Whites Fusion SLT/SiTech cuff ring modification step-by-with pictures

[00wabbit]

Thanks for the post. I completed this mod this weekend. I found a small can of pvc pipe cleaner that is MEK, Acetone and some other stuff and it worked well to prep. It was also a lot cheaper and smaller than the huge can of MEK.

I ended up adding a small bead of aquaseal along the edge of the suit on the cuff for added security.

It sure makes getting the suit on easier and now my rings sit on my wrists and not on my hands. Also the mobility of the suit went up. I can reach behind my head a lot easier now. (I have the bullet skin)

 

[Jaben10]

A year has passed - how are the fix doing ? Thinking about installing the oval QCS SI-tech on my fusion tech ... I dont have SLT installed - only latex seals .. My LDC tells me to leaving some of the latex seal on and glue it on to that instead of directly to the suits fabric .. But I've seen your guys work and are curious about how it is turning out in the long run ?

 

[Dive Right In Scuba]

A year has passed - how are the fix doing ? Thinking about installing the oval QCS SI-tech on my fusion tech ... I dont have SLT installed - only latex seals .. My LDC tells me to leaving some of the latex seal on and glue it on to that instead of directly to the suits fabric .. But I've seen your guys work and are curious about how it is turning out in the long run ?

That depends on the glue you are using The suit is a urethane based material, there is ZERO reason not to adhere to it, assuming you have the proper glue to adhere to it. Going to the seals works on many installs, so it depends on what you are doing, how that area looks (degradation of the seal) and your comfort level.

 

[Jaben10]

Was thinkin I would use the dry adhesive tape as the first post shows or aquaseal because i can't find the dry adhesive tape here in Denmark ...
I would like it on the suit because it ends up looking nicely ... Don't like the idea of doing it on the latex seal .. It would look bad and still depend on the latex not to degenerate..

 

[Jaben10]

That depends on the glue you are using The suit is a urethane based material, there is ZERO reason not to adhere to it, assuming you have the proper glue to adhere to it. Going to the seals works on many installs, so it depends on what you are doing, how that area looks (degradation of the seal) and your comfort level.

Was thinkin I would use the dry adhesive tape as the first post shows or aquaseal because i can't find the dry adhesive tape here in Denmark ...
I would like it on the suit because it ends up looking nicely ... Don't like the idea of doing it on the latex seal .. It would look bad and still depend on the latex not to degenerate..

 

[Peter_C]

A year has passed - how are the fix doing ? Thinking about installing the oval QCS SI-tech on my fusion tech ... I dont have SLT installed - only latex seals .. My LDC tells me to leaving some of the latex seal on and glue it on to that instead of directly to the suits fabric .. But I've seen your guys work and are curious about how it is turning out in the long run ?

The seal is failing already, or will fail soon enough. Installing the cuff directly to the suit is a more permanent solution. Don't be lazy! My install is holding up great, but as I have mentioned in other threads, I am not impressed with the oval cuff system. I would not recommend it, but do recommend the regular Si-Tech cuff system, although the o-rings need to be replaced with a smaller size. *Sigh* why can't Si-Tech figure that part out?

The adhesive tape sounds like good stuff. Give it a try

 

[amilling]

They still install it the same way. It's not so much where it is installed like your pictures suggest. It's more how they install it. The heat press machine they use to put that seam tape on is the culprit. Even if they install it where you did, same problem. It is their heat press machine and the 600 degree temp that does that

Well, I think it's another problem that are causing the wrinkles on the inside of the sleeve. I just did Andy's modification to my Bullet today and I noticed, that when you invert the PU ring in Andy's first step (to remove the tape), the sleeve is actually sitting nicely and correct with no wrinkles. So the problem is not the heating and the press machine, the problem occur when you turn the cuff back in it's correct position. You simply reduce the circumference of the cuff when turning the outside inside and hence the wrinkles that are so annoying, especially because of the stiff tape.

I understand why Whites chose to attach the sleeve on the inside of the ring, because it creates a smooth path from the sleeve into the ring. But in order to avoid the wrinkles, they would have to change their production process and in fact attach the sleeves from the inside of the ring, without turning the ring inside out first. It's probably a more complex process, but if that can't be done, then they should do it like Aqua-Andy has shown us.

BTW, I wrote Aqualung two weeks ago about this problem and no reply. I wrote Whites and several individual members of the management a week ago and still no reply. I have to say that I am very very disappointed in their complete lack of customer attention. I love my Bullet, but I am no longer recommending it to others.

 

[Dive Right In Scuba]

Well, I think it's another problem that are causing the wrinkles on the inside of the sleeve. I just did Andy's modification to my Bullet today and I noticed, that when you invert the PU ring in Andy's first step (to remove the tape), the sleeve is actually sitting nicely and correct with no wrinkles. So the problem is not the heating and the press machine, the problem occur when you turn the cuff back in it's correct position. You simply reduce the circumference of the cuff when turning the outside inside and hence the wrinkles that are so annoying, especially because of the stiff tape.

I understand why Whites chose to attach the sleeve on the inside of the ring, because it creates a smooth path from the sleeve into the ring. But in order to avoid the wrinkles, they would have to change their production process and in fact attach the sleeves from the inside of the ring, without turning the ring inside out first. It's probably a more complex process, but if that can't be done, then they should do it like Aqua-Andy has shown us.

BTW, I wrote Aqualung two weeks ago about this problem and no reply. I wrote Whites and several individual members of the management a week ago and still no reply. I have to say that I am very very disappointed in their complete lack of customer attention. I love my Bullet, but I am no longer recommending it to others.

Strange, Eric was telling me he was talking to someone about this. I wonder if his email is in your SPAM folder? Didn't know it was you, but just putting the puzzle together makes sense.

 

[buddhasummer]

Well, I think it's another problem that are causing the wrinkles on the inside of the sleeve. I just did Andy's modification to my Bullet today and I noticed, that when you invert the PU ring in Andy's first step (to remove the tape), the sleeve is actually sitting nicely and correct with no wrinkles. So the problem is not the heating and the press machine, the problem occur when you turn the cuff back in it's correct position. You simply reduce the circumference of the cuff when turning the outside inside and hence the wrinkles that are so annoying, especially because of the stiff tape.

I understand why Whites chose to attach the sleeve on the inside of the ring, because it creates a smooth path from the sleeve into the ring. But in order to avoid the wrinkles, they would have to change their production process and in fact attach the sleeves from the inside of the ring, without turning the ring inside out first. It's probably a more complex process, but if that can't be done, then they should do it like Aqua-Andy has shown us.

BTW, I wrote Aqualung two weeks ago about this problem and no reply. I wrote Whites and several individual members of the management a week ago and still no reply. I have to say that I am very very disappointed in their complete lack of customer attention. I love my Bullet, but I am no longer recommending it to others.

Was my experience too with both Aqualung and Whites, I gave up on both.

 

[amilling]

Strange, Eric was telling me he was talking to someone about this. I wonder if his email is in your SPAM folder? Didn't know it was you, but just putting the puzzle together makes sense.

Not Sure what/whom you refer to, who is Eric?
And no emails from him in my mailbox.

thanks