pvc vinyl bonding

[brandenjg]

Hi everyone. The material turned up today for my boat cover, pvc vinyl. My question is, what is the best method for bonding the material to itself. I was thinking rf welding but would need to find somewhere in norfolk which could do it at an affordable price. The other option i know of is chemical bonding. The idea is to avoid any stitching.

Not sure if any forumites have used either method or could recommend any companies?

Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance Branden

[Oddfellow]

Crikey! It really begs the question as to why you've not just had a canopy maker do the job.

There are some excellent adhesives out there that will do the job. As for welding, the same machines that hot-weld windows in are probably what you need. Many canopy makers will have these, but some hate them and will stitch all seams.

Have a ring around. Try Richard at Snugg Tops and Jimmy at Creative Covers as a starting point.

There's a company in Cromer that I know have PVC welding equipment - Load Restraint. http://www.loadrestraintltd.co.uk/index.php.

[Stranger]

hi there if the vinyl is simular the vinyl used on lorry curtains its easy to weld together using a heat gun like a hot air stripper as we used to bond the straps on the lorry sheets using one but be carefull no to over heat it as it is easily burned

[brandenjg]

Crikey! It really begs the question as to why you've not just had a canopy maker do the job..

A new canopy for my boat would cost 3x the price i payed for the boat. A properly done canopy really finishes off a boat nicely and is very much an investment in the boat.

I however am merely trying to keep the rain off my head. If i knew i would be keeping the boat for a long time i would invest in

a professionally made one, but knowing me i'll upgrade to a newer boat in the next year or two.

Sunbrella would of cost me about £200 but this vinyl cost just £62. My current canopy is made of the same vinyl and it's still waterproof but all of the stitching has failed leaving it fairly useless.

Thanks for the link btw. May have to send them an email for a quote.

Stranger, yes it's the same sort of material. The idea is to blow hot air into the vinyl to melt the two sections together. As you said it's easy to burn, thats why i would nt want to buy a gun and try it myself.

[Guest]

A new canopy for my boat would cost 3x the price i payed for the boat.

Yes indeed Branden.

Professionally made replacement awnings and boat covers are very expensive, especially in proportion to the value of older, smaller boats.

Done properly, they're admittedly very time consuming to make, and the cover maker has to lay out on a lot of expensive equipment.

For those of us that can't justify the expense though, the DIY route is possible, with a reasonable result, if care is taken in the selection of material and fittings.

I wanted a Winter Tonneau for my small cruiser, and the cheapest quotes were several hundred pounds, even though it needed no windows or zips. I ended up buying some very heavyweight proofed canvas as an end of roll off ebay, for about £40. The snap fittings cost another £30 or so from Jeckels.

I wouldn't try to glue it though. I researched "industrial sewing machines" on google and found that heavy-duty stitching could be done with some old fashioned domestic sewing machines. I ended up buying a Singer 201K for just a few pounds. This was a very heavy duty machine that apparently was even used by Rolls Royce coach-builders to stitch leather to thin plywood !

It made stitching the awning material very easy and neat, (using rotproof heavy duty tent thread, also off ebay, a reel the size of a milk bottle for just a tenner.

As a bonus, I've also been able to make some neat matching covers at no extra cost from the offcuts, An auxilliary outboard cover, and a fitted cockpit dashboard cover.

If your cover just needs re-stitching, why not do just that ? If using glue turned out unsuccessful, it will make quite a mess.

[MBA Marine]

A new canopy for my boat would cost 3x the price i payed for the boat. A properly done canopy really finishes off a boat nicely and is very much an investment in the boat.

I however am merely trying to keep the rain off my head. If i knew i would be keeping the boat for a long time i would invest in

a professionally made one, but knowing me i'll upgrade to a newer boat in the next year or two.

Sunbrella would of cost me about £200 but this vinyl cost just £62. My current canopy is made of the same vinyl and it's still waterproof but all of the stitching has failed leaving it fairly useless.

Thanks for the link btw. May have to send them an email for a quote.

Stranger, yes it's the same sort of material. The idea is to blow hot air into the vinyl to melt the two sections together. As you said it's easy to burn, thats why i would nt want to buy a gun and try it myself.

If the current canopy is mostly sound but with failed stitching and possibly the odd tare then try phoning round the companies named above and there are many others and get a price for re-stitching and repairing what you have. If you go to the right place and haggle a bit you might be surprised on price.

[brandenjg]

Managed to find this old post rather than starting a new topic. With the weather getting better, I've been able to get some work done on making the new budget canopy. I'm at the stage where the rear canopy is done and just waiting on 7 fabric to fabric fittings till i can put the main canopy on.

The next stage is the windows and this is where i need some advice.

What is the best thickness of clear vinyl to use on a canopy? I'll be ordering online to keep costs down so can't physically feel each thickness to determine the best for the job. Any advice is greatly appreciated.

When it's done i may make a little youtube video of how i bodged it together with a low budget, but with a tidy, waterproof result. An example of the tools i used is a wheelie bin and pipe weld to get a precise heavy way to bond the hems without sewing. (Insert emotion here normally)

[ranworthbreeze]

Hello Branden,

 

I would ask for some small samples to be sent to you so you can check out the thinkness of them and if you can sew them in place on you canopy.

 

Most companies will supply samples, I had carpet samples sent from Jeckells before placing an order.

 

Regards

Alan

[brandenjg]

I've got 3 thickness samples coming in the post 0.25, 0.5 and 0.7. Had to pay 99p to cover the postage cost which is alot cheaper than buying the wrong thickness and having to then buy another.

Thanks for the advice Alan