I will order materials directly from you for my next packraft. Quite soon, I think.
My extreme textil packaft floats and works but for more serious wilderness use I will make better quality raft. I don’t want count how many hours I struggled with sealing that fabric… The good thing is that now I know the making process, tools etc. Next one will be much better and easier. Life is learning 🙂
This is my robust but cheap heat sealing tool setup:
1. bulk 40W soldering iron (“absolutely too hot”, cost 8 eur)
2. light bulb dimmer 0-100% (cost 7 eur)
3. tool tip from copper tube (quite heavy tip for more stable tip temperature)
4. spare soldering iron tips for different shape sealing tips (3 eur, not needed)
The dimmer adjusts the power of the iron. That is not exacatly constant temperature device but seems “enough constant”. If power is adjusted it takes some time to stabilze.
For my next packraft I may buy basic solder station wich has active constant temperature control itself. (Exactly I have high quality solder station already but it is for SMD electronic work and I didn’t wan’t to modify that for packraft making… :D)