Is my dry suit a liability?

[Dan Gibson]

Mark can do just about anything.

Go to drysuitrepair.com

 

[PacketSniffer]

Mark can do just about anything.

I'll second that one. They do excellent work.

Far, if you don't feel like tackling it, send it to Superior Diving Repair.

 

[Dan Gibson]

Just to let this person know, Mark used to be with DUI. He really knows his stuff. There are others like Steve Gamble in Florida, but I really like Mark's work and his willingness to try where others say it can't be done.

I'll second that one. They do excellent work.

Far, if you don't feel like tackling it, send it to Superior Diving Repair.

 

[TSandM]

I glued pockets on my own dry suit. It's not that hard, although I didn't do a good job the first time. I bought the 5thD pockets, because they were inexpensive, and used E6000 as the glue. I learned the hard way that you should spread glue over the entire area where the pocket is to be applied, AFTER cleaning and buffing the fabric where the glue is going to sit.

I would HIGHLY recommend the Airspeed Press dry suit book for anybody who is going to DIY. It would have saved me significant time and effort had I read it BEFORE doing my own pockets.

 

[RTodd]

1) Go to a different LDS
2) buy a tube of aquaseal and a bottle of cotol
3) buy a couple pockets from divextras.com or your local Halcyon dealer
4) mix the cotol and aquaseal on an old butter dish
5) spread aquaseal on back of pocket
6) attach pocket and apply pressure for a few minutes
7) wait 2 hrs
8) done

With the qualifier that I have never glued a pocket on a drysuit since I order mine with the pockets, this is not the proper procedure for gluing pockets onto a wetsuit. I don't know if it is different procedure for drysuits. On a wetsuit, you apply several coats of the wetsuit cement and them attach it. Halcyon has directions and I am sure they can provide them for this application if the above isn't the correct way to do it. For patching a trilam you mix the cotol and aquaseal in a 50/50 mix, not the mixture it states ont he bottle. If aquaseal is the correct method, I suspect that is the possible mix.

Superior does great work. However, I would encourage you not to sink too much money into this suit. I hate to be too much of an add for one company, but if you keep diving long enough there is a good chance you will end up getting a DUI TLS. I have owned about a dozen drysuits, including seveal other DUI models, and the TLS really is so popular for a reason.

 

[CompuDude]

I glued pockets on my own dry suit. It's not that hard, although I didn't do a good job the first time. I bought the 5thD pockets, because they were inexpensive, and used E6000 as the glue. I learned the hard way that you should spread glue over the entire area where the pocket is to be applied, AFTER cleaning and buffing the fabric where the glue is going to sit.

I would HIGHLY recommend the Airspeed Press dry suit book for anybody who is going to DIY. It would have saved me significant time and effort had I read it BEFORE doing my own pockets.

Got a link for the book? Followed your recommendation for the 5thD pockets from another thread, and they just arrived. Nice pockets, GREAT price! Now I just have to glue the suckers on, so once again your post is timely. Thanks!

Edit: Found http://www.airspeedpress.com/divesuit.html but is there a less expensive place to order, or is it best to get it direct?

 

[TSandM]

I bought mine from Airspeed Press directly. If there's another source, I don't know about it. It's worth the money.

 

[cummings66]

TSandM, care to answer a couple questions.

How does E6000 compare to the McNett Seal Cement that Halcyon suggests for attaching their pockets, and why do you do the entire pocket whereas Halcyon does only the outer inch of it?

What negative thing happened to teach you to do the entire pocket?

 

[Dive-aholic]

Got a link for the book? Followed your recommendation for the 5thD pockets from another thread, and they just arrived. Nice pockets, GREAT price! Now I just have to glue the suckers on, so once again your post is timely. Thanks!

Edit: Found http://www.airspeedpress.com/divesuit.html but is there a less expensive place to order, or is it best to get it direct?

Vance sells these direct. The only way you'll get it from another source is by buying a used one. However, I doubt you'll find a used one. I couldn't see getting rid of any of my airspeed books. I have them all. They are all worth the money!

 

[TSandM]

I don't know anything about the McNett cement.

I put my first pocket on by putting the glue just around the outside. With time, the corners began to peel, and when they came loose, there was nothing else holding the pocket on except the gradually diminishing strip of glue along the edge.

I took that pocket off and reglued it, and glued the second one on, using glue throughout. The corners are again peeling somewhat, but at least the pocket is still secure!