the long thread: drysuit overhaul xcd2 with photos

[phishphood]

OK, this will be my project thread. Overhauling my XCD2 tech dry (bought used/unusable) by replacing the zipper and wrist seals, changing neoprene neck seal to a latex seal, and removing the soft socks and gluing in neoprene drysuit boots. The first thing on my list is the zipper, since if that doesn't work the rest of the mods aren't worth losing the material. It's a 'hyper-compressed neoprene suit' with the usual nylon laminated on top of it. The current metal zipper looks to have been glued/aquasealed in but I think I might've found a way to get at least the old zipper flap out without removing all the aquaseal. See photos. The wrist seals were cut off before shipping and now appeared to have melted somewhat (hence the plastic bags over them for now) but they seem like I could probably pull them off with some heat. The neck seal should be a simple matter of where I cut the neoprene and the boots will hopefully not pose much of an issue (will deal with it when I get there). Any and all input is more than appreciated, but I can't promise I won't do some stupid stuff.

 

[phishphood]

Zipper top view. Need to try to keep the old outer zipper in place (protective only) and remove the inner one.


Inside view of where the old zipper is aquasealed in.


Melting wrist seal remnants.

 

[phishphood]

Here is a mid-point on the zipper where I just started trying to pull the old zipper panel away from the material. It seems like it's working and looks like it'll leave a nice clean 3/4-1" wide strip that I could glue the new zipper panel on to. Might have to cut a bit of aquaseal the whole length of the thing but it might be my best bet. The only other option I was looking at was simply cutting off the teeth of the old zipper and glueing the new zipper on the inside of the old panel. Any thoughts?

 

[undrwater]

Are you planning on replacing the zipper with a tizip, or a metal one? How do you plan on adhering them?

 

[Peter_C]

I would cut the Aquaseal at least 80% before trying to remove the zipper. The Aquaseal shouldn't be holding the zipper in, but instead used on the backside as a secondary seal for water intrusion. Heat is your friend, and the material/zipper/seals are ready to be worked with when you can't hardly touch it anymore. My compressed neo DUI CF200 from 1995 required a lot of finesse in order not to remove much material. Hundreds of dives later, and it is still diving dry today.

Good luck with your project

 

[f_rugaard]

I am doing some of the same things to a XCD2 tech dry right now. New wristseals, replace zipper, re-glue protective zipper and put new pockets on. Funny.

 

[phishphood]

I'm replacing the zipper with a ti zip. Right now looking at gluing it in with mcnett seal cement and going over the edges with aquaseal.

Progress report: got most of the zipper out cleanly but the end are giving me issues. At one end I'm going to have to glue over the old zipper flap.

 

[f_rugaard]

I replaced the zipper last Night. With a ti-zip

 

[phishphood]

How did you end up removing the zipper or did you just cut it out and glue the new one on the old flap? Also what glue?

 

[f_rugaard]

Do you use a airgun? Normally you can get the zipper off with heat. But aquasure can be a pain to get off. Often I grind it off.
My newly installed zipper was dry today.

---------- Post added August 7th, 2014 at 01:39 PM ----------

I use a airgun and take the hole zipper out. I use this 2 component glue http://www.rematiptop.com/technical/ind/REMA-TIP-TOP-SC4000-Cement-Bonding-Procedures-Rev4.pdf of course In a smaller container than a whole bucket