Anyone make their own tube?

[SHigSpeed]

Hi All,

I figured this would be as good a place as any to ask:

I'd like to make my own lightweight packable tube with the following criteria:

1: Lightweight v-boat. 2 lbs, 3 lbs max. This means super lightweight skin and bladder, or light bladderless.

2: Packable - low bulk

3: Sits high so inflatable seat (I'll reuse from my Outcast).

I have the sewing skills, but I'd like to know if anyone has any experience sewing and seam sealing airtight fabrics? Failing that, if anyone has experience making any sort of heatsealed or otherwise sealed bladders?

Thanks!

_SHig
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[flygoddess]

yes, Dave Scadden LOL
Good luck on this one.
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[pontoonman]

[quote SHigSpeed]Hi All,
Just some ideas come to mind as I have not done this.
My approach would be to use "V" bladders I already have and sew covers to fit out of 420 denier nylon, if you are just trying to save money. Otherwise find or make the lightest weight bladders and use fine mesh kevlar to make the shells, thought that would be time consuming and expensive. Special thread and technique may be needed for kevlar. Bladderless is usually heavier in my experience and making the tubes air tight is not a trivial matter from what I have read.

Pon
I figured this would be as good a place as any to ask:

I'd like to make my own lightweight packable tube with the following criteria:

1: Lightweight v-boat. 2 lbs, 3 lbs max. This means super lightweight skin and bladder, or light bladderless.

2: Packable - low bulk

3: Sits high so inflatable seat (I'll reuse from my Outcast).

I have the sewing skills, but I'd like to know if anyone has any experience sewing and seam sealing airtight fabrics? Failing that, if anyone has experience making any sort of heatsealed or otherwise sealed bladders?

Thanks!

_SHig[/quote]
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