zipper TPU welding

[aaronrbeck]

I fly paragliders.  My paragliding harness has an inflatable seat cushion.

It would be brilliant if I could add a TPU pack raft style zipper to the inflatable cushion so that I could store a tent, etc., inside the seat cushion then inflate, in the same way that gear is stored inside an inflated pack raft.

From what I can tell the seat cushion is TPU material.  Can anyone with experience with welding zippers provide thought/ideas/ perspectives on my proposed plan?

Thanks,

Aaron

image from product page:

 

 

 

 

 

Pilots are repairing the inflatable cushion with type A tear aid:

 

 

forum thread regarding this harness:
https://www.paraglidingforum.com/viewtopic.php?t=85659

Topic

[chanchito17]

From what I can tell the seat cushion is TPU material.

This method only works if the material is TPU. If not, it won’t work, and you’ll have made an expensive error. Do your homework to find out what the material is, surely the manufacture will have more info for you.

If it is in fact TPU, just heat weld a zipper with the leather iron, same method as found here.

Another option is using the epoxy “Stabond” the stuff smells horrible, and is difficult to work with, but it will seal a zipper to your para-seat for sure.

[Author]

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