No Nonsense Wader Repair

[johnny boy]

I know this topic has been done recently but i wanted to ask for some advice for a specific type of repair.

I am well and truly fed up with small tubes or things like aquasure so want to go down the line of using a product i can paint onto my seams with a 1 inch brush.

Last year there was an interesting thread about Bostik, be good to get some feedback now, a while later, on how thats going.  I didnt want to revive that thread as i wanted other opinions as well.

For example I saw a recent posting on stuff used to fix wetsuits and rib's, if you have used this and have feedback that is over 6 months later i would be interested to know how the long term repair works and what to watch out for. i.e thinning down before application.

[Bobfly]

Maybe a bit left field but 50, yes 50, years ago there was a fashion for mixing black Bostic with petrol and painting a good soaking onto the toe cap area on mountain boots !!!!! It worked and this impregnating of the leather was achieved so you can mix Bostic with a solvent but something better than petrol would be better!

[johnny boy]

I know on the Bostik thread last year there was the worry about the waders being 'sticky' and the need of talc or something to ease getting back out of them, would be interested how this has worked out longer term, does the tackiness clear or is it a permanent hassle.

[Bobfly]

I did get 2 pairs of waders done by Diver Dave and one pair were so thickly glue spread inside the feet they were near impossible to get on even with bread bags on the socks first.

[Laxdale]

DD openly admits to having had problems with the treatment process making stocking feet waders stiff. He has now changed his method of treating them. I have a couple of pairs of work waders which I will be sending him for another repair. ...each to their own, but for 40 quid I get dry nuts for a couple of seasons!

[johnny boy]

I am only really looking at doing the seams at present, its also something i have been considering trying out but before i started i thought i would seek feedback here as there are a lot of guys here who have done this sort of thing and i suspect they learned a good few lessons on what not to do.

[Highlander]

I seem to remember was it not Andy (lochan load) that found out about Bostic glues for neoprene, inflatables etc.
I dealt with a company while back in Govan Glasgow RD Taylor who were /are Bostic glue experts.

[Lochan_load]

I did the original bostik post, I've used it twice since. First time I thinned the bostik 2402 down with acetone thinking that if it was thinner it would be less tacky and not stiffen up. To be honest it wasn't very good and the second time around I painted straight onto the seams (with some of the hardener it comes with)  with a paint brush. I don't know what diver dave uses but the bostik doesn't really stiffen the seams up much at all, a bit obviously but not enough that it causes any discomfort or anything. When it goes on it seems quite thick but it settles in on drying and it's not that noticeable unless you really slap it on. I just hung mine over a rafter in my shed and painted the seams, straight forward and some places I did extra coats (knees/groin/sock join)
With the tackiness i haven't have any problems, a little but again not enough to cause a problem and after a couple of days fishing it's gone completely.
You can buy a tin of out of date bostik 2402 on eBay for about 20 quid and that'll do you about 3-5 sets of waders depending what you're doing to them.

Ps keep well ventilated or you will get very lightheaded!

Pps unless that's your thing.....shut the door!  :lol:

[Lochan_load]

Just to clarify I found it best to just mix the bostik with the hardener and paint t straight on. Use a cheap/old paint brush cos it will get wrecked!
I've also used it to patch a tent and a dinghy, did the job.

[johnny boy]

Just to confirm, you are using bostik on breathable waders, not neoprene?