Home | Tournaments | Calendar | Weather | Merchandise | Sponsors |
|
All Other Gear Tanks, BCDs, Regs, Fins, Stringers, and all other gear we use in Spearfishing. |
|
Thread Tools | Rate Thread | Display Modes |
|
12-14-2017, 12:23 PM | #1 |
Lance
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Los Angeles
Posts: 1,432
|
neoprene seam tape for wetsuit repair
Does anyone know what this is actually called or where I can order it? I need it to fix big tears in my opencell smoothskin suits, and it is used on the inside seams for manufacturing those kind of wetsuits. The local custom and repair shops use it but won't ever just sell me the tape... I'd rather have the tape and fix my own suits instead of paying them $60 a pop to fix a tear.
This is for opencell smoothskin, not the typical outer nylon lined spearfishing suits. You don't need it for those kind of suits. Thanks!
__________________
For PFI Freediving classes in the Los Angeles area: http://www.socalspearit.com/freedving-classes YouTube channel: SoCal Spear-It https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCme...kaUpPMG4NX1rKg |
12-14-2017, 01:07 PM | #2 |
Registered User
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: Port Charlotte Fl
Age: 76
Posts: 2,480
|
Re: neoprene seam tape for wetsuit repair
I hope that isn't the quality of repair you're trying to duplicate! That is TERRIBLE!
|
12-14-2017, 01:28 PM | #3 | |
Lance
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Los Angeles
Posts: 1,432
|
Re: neoprene seam tape for wetsuit repair
Quote:
Sent from my SM-G930T using Tapatalk
__________________
For PFI Freediving classes in the Los Angeles area: http://www.socalspearit.com/freedving-classes YouTube channel: SoCal Spear-It https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCme...kaUpPMG4NX1rKg |
|
12-14-2017, 02:30 PM | #4 |
Registered User
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Costa Rica/Trinidad & Tobago
Posts: 833
|
Re: neoprene seam tape for wetsuit repair
|
12-14-2017, 02:34 PM | #5 |
Registered User
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: Port Charlotte Fl
Age: 76
Posts: 2,480
|
Re: neoprene seam tape for wetsuit repair
The big guy on the block for seam tape is Melco, it is an iron on tape, I dont think it will hold very well to skin, it is made for nylon side. But if you had it, you could put it on both sides, heat on the nylon side, and with wetsuit cement on the skin side. But a better way is thin nylon one side neoprene cut in strips and glued on. Glue your rips together first, then apply the seam tape.
Shoot me a PM and I'll get some to you. BTW..HEAT WILL MELT THE NYLON EASILY>>SO GO EASY .. Better yet, put a barrior between the iron and suit, most anything will do, even paper. |
12-14-2017, 04:35 PM | #6 |
Registered User
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: North Miami, Florida
Age: 58
Posts: 2,868
|
Re: neoprene seam tape for wetsuit repair
A smoothskin wetsuit is repaired as easy as it tears. Just buy some contact cement (neoprene glue) at your local hardware store and that's it. If you want to go fancy, most manufacturers sell neoprene glue, which is pretty much the same but with black colorant.
Clean very well with alcohol, put a small amout of glue with a Q-tip on each side and keep them separate for 10-15 minutes. Then press together (pinch with your fingers) and let dry for 8 hours. Done! Be very carefull when puting together both sides as they stick together very strong as soon as they touch. You don't need any tape to repair your wetsuit.
__________________
Marco A bad day fishing is ALWAYS better than a good day at work |
12-14-2017, 05:34 PM | #7 | |
Registered User
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: Port Charlotte Fl
Age: 76
Posts: 2,480
|
Re: neoprene seam tape for wetsuit repair
Quote:
Now I will have to listen to how you have been doing it with contact cement and it works just fine...yada,yada,yada! |
|
12-14-2017, 05:48 PM | #8 |
Registered User
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Costa Rica/Trinidad & Tobago
Posts: 833
|
Re: neoprene seam tape for wetsuit repair
I did fix a lot of wetsuits years ago for a surf shop with contact cement and pieces of neoprene. We did a process similar to the one Marco described, then we used strips of neoprene and placed it along the repair on the inside, applying it with the same contact cement. With a lot of care, it can look quite good. Thin neoprene can double for the tape.
|
12-14-2017, 05:53 PM | #9 | |
Registered User
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: North Miami, Florida
Age: 58
Posts: 2,868
|
Re: neoprene seam tape for wetsuit repair
Quote:
I know that manufacturers use a two coumpound adhesive, but FOR ME regular contact cement has worked very well. I have some pictures of a smooth skin Yamamoto Spetton wetsuit that was thrown to the garbage by the original owner. I repaired and it's still going strong. I'm going to post them here if I find them.
__________________
Marco A bad day fishing is ALWAYS better than a good day at work |
|
12-14-2017, 05:49 PM | #10 |
Registered User
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: North Miami, Florida
Age: 58
Posts: 2,868
|
Re: neoprene seam tape for wetsuit repair
Well, you have to read better, not listen...
There's no nylon there. He said smoothskin. yada, yada, yada...
__________________
Marco A bad day fishing is ALWAYS better than a good day at work |
12-14-2017, 05:52 PM | #11 |
Lance
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Los Angeles
Posts: 1,432
|
Re: neoprene seam tape for wetsuit repair
Thanks for the replies, I will check out the links and pm seatux.
Marco what you are describing works fine for small tears but the open cell smoothskins will 'burst' dramatically if you look at them wrong, particularly in areas where they stretch (ie over the kneecap). The tape is necessary to reinforce. For the regular spearing suits I usually glue and blindstitch the outer layer. Sent from my SM-G930T using Tapatalk
__________________
For PFI Freediving classes in the Los Angeles area: http://www.socalspearit.com/freedving-classes YouTube channel: SoCal Spear-It https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCme...kaUpPMG4NX1rKg |
12-17-2017, 07:59 AM | #12 | |
Registered User
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: Port Charlotte Fl
Age: 76
Posts: 2,480
|
Re: neoprene seam tape for wetsuit repair
Quote:
|
|
12-17-2017, 01:06 PM | #13 | |
Lance
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Los Angeles
Posts: 1,432
|
Re: neoprene seam tape for wetsuit repair
Quote:
__________________
For PFI Freediving classes in the Los Angeles area: http://www.socalspearit.com/freedving-classes YouTube channel: SoCal Spear-It https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCme...kaUpPMG4NX1rKg |
|
12-14-2017, 06:03 PM | #14 |
Registered User
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: North Miami, Florida
Age: 58
Posts: 2,868
|
Re: neoprene seam tape for wetsuit repair
Here!
Not a small tear at all. Anything else as aquasure or tape will compromise the neoprene flexibility and will eventually tear again there.
__________________
Marco A bad day fishing is ALWAYS better than a good day at work |
12-14-2017, 08:23 PM | #15 |
.
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: Palm Bch County
Posts: 11,256
|
Re: neoprene seam tape for wetsuit repair
MAKO Spearguns sells some iron on seam tape. I have used it on nylon backed neoprene and it holds up quite well. I assume you could apply to bare neoprene as well.
__________________
http://www.makospearguns.com/ My Youtube Channel -->https://www.youtube.com/user/whatandwhen2 |
Bookmarks |
Thread Tools | |
Display Modes | Rate This Thread |
|
|