Mobbys Armor Shell Thigh Pockets
- Thread starter Sawllkwa
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I have a Mobby's trilaminate suit, and I put thigh pockets on it. I bought them from Fifth Dimension (Pacific Rim Aquatics). They were $30 apiece at the time.
Putting them on is not difficult, but I screwed up the first one and had to redo it. The keys are: Mark where you want the pocket so you're sure. Carefully put a large (college textbook size) book inside the drysuit leg, to give you a smooth, stable surface of spread suit on which to work. Clean the surface of the suit with a mild solvent, and then buff the area where the pocket will sit with a fine sandpaper. Do NOT omit these cleaning and prep steps, or the pocket will fairly quickly begin to come off!
I glued mine on with E6000, at Uncle Pug's recommendation. There are also heat-activated glues, which is what my LDS uses. If you use E-6000, you put several thin coats on each side, allowing each coat to dry to significant tackiness before the next is applied. Then you put the two sides together. (I should add that I taped off the pocket area with masking tape the second and third time, to avoid spread of the glue.)
I was told the first time only to glue the edges, but I think that's wrong. The second time, I put glue throughout where the pocket was going to sit. After the pocket is put on, you have to roll or rub the entire site to get all the air pockets out of the glue. This is where the book inside the leg is very handy.
Once the glue has been rolled, you put another large textbook on top of the pocket, and pile all your scuba weights on top of the book. Then walk away and leave the whole mess for as long as you can stand it (AT LEAST a day, preferably much longer.) My second pocket sat four days before I moved it.
Or, rather than read my essay, you could buy the Airspeed Press Drysuit care and maintenance book, and get this information in much better detail, as well as many other useful things
Putting them on is not difficult, but I screwed up the first one and had to redo it. The keys are: Mark where you want the pocket so you're sure. Carefully put a large (college textbook size) book inside the drysuit leg, to give you a smooth, stable surface of spread suit on which to work. Clean the surface of the suit with a mild solvent, and then buff the area where the pocket will sit with a fine sandpaper. Do NOT omit these cleaning and prep steps, or the pocket will fairly quickly begin to come off!
I glued mine on with E6000, at Uncle Pug's recommendation. There are also heat-activated glues, which is what my LDS uses. If you use E-6000, you put several thin coats on each side, allowing each coat to dry to significant tackiness before the next is applied. Then you put the two sides together. (I should add that I taped off the pocket area with masking tape the second and third time, to avoid spread of the glue.)
I was told the first time only to glue the edges, but I think that's wrong. The second time, I put glue throughout where the pocket was going to sit. After the pocket is put on, you have to roll or rub the entire site to get all the air pockets out of the glue. This is where the book inside the leg is very handy.
Once the glue has been rolled, you put another large textbook on top of the pocket, and pile all your scuba weights on top of the book. Then walk away and leave the whole mess for as long as you can stand it (AT LEAST a day, preferably much longer.) My second pocket sat four days before I moved it.
Or, rather than read my essay, you could buy the Airspeed Press Drysuit care and maintenance book, and get this information in much better detail, as well as many other useful things
- Messages
- 96,734
- Reaction score
- 97,490
- Location
- On the Fun Side of Trump's Wall
- # of dives
- 2500 - 4999
I suspect it was me who recommended the E6000 (that's what I use) ...Uncle Pug:
... Bob (Grateful Diver)
PB-300 is applied like contact adhesive to both suit and pocket but after drying (it dries quickly) the pockets can be positioned without the parts adhering.
Once the pockets (or seals, ect.) are posiioned the PB-300 is activated by heat or wiping with MEK and then momentary pressure applied with a roller or block of wood and rubber mallet.
The suit is then ready to use... no waiting for an adhesive like E6000 to dry overnight.
For adding pockets to a drysuit I suggest several coats of PB-300 on both suit and pocket. It dries fast so this won't take long. Best results will be obtained if both pocket and suit area to be glued is wiped clean with MEK before applying the PB-300. Wear gloves.
It helps to position the pocket on the suit first and outline the area with masking tape. Then apply the PB-300 1.5" around the inside of the masked area but not in the center of the pocket area. If the center is left unglued it will allow the pocket/suit interface to flex... otherwise the pocket will be pulled loose at the corners.
Once the pockets (or seals, ect.) are posiioned the PB-300 is activated by heat or wiping with MEK and then momentary pressure applied with a roller or block of wood and rubber mallet.
The suit is then ready to use... no waiting for an adhesive like E6000 to dry overnight.
For adding pockets to a drysuit I suggest several coats of PB-300 on both suit and pocket. It dries fast so this won't take long. Best results will be obtained if both pocket and suit area to be glued is wiped clean with MEK before applying the PB-300. Wear gloves.
It helps to position the pocket on the suit first and outline the area with masking tape. Then apply the PB-300 1.5" around the inside of the masked area but not in the center of the pocket area. If the center is left unglued it will allow the pocket/suit interface to flex... otherwise the pocket will be pulled loose at the corners.
- Messages
- 96,734
- Reaction score
- 97,490
- Location
- On the Fun Side of Trump's Wall
- # of dives
- 2500 - 4999
I thought you used PB4UGO ...Snowbear:
... Bob (Grateful Diver)
I have to say that I have a small personal series -- first pocket applied by gluing around the edges, second and third with glue throughout. First pocket began to pull off the corners in fairly short order; second and third pockets are about two months into diving and are solid.
UP, sorry if I misquoted you. SOMEBODY told me about the E6000.
I stand by my bottom line -- The Airspeed Press drysuit book is worth its weight in gold, and costs less than a drysuit pocket.
UP, sorry if I misquoted you. SOMEBODY told me about the E6000.
I stand by my bottom line -- The Airspeed Press drysuit book is worth its weight in gold, and costs less than a drysuit pocket.
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