Anybody done one of these?

On previous dry suits it's been pretty easy: 20-30 little magnets, lay the neck
on a flat steel surface - like the hood of a car - mate the gasket and the neck
material using the magnets to hold them together with some Kotol/AquaSeal as
glue. 45 minutes max.

But the Kokatat has this outer collar around the base of the seal that seems to
prevent that.

I tried cutting a 3" strip from a 5-gallon poly bucket and then expanding that
inside the neck. But with the strip/neck material as taut as I could get it,
the gasket was still a pretty loose fit. Seems like the gasket needs to be a
snug fit to get a decent glue line. It also seems like, although the material
lays perfectly flat on a flat surface, it doesn't want to lay flat on a
cylindrical surface.

Can anybody offer up some advice? Besides FedEx or UPS...-)
--
PeteCresswell

Seems like a good thing to ask at the www.kokatat.com web site.

--
Bob Noble
www.sonic.net/bnoble
"(PeteCresswell)" wrote in message
...
Anybody done one of these?

On previous dry suits it's been pretty easy: 20-30 little magnets, lay the
neck
on a flat steel surface - like the hood of a car - mate the gasket and the
neck
material using the magnets to hold them together with some Kotol/AquaSeal
as
glue. 45 minutes max.

But the Kokatat has this outer collar around the base of the seal that
seems to
prevent that.

I tried cutting a 3" strip from a 5-gallon poly bucket and then expanding
that
inside the neck. But with the strip/neck material as taut as I could get
it,
the gasket was still a pretty loose fit. Seems like the gasket needs to
be a
snug fit to get a decent glue line. It also seems like, although the
material
lays perfectly flat on a flat surface, it doesn't want to lay flat on a
cylindrical surface.

Can anybody offer up some advice? Besides FedEx or UPS...-)
--
PeteCresswell

Per Bob Noble:
Seems like a good thing to ask at the www.kokatat.com web site.

Sometimes I miss the obvious... Thanks.

They actually did have a couple of one-page instructions on the process. Sounds
like they use the same general approach I used in that they lay parts on a flat
surface instead of inserting a cylindrical object into the neck.

Without any pictures, it's a tough call, but the essential feature of their
approach seems tb the use of a flat disc that the outer collar can be folded
under.

--
PeteCresswell

(PeteCresswell) wrote:
Per Bob Noble:
Seems like a good thing to ask at the www.kokatat.com web site.

Sometimes I miss the obvious... Thanks.

They actually did have a couple of one-page instructions on the process. Sounds
like they use the same general approach I used in that they lay parts on a flat
surface instead of inserting a cylindrical object into the neck.

Without any pictures, it's a tough call, but the essential feature of their
approach seems tb the use of a flat disc that the outer collar can be folded
under.

Yup. I've repaired several of them and it's not difficult once you make
the forms (two discs and a ring). If you intend to repair your own neck
seals going forward, make the forms out of something durable, like 3/8"
plywood, then cover the surfaces that will be exposed to glue with
packing tape. I have a Webshots album with pics and instructions at:
http://community.webshots.com/user/brian_nystrom-reg

Per Brian Nystrom:
Yup. I've repaired several of them and it's not difficult once you make
the forms (two discs and a ring). If you intend to repair your own neck
seals going forward, make the forms out of something durable, like 3/8"
plywood, then cover the surfaces that will be exposed to glue with
packing tape. I have a Webshots album with pics and instructions at:
http://community.webshots.com/user/brian_nystrom-reg

Thanks. That describes it very nicely.

One question: when you cut the large disc, did you observe the 10.5" size that
Kokatat calls for, or did you make it a little bigger to allow the small clamps
around the perimeter?
--
PeteCresswell

(PeteCresswell) wrote:
Per Brian Nystrom:
Yup. I've repaired several of them and it's not difficult once you make
the forms (two discs and a ring). If you intend to repair your own neck
seals going forward, make the forms out of something durable, like 3/8"
plywood, then cover the surfaces that will be exposed to glue with
packing tape. I have a Webshots album with pics and instructions at:
http://community.webshots.com/user/brian_nystrom-reg

Thanks. That describes it very nicely.

One question: when you cut the large disc, did you observe the 10.5" size that
Kokatat calls for, or did you make it a little bigger to allow the small clamps
around the perimeter?

I used their recommended sizes. Anything larger won't fit in many suits.
You'll see what I mean when you try it.

Per Brian Nystrom:
I've repaired several of them and it's not difficult once you make
the forms (two discs and a ring). If you intend to repair your own neck
seals going forward, make

Jigsawed the discs, did a trial fit and.... Oops! Looks like Kokatat either
subscribes to a different neck seal standard than my other dry suit makers or
they have their own. The seal I got from NRS (which lines up perfectly with my
Bare Polar...) needs a 7.5"/10" ring instead of a 6.5"/9.5" ring.

So I made a second ring... but discovered what I should have figured out
beforehand: the resultant footprint of the seal doesn't match up well enough
with Kokatat's neck opening.

I think I'll just do the seals on my old Bare, use that, and send the Kokatat
off to an outfit in CA that also does mods - since I also want the belt tunnel
about 3" lower anyhow.
--
PeteCresswell

Hint: Instead of using clamps or magnets try using 2" wide double faced carpet tape. It does a wonderful job of keeping everything
from sliding around after the Aquaseal is applied.

Jim

(PeteCresswell) wrote:
Per Brian Nystrom:
I've repaired several of them and it's not difficult once you make
the forms (two discs and a ring). If you intend to repair your own neck
seals going forward, make

Jigsawed the discs, did a trial fit and.... Oops! Looks like Kokatat either
subscribes to a different neck seal standard than my other dry suit makers or
they have their own. The seal I got from NRS (which lines up perfectly with my
Bare Polar...) needs a 7.5"/10" ring instead of a 6.5"/9.5" ring.

So I made a second ring... but discovered what I should have figured out
beforehand: the resultant footprint of the seal doesn't match up well enough
with Kokatat's neck opening.

I think I'll just do the seals on my old Bare, use that, and send the Kokatat
off to an outfit in CA that also does mods - since I also want the belt tunnel
about 3" lower anyhow.

Better yet, just order some seals from OS Systems. They definitely fit
and you'll need them eventually anyway. I always try to keep wrist seals
around, just in case. Which reminds me, I need to do mine and the
latex booties.