing won't hurt between wipings, it just won't roughen up the surface.

Silicone: There's a lot of back & forth about the silicone topic; I always use silicone on both my neoprene and shell drysuits with never a problem.
When Viking first came out with the Xtreme, I gave the material a tough going over, soaking both the suit material samples and cuff material in silicone for over 24 hours, and then doing a typical glue job. Tested "to destruction" the parts showed no difference in durability. Neoprene doesn't mind silicone at all.
I couldn't tell you about the different laminates out there, I don't mess with them.

The main zipper manufacturer, YKK/BDM has a good zipper care kit, it consists of a fluid (with some silicone) as well as a non-sticky parafin wax stick.
If using silicone, always use the aqueous food grade (milky) stuff in the pump spray, never the aerosol, which may contain volatile ingredients.

Let me know what kind of boots you're planning on using, eh?

 

[Dectek]

Thanks Bob
I was starting to get a little worried that this thread would sit and get no replies. I was thinking about reposting it as "Help...I bought boots 3 sizes too big and need help shrinking them."
It would get a lot of attention then.

The boots are hard. I was told that they are the same boots that are dipped for OS Systems that they sell as DV boots, but I do not know if they are pre-prepped because they are on the way from a 3rd party source.
http://www.ossystems.com/repair/seals.html
The adhesive is sold by OS Sys as PB-300.I don't know exactly what it is, but it has MEK in it and can be thinned or removed with MEK. I also do the prep cleaning with this stuff. (MEK is some mean stuff!)
The comments I made about what OS Systems said or did not say in the original post is on their website under the Repair section and/or the Care And Feeding section.
I guess it is time to remeasure my inseam also because now would be the time to customize the leg length.

 

[Hallmac]

Try this.

I took an old truck tube and cut it eight inches from the inflator nipple in both directions. Fold it three times and glue it with the glue you use to patch holes. You will have the perfect mold to hold you boots and legs during installation.

slide one end into the boot and the other into the leg, Inflate the tube until there are no wrinkles in the leg. You should get a perfect fit the first time.

When the glue is dry all you have to do is deflate the tube and pull it up the leg. A little talc will help keep the glue from sticking to the tube.

I tried OS's leg forms and they always left an area that was flat.
Good luck!
Hallmac.

 

[canuckdiver]

Good idea with the inner tube to help keep the suit ridgid when installing the boots!

I have two questions though, for anybody that might have input.

1. for boots, is there any reason you couldn't use an industrial rubber boot instead of dry-suit boots?

and

2. The inner tube would work great on arms or legs, but anybody have any ideas for doing repairs to the torso of the suit? Is there such a thing as an inner tube as big around as a human body??

 

[Bob3]

When we were working on the road (commercial diving) & needed to replace cuffs, it was usually a fun time, 'cuz we preferred to use a hard mandrel. (promotes more forceful rolling)
Liquor bottles make great mandrels & come in all sorts of interesting shapes & sizes so selecting the proper one to use was often very interesting.
The plastic 2 litre soda bottles just happen to be an excellent size for cuffs & didn't produce any headaches the next day.
I Imagine a 3 or 4 litre soda bottle would work OK on boots, tho it'd be interesting to see if a Baily's or Drambouie bottle might not fit. :mean:

I don't see any reason industrial boots wouldn't work, as long as a good fit could be obtained.

Not sure what the "off the shelf" PB-300 glue is called, but I can find out easy enough.

Torso mandrel? heck, just stick a slab of wood inside the suit & work it flat.

 

[Bob3]

Off the shelf glue for tri-laminates, etc is Bostik 2402, a 2-part adhesive using MEK & toluene as hardener/solvent.
Same glue as used on inflatibles, btw.