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Matt (Admin) replied to the topic Pure TPU as adhesive in the forum DIY Packrafts 4 years, 7 months ago
Interesting! I got some samples of TPU sheets too, but I haven’t had time to experiment with them yet. In a way, it’s a “solution in search of a problem,” but when we find that problem it will be an elegant fix. A higher melting temperature will make it difficult to use though.
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Matt (Admin) replied to the topic Help & Questions re: DIY Packraft Construction in the forum DIY Packrafts 4 years, 7 months ago
Yeah, I apply the Seam Grip to the TPU side (shiny outside) of the fabric in spots like that if they’re somewhere that will be noticeable on the inflated packraft. If it’s somewhere hidden, like near where the tube meets the floor on the inside of the packraft, I apply it to the inside of the tube. Cheers!
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Matt (Admin) commented on the post, Postal Service Suspended to 60 Countries 4 years, 7 months ago
Yep, I’m still shipping kits and I will continue to do so unless I get sick. DIY Packraft is a one-man operation and I work from home, so I am able to maintain physical distance from people – the pandemic hasn’t disrupted business in that regard. I would be extremely surprised if postal services were suspended within North America, given how much…[Read more]
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Matt (Admin) replied to the topic Help & Questions re: DIY Packraft Construction in the forum DIY Packrafts 4 years, 7 months ago
Hi Jason – excellent question! Your heat sealing looks great. The bond strength between the TPU layer and the woven fabric is slightly less in the 450 GSM fabric than the 250 GSM fabric, so this is to be expected. (In the packrafts, the tube-to-floor joints are designed to minimize peeling forces, so don’t worry about this.) I will add a note to…[Read more]
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Matt (Admin) replied to the topic My new ultralight build! Thoughts and comments on the kit and process. in the forum DIY Packrafts 4 years, 7 months ago
Thanks for the detailed comments! I’m working on ways to make the cut lines better in the Ultralight fabrics… it’s pretty difficult on those thin fabrics. Thanks for the tip about placing the darker fabric under the tube fabric – I’ll add that to the instructions.
I’ll add a note to the pressure fit valve product page indicating that if people…[Read more]
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Matt (Admin) replied to the topic TIZIP on an Alpacka? Experiences? in the forum DIY Packrafts 4 years, 7 months ago
I know a number of people have added zippers to both of those brands and it should work the same way. Cheers!
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Matt (Admin) replied to the topic Heat-sealing tools in the forum DIY Packrafts 4 years, 7 months ago
It’s the same – just a bit cheaper to change the plug. Cheers!
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Matt (Admin) commented on the post, Punctures, Leaks, & Repairs 4 years, 7 months ago
I’d use Seam Grip or Aquaseal for the outside of the floor. You could try the tape inside the tubes, but I’m not sure if that’ll work. I generally use Seam Grip or Aquaseal on the outside of the tube fabric, or heat seal a small scrap of fabric over a leak.
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Matt (Admin) replied to the topic Heat Iron in the forum DIY Packrafts 4 years, 7 months ago
@rookienewbie Yes, it should work exactly the same. Cheers!
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Matt (Admin) wrote a new post 4 years, 7 months ago
TL;DR: Any order placed during the COVID-19 pandemic may be subject to unavoidable shipping delays; by placing an order, you accept this possibility and agree to wait.
For up-to-date postal service status […]
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Hey Matt,
Wondering if you are still shipping out kits? I’m in Toronto, so it within Canada but still, just wanted to see if something’s changed since you posted this. The situation being so fluid and all.
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Yep, I’m still shipping kits and I will continue to do so unless I get sick. DIY Packraft is a one-man operation and I work from home, so I am able to maintain physical distance from people – the pandemic hasn’t disrupted business in that regard. I would be extremely surprised if postal services were suspended within North America, given how much people are relying on online purchases to sustain themselves while staying at home. (The post offices have implemented physical distancing procedures as well, but I purchase shipping labels online, so I have minimal interaction with postal workers anyway.) I will post an update if anything changes, but until then, things are relatively normal here.
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Matt (Admin) replied to the topic German Shipping and Customs Experiences in the forum DIY Packrafts 4 years, 7 months ago
Thanks for posting this, Harald. I will add a link to this post in the Germany section of the Will I Have to Pay Taxes or Import Duties page so more people will see it. Cheers!
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Matt (Admin) commented on the post, Punctures, Leaks, & Repairs 4 years, 7 months ago
Hi Tom, it wouldn’t hurt to apply some Aquaseal to all areas of damaged TPU. Personally, I only do so where it looks like the TPU might not be airtight – if it is only slightly melted, it is usually okay. Similarly, where I iron too long I usually do apply some adhesive to the fabric if it looks like there is any chance it might not be airtight.…[Read more]
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Matt (Admin) commented on the post, Alternative lightweight inflation valves 4 years, 7 months ago
Yep, that’s right. You’ll just have to cut out slots in the ring to accommodate the cap retainers.
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Matt (Admin) wrote a new post 4 years, 8 months ago
All this frightening news about the coronavirus pandemic is enough to make one want to pack a bag and take an extended packrafting trip deep into the backcountry – or at least hole up with some canned food and […]
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Matt (Admin) replied to the topic DIY Packraft Photos in the forum DIY Packrafts 4 years, 8 months ago
Great work, Arnold! Thanks for posting!
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Matt (Admin) commented on the post, New Packraft Floor Fabric 4 years, 8 months ago
Hi Guy – it depends on which fabric you compare it to, but I’ve added a table on the product page so you can see the weights of all the size/fabric combinations. Cheers!
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Matt (Admin) wrote a new post 4 years, 8 months ago
If you’ve been following this blog for a while, you know that I’m constantly working to improve the DIY Packraft designs, instructions, and materials.
Today I’m excited to introduce a new fabric that has been […]
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Great news Matt! Thanks for all your thoughtful work! What’s the approximate weight savings on a medium Telkwa?
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Hi Guy – it depends on which fabric you compare it to, but I’ve added a table on the product page so you can see the weights of all the size/fabric combinations. Cheers!
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Matt (Admin) commented on the post, Alternative lightweight inflation valves 4 years, 8 months ago
They cannot; instead, the flange around the valve should be glued between two layers of fabric that are heat sealed together (as in the pictures above).
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Matt (Admin) replied to the topic 2-Person Suitability for WW in the forum DIY Packrafts 4 years, 8 months ago
I hesitate to recommend a DIY Packraft for unknown whitewater conditions… so much depends on the conditions and the paddlers’ skill. I assume the race organizers wouldn’t send you into unsafe conditions though, so it’s probably not a bad option. It would be a lot of work to make something you’re not passionate about though, so it might make more…[Read more]
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Matt (Admin) replied to the topic Gluing something to a packraft in the forum DIY Packrafts 4 years, 8 months ago
I have tried many adhesives and do not recommend any of them, but two that other people have recommended (I have not used them because they’re not available where I live) are HH-66 and Stabond. They will stick to the fabric, but I don’t know if they’ll stick to a magnet. You may have better luck heat sealing a piece of fabric over the magnet to…[Read more]
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