Apeks Regulator Repair Kits
    Drygloves and Ring Kits:
        info
        Bayonet Ring 
Installation
    Cuffs, Seals and Hoods:
        download cuff slideshow
        info
        prices
    Valves:
        info
        prices

    Glue / Adhesives:
        application Info
        prices
    Contact and Payment Info

We have gathered together several "form letters" that we use for answering common questions regarding cuff, seal, and valve replacement as well as plain old suit repair info.
This page is a work in progress so if things read a bit on the funny side or contains redundant material, we're working on cleaning things up. If you happen to have HTML code writing experience, feel free to offer to help out. It's a good way to get yourself set up with dive goodies in exchange for your labor.
Yes, pictures are also on the list of future additions, and one of these days we'll upload our "Drysuit Cuff Replacement Slideshow" now that internet speed has caught up with the file size.

For a great "how to" book on suit repair, we heartily recommend Wetsuit and Drysuit Maintenance and Repair By Steve Lindblom
, available through Airspeed Press.



New Stuff:
   Viking "Good Grip" rubber gloves are $42 per pair, includes a plush pair of Merino Wool liners. Sizes 10 & 11.
They come in 2 styles, one with plain gauntlet for use with the Ring Kits, or the "cuffed" version (seen below) that has an integral dry cuff molded as part of the glove, for use with no rings at all.
Viking Good Grip

Sheet Neoprene:
Sold by the square foot, black neoprene with or without nylon. Thicknesses from 3mm to 7mm. Download the Poseidon Manual (link below) for DIY directions on cuff & seal fabrication and replacement.
DESCO Air Hat users can make their own neck dams for well under $20 now, or even mate your Pot to your neoprene suit by making a yoke & gluing it on to your suit.
Detailed prices & descriptions coming soon.


 

     Apeks kits: We lost our Apeks dealership when Aqualung took over distribution in the US. That frees us up from that pesky dealership agreement that prohibited us from selling kits directly to the regulator owner.


 AP0219 -
$17.50 ea for "universal" Apeks second stage kits.
 
AP0241 - $31.50 ea for "universal" Apeks first stage kits.
 $4.95  - postage, Priority Mail up to 1 lb.
 We also stock other commonly needed Apeks parts, just ask for them by using the Apeks Part  Number, available in the parts list of your shop manual.

 ChristoLube is $20 for a 1.5oz jar.
 Priority Mail in a box runs $4.95 for up to a pound (within the US), or if just a couple - few kits, $3.50 for 1st class in a bubble envelope.
 International 1st class starts at $4.50; actual price determined by destination, weight, and  services (such as registered, etc).
 Payment options are listed down below.


Drysuit Exhaust and Inflator Valves

 The only valves we use are the Si Tech; they were the first & still generally recognized as  being way less problematic than the Apeks.
 The hole size will be either spot on or off by no more than 1/8" so that part is no problem.
 The main consideration will be if your suit has a "valve port" or if the valve is just glued on with  bathtub caulk (a feature that's pretty cheezy, even on "expensive" suits).
 Is there a "rubber mounting plate" on your suit? It usually will have 1 or 2 grooves that match  the ridge on the underside of your valve.
 The best exhaust out there is going to be the Viking Hazmat (X-2) exhaust valve which  actually has 2 stacked check valves in the critter.
 It uses a "narrow" groove so your valve port would have to either be a universal, with 2  grooves, or none at all & just squeeze some more silicone caulk on your suit.

 The low profile Si Tech exhaust valves are $65 & the Viking Hazmat valves (also made by Si Tech) are $80. The Viking Hazmat Exhausts have a double checkvalve in them so you'll stay dry even if the valve is pressed while there's no air in your suit.
 We also have several styles of valve ports [$8], the rubber mounting base/plate that gets glued to the suit & allows easy repeated removal of the valves without having to glue or caulk the valves back on.
 The ports come in "universal" exterior or an interior mounted port that won't fit the Viking valves.
Cuff Dumps (valve port included) are $35. They come with an "on / off" capability.
 US shipping for up to 1 lb is via Priority Mail & runs $4.95.

 Payment options are listed below, or if you need more info just drop an email to: salesinfo@comdive.com


 Neoprene cuff, face seal repair & replacement

 The "old" Unisuit Manual has one of the best neoprene fabrication guides I've seen.
 "Back in the day" divers seemed to be much more apt to do repairs themselves, probably because dive shops were fewer & further between and parts were hard to come by.
Many times the diver was way out in the boonies, especially when working on salvage & maritime construction projects. Even having 2 or more suits, it wouldn't do to have a suit out of circulation for several days or weeks getting simple repairs done.
We have scanned the old Poseidon Unisuit Manual & have made it available for download.
 The "lousy copy" is at: http://comdive.com/unisuit.pdf  (do a right click, select "save as")
 Here's another one that is a "little less" fuzzy: http://www.angelfire.com/ca/divers3/unisuit.pdf
 We are due to scan the manual again at higher resolution so you may want to email us to get on the "to notify" list. The old links will point to the new scan, when it eventually gets done.

 

Cuffs, with Tape & other Gluing Info

 Download & check over the cuff directions at: http://comdive.com/cuffs.zip
 (do a "right click, save as") More info on the slideshow is down below.

 Melco tape & glue application directions (not necessarily in order):

  There are a few different ways to apply the tape, depending on what type of material it's getting applied to.
  Some tape application instructions "used to" be found at McNett:
They made a new website so we're having to resort to the "Wayback Machine" (Internet Archive) to get to the application directions page.
It basically says:

Use information for Melco Tape

Melco tape should be briefly heated to between 310° F and 330° F and then pressed for best bonding. Air nozzles on heat taping machines may need to be set to significantly higher temperatures to assure that the hot melt adhesive reaches 310° F to 330° F in the allotted amount of time. Determining optimal heating temperature and machine speed will require some experimentation.

Hand iron applications will also work, but will require experimentation and careful application. Melco tape can also be attached using Aquaseal, Seam Grip or Seal Cement.

Tape and Glue Application
  If you have material samples/scraps that you can play with you can use a heat gun & a wallpaper or laminate roller, or else you can just pin the tape to a slab of cardboard & use wetsuit cement.   It's still necessary to prep the material surface by doing the degrease/scuff/degrease technique, ESPECIALLY  the cuffs themselves, as they frequently have silicone mould release compound on them. Get some toluene, lacking that, alcohol. Toluene (aka toluol) is frequently found at paint, hardware, and/or automotive supply stores. In California, a person needs to be 18 to buy it (or any glue containing it!)
We get our toluene from our local ACE Hardware Store, it's in the paint department & runs about $8 for a quart can. They've also got MEK.
  Wipe/scrub well with the solvent on a clean rag, scuff with sandpaper, and wipe again with toluene on a clean rag. Be careful not to let the rags sit in a heap; they can get awful  hot.
 Generally you can get by with just 1 (maybe 2) coats of glue on the tape & 2 (maybe 3) coats on the material surface. Allow the glue to dry completely tack free between coats. When applying glue to a fabric surface it may be desirable to thin down the first coat or 2 so it can soak into the fabric for a tight bond.
 No pre-glue prep needs to be done to the tape, other than pinning it down so it doesn't curl up.
  I use a little "hand iron", something that's normally used for working aircraft covering fabrics and/or vinyl upholstery. I do the glue technique quite a bit too though, especially on very heat sensitive materials like neoprene.
  Wallpaper seam rollers costing a couple bucks will work just as well as a $50 laminate roller. Check your local hardware store or any place selling wallpaper. You'll need to roll the tape if using glue or a hot air gun.
  I tend to shy away from hair dryers, they vary widely in construction & heat output. Because the tape needs to be heated to between 310°F - 330°F things can get a little hairy if you don't have the heat gun technique down.
  Hobby shops that have model airplane building supplies are good places to look for the "sealing iron" & heat guns. Watch out on the sealing irons though, some models are low temperature & won't get hot enough to activate the tape's adhesive. For an example of the little hand iron see:  http://www.hobby-lobby.com/heatgun.htm
 Lacking a roller good results can be had by whacking the assembled parts with a rubber mallet, being careful not to mash the mandrels. Dust a little talc over any exposed glue so you don't wind up with an "oops story" after the fact.
I like to allow the cuffs to "rest" overnight before applying the tape. That's assuming I don't have to be spending the next 12 hours on the bottom of the Mississippi after a few hours of sleep.


 Neoprene Glue Directions (from the [old] McNett Website):

 
Seal Cement Contact Cement for Neoprene is ideal for applications where rapid cure times and high flexibility and elasticity are required.

 Seal Cement's ideal tack and rapid cure time (15 to 30 minutes) and excellent strength often makes it ideal for applications where production must proceed at a steady pace. Though the urethane adhesives can provide higher bond strength in many applications, the Seal Cement formula may provide easier bonding on difficult surfaces such as vinyl.

 Examples of Seal Cement compatible materials: Vinyls, latex, Hypalon®, neoprene, natural and synthetic fabrics, other materials.

 Seal Cement is available in Black or Clear in 2 oz. tubes, 4 oz. cans and gallons.
 (We stock only the black 4oz. cans.)

 Use Information and Surface Preparation for Seal Cement

 NOTE: Treat the following information as a guideline only. Test all applications thoroughly before initiating full production.


 For most applications of Seal Cement the surface need only be clean and dry; however, new materials such as plastics, vinyls, latex and composites will often be contaminated with mold release agents or other oils which will need to be removed with solvents to achieve maximum bond strength.

 NOTE: Take all appropriate safety precautions when using solvents and adhesives. Follow manufacturer's directions and use appropriate safety equipment when necessary.

 Uncontaminated plastics and composites: Wipe bonding surfaces with isopropyl alcohol. Allow alcohol to evaporate before bonding.

 Plastics and composites contaminated with mold release agents: Wipe bonding surfaces with isopropyl alcohol-soaked rag (or stronger solvent). Roughen surface with abrasive tool or fine grit sandpaper and wipe again with isopropyl alcohol soaked rag. Allow alcohol to evaporate before bonding.

 Rubber, latex and vinyls: Wipe bonding surfaces with MEK-soaked rag. Roughen surface with abrasive tool or fine grit sandpaper and wipe again with MEK-soaked rag. Allow MEK to evaporate before bonding.

 Keep treated area level until adhesive is fully cured (30 minutes or longer depending upon humidity and other factors).



 Cuffs, Seals & Dryglove Rings:

 We've got a pretty good assortment of cuffs & seals here, all of which will work on most all dive drysuits.
 There's a slideshow put together for cuff replacement, it was done back before broadband was common so it was made as a self-unpacking compressed file so it could handle the picture's file sizes easier.
 It's at: http://comdive.com/cuffs.zip
 Do a right click & select "save as". Unzip & click on the resulting *.exe file & it'll unpack itself.
"One of these days" we'll post the slideshow online as a regular website photo album.

 Most folks attach the rings to a suit already equipped with cuffs installed but a few brave souls try to make a permanent glue job of the rings, something usually not recommended for someone moderately new to glue slinging.

 
 Prices on cuffs alone are:
 (HD = "Heavy Duty", which can be a tricky term)
 Bell / Bellows: $28/pr
 Pro: $32/pr (flat conical, ½
HD, ½ regular thickness. Also called "double dipped". Some manufacturers "stretch the truth" & call them "HD", but not in my book 'cuz we also sell the real  HD.)
 HD: $36/pr (all one thickness, some folks find them too thick for periods of long use).
 Pics are at Viking's website: http://www.vikingdiving.com/?id=1624  (the ring kits are there too)
 Neckseals: bellows or flat conical, $28. The flat conical is also available in "double dipped" (½ HD, ½ "regular" thickness) for the same price as the regular single thickness neckseals.
 Both the bell / bellows cuffs & neckseals come in several sizes; you'll need to wrap a tape measure around the neck or wrist so we can select the proper size.
 Latex hoods are $34.
 Zippers: Standard 8 teeth per inch in several lengths: $145.
 HD zippers
(6 tpi) have teeth that are actually individually riveted right through the fabric.

31.5", 35.5", and 37" with 8 tpi: $145
The 35.5" have a little lighter weight fabric, they're used on the front zip suits so they can bend a bit easier.
37" HD, 6 tpi, riveted teeth: $195
relief zippers: $80 (8tpi) HD relief zippers are available, though most folks prefer the more flexible 8 teeth per inch version.
We also have the reinforcing strips that go over the holes.
Zipper length is pretty close to what size hole they fit into, or "outside of zipper stop to outside of zipper stop", but it seems that nearly everybody uses a different measurement technique.
 To make things more confusing, the zippers will GROW in length from open to closed.
 Your best bet is to measure several different ways; such as the length of hole the zipper fits into, and if you can still close the  zipper, measure just the toothed part, from inside of the stop to inside of the stop. Then do another measurement from outside to outside of the zip stops, just for grins. Email me the info & I'll try to figure things out from there.

 McNett's "Seal Cement" (neoprene cement): $8.50/4 oz can, black.
uses Toluene / toluol for thinner / degreaser.
PB-300: 4 oz. can, $19.95 - uses MEK for thinner / degreaser.
Pliobond: 8 oz can,  $12  -  
uses MEK for thinner / degreaser.
 Viking / Gates / Amron vulcanized rubber glue / cement is $24 for a pint can, $16 for a 1 oz. bottle of  hardener, usually enough to do at least 2 cans of glue. Uses heptane for thinning / degreasing
 Glues & hardeners store well in the freezer after being opened. The hardener may show crystallization when cold but warming back to room temps will put them back into solution.
 Tape, Melco fabric or rubber: $1.50/ft. (3' needed per pair of cuffs)
 Also have a cotton parachute bias fabric tape for $1.50 / yd., it needs to be soaked in glue (wetsuit cement)  but wears like iron.
 The fabric tapes are easier to remove the next time cuffs need replacing, they just need a  couple applications of solvent (toluene / toluol) & they pull off more or less intact. Rubber  tapes come off hard, often needing to be shaved with a razor or hit with a Dremel & sanding  disc.
We can send up to a quart of wetsuit cement or rubber glue through the US Mail when properly packed & labeled with an "ORM-D" label, so for most folks there will be no extra hazmat shipping fees needed.

 Drysuit Cuff, Seal, and Zipper 
Maintenance Materials
 You can apply some TLC and keep your repairs to a minimum.
 Zippers, if tended to carefully, should outlast the suit. We have put together a "Drysuit Zipper Care & Feeding Kit" that will keep your zipper healthy and happy.
 The kit consists of a bottle of McNett's "Zip Care" fluid, some 100% pure virgin beeswax in "mini-puck" form, and a small toothbrush. $7.50 for the kit, or $3.50 for the wax & $5 for the
"Zip Care".
It's not overkill to clean & lube your zipper before every dive, and sometimes you will want to rinse your zipper off before opening it after the dive.
We have suits that have well over 10 years of hard diving in a commercial environment and the zippers are still holding up strong.
For the fabric portion of the zipper and the latex rubber parts of your suit, we recommend McNett's "UV Tech", a silicone free protectant that keeps your cuffs & seals limber & lively.
Comes in a pump spray, 8oz for $8.00. Work it in with a cotton ball or rag for best results.
For those of you that are not afraid of silicone, we have McNett's "Seal Saver", a 100% silicone oil in 1½ fl oz squeeze bottle for $5.
100% pure virgin Beeswax: $2 for a smaller version of the "mini-puck".
Carefully applied it will not mess up future glue jobs, and some suits, such as Viking's Extreme and Poseidon Unisuits, are unphased by silicone. We have literally soaked suit materials and latex rubber samples in liquid silicone overnight and were still able to get a frogbutt-tight glue job the next day with nothing more than a thorough degreasing with toluene.

 Drygloves & Rings Info:

Viking  Dry Glove  Ring  Kits


Viking Bayonet Ring Kits
Full Kit with a pair of bell cuffs and 2 pairs of gloves: $167.90

Your choice of gloves, either Heavy Duty Viking (pictured above)
AND / OR:



"Blue Smurf" / Showa / Atlas 495 (pictured above)
Please specify glove type AND size in the "comments" box during checkout.
please note: US shipping charge of $10.35 will be added into the purchase price.



Viking Bayonet Ring Kit, with 2 cuffs & 2 pr gloves plus US Priority Mail Shipping ($10.35)
$178.25 total




"Stripped" Viking Bayonet Ring Kit: $105.40
(no cuffs or gloves)


please note: US shipping charge of $8.70 will be added into the purchase price.


Viking Bayonet Ring Kit, rings only + US Priority Mail Shipping:
$114.10 total

The "stripped" Viking Bayonet kit ($105.40) + 1 pair of Smurfs ($16) + Priority Mail shipping ($8.70) comes to $130.10 total



Viking "Classic" Ring Kit: $78.00


2 inner hard plastic & 2 outer rubber rings

The "Smurf", "Froggy", "Atlas" and/or other PVC gloves with a fabric lining will not work well with the "Classic" rings.

please note: US shipping charge of $8.70 will be added into the purchase price.


Viking "Classic" Ring Kit + US Priority Mail Shipping:
$86.70 total

Gloves available to ring kit customers:

http://www.angelfire.com/ca/divers3/images/viking_smurf4ebay.jpgShowa®/Atlas 495: $16/pr  -  sizes: 8/M, 9/L, 10/XL


 http://www.angelfire.com/ca/divers3/images/hd_gloves4ebay.jpgHD Viking: $22/pr  -  sizes 10, 11
  Heavy Duty Viking Latex Rubber Gloves are available only in sizes 10 & 11.


Atlas 660 (blue) or 620 (orange) gloves (S, M, L, XL, XXL): $4/pr


Green PVC "Froggy" gloves (only in size XL)$4/pr 

Thermastat® or THERMAX® liners (light weight, 1 size): $6/pr

TEGERA® liners (medium weight, 1 size) $6/pr.

Poly-Fleece liners $4/pr - suitable for use with HD Viking or Showa / "Smurf" gloves.

Kevlar® Overgloves are available for $24.50


"Froggy" (green) PVC are available in size XL only.

Usually the maximum shipping charge is $10.35 for a flat-rate Priority Mail medium size box, send email with list for exact shipping quote if your package isn't listed above or if you want to mix & match.


Please specify glove type AND SIZE in the "comments" box during checkout.
Send email for adjusted shipping prices if adding extra gloves to your order.
International customers please send email for shipping options.


Hand Measurement is done like this:
Inch reading = your glove size.
It is usually better to round up but some gloves have plenty of room.
(Like the HD Viking and Showa)


Please be advised that a full line of drysuit repair parts are also available, such as cuffs, neck seals, hoods, zippers, tape, and glue.

One of our customers has, at our request, posted an online instruction set for the installation of the Viking Bayonet Dryglove System that is superior to the often-confusing printed instructions that come with the rings.
 See: http://www.scubaboard.com/showthread.php?t=192634


 We also have a few other styles of rubber gloves, like the Viking 5-finger; a heavy latex rubber for more severe duty. ($22)
 Many aftermarket varieties will work, such as Harbor Freight's ($5 - $6) "sandblasting" or "plumber gloves" that will need to have the gauntlet cut down.
 Spare cuffs run $28 - $32/pair if/when needed.
 Some folks like to keep at least 1 spare cuff handy. If stored properly you should have no  problem seeing spare cuffs last 5 years or better.

 More info on the Bayonet and pics of both types can be found at: http://www.vikingdiving.com
 More specifically the rings are at: http://www.vikingdiving.com/?id=1832&subid=1832
 The heavy rubber 5-finger gloves, 2-finger mitts & 3-finger mitts are at: http://www.vikingdiving.com/?id=1834&subid=1834
 We stock only the heavy rubber 5-finger Viking; the more common sport use  Smurf/Showa/Atlas are aftermarket provisions.

 To purchase send email with your shipping address for exact shipping cost; we charge as  close to actual postage as possible.
 We gladly ship internationally with the US Postal Service being our primary choice.

 One of our customers has, at our request, posted an online instruction set for the installation of the Viking Bayonet Dryglove System that is superior to the often-confusing printed instructions that come with the rings.
 See: http://www.scubaboard.com/showthread.php?t=192634
Anyone wanting to score a pile of brownie points should post a ring mounting "HowTo" video on YouTube.

 If you'd like more info or want to order, email works the best/fastest for us. Send an email to: salesinfo@comdive.com
Please be aware that the only way we have of processing credit cards is through PayPal.

Prices on cuff, seals, hoods, glue:

 Cuffs:
 Bell / Bellows:
$28/pr

 Pro: $32/pr (flat conical, ½ HD, 
½ regular thickness. Also called "double dipped")
 HD: $36/pr (all one thickness, some folks find them too thick for periods of long use).
 
 Neckseals: bellows or flat conical, $28. The flat conical is also available in "double dipped" (
½HD, ½ "regular" thickness) for the same price as the regular single thickness neckseals.
 Both the bell / bellows cuffs & neckseals come in several sizes; you'll need to wrap a tape measure around the neck or wrist so we can select the proper size.
 Latex hoods are $34.

 Zippers: Standard 8 teeth per inch in several lengths: $145.
 HD zippers
(6 tpi) have teeth that are actually individually riveted right through the fabric.

31.5", 35.5", and 37" with 8 tpi: $145
37" HD, 6 tpi, riveted teeth: $195
relief zippers: $80 (8 tpi) HD relief zippers are available, though most folks prefer the more flexible 8 teeth per inch version.
Reinforcing strips, rear zip: $18
Reinforcing strip, relief zip: $12

 Tape, Melco fabric or rubber: $1.50/ft. (3' needed per pair of cuffs)
Cotton parachute bias fabric tape for $1.50 / yd.



 GLUES:
We have several types of drysuit glues in stock now; Vulcanized Rubber (with hardener), McNett's "Seal Cement" (the Cadillac of neoprene wetsuit glues), Pliobond (PBC-20), and now PB-300, one of the best all-round drysuit adhesives out there.

PB-300 - $19.95 /4oz. can. One of the best drysuit adhesives available, it can be "reactivated" by using either heat or solvents. MEK is the preferred thinner/cleaner.
Also available in 8oz. cans by special request. Email for price.


PlioBond: $12 /8oz. can - uses MEK for thinner/cleaner.


 McNett's "Seal Cement" (neoprene cement): $8.50/4 oz can, black.  Uses toluene / toluol for thinner.


Viking / Gates / Amron vulcanized rubber glue / cement is $24 for a pint can, $16 for a 1 oz. bottle of  hardener, usually enough to do at least 2 cans of glue. Uses heptane for thinner.
We can re-package the vulcanized rubber cement into 4 oz or 8 oz cans now.
Also available in quarts & gallons.


Manufacturers & Repair Facilities:
Ask about bulk quantities for
hardener; specifically:

desmodur rfe
DESMODUR® RFE
Click the above for more info.



Postage for the 4oz & 8oz cans runs $4.95, and unfortunately postal regs do not allow the glues to be shipped internationally.
Shipped in accordance with the "ORM-D" requirements.



Valves:
low profile exhaust: $65
Viking Hazmat Low Profile: $80
Inflator Valve: $58
Inflator Valve, Swivel: $73
Cuff Dump (with port): $35
Hood Vent: $12

Labor rates:
Cuff, each: $25
Neckseal: $35
Hood, plain latex: $35
Hood, neoprene: $50
Zipper, rear or front: $110
Zipper, relief: $65
Reinforcement: $30
Pocket: $50
Boots: $100
Boots, steel toe: $135
Regulator Rebuild: $18 per stage


 Payment info & contact page:
 http://comdive.com/pay.htm
 If using a credit card or paypal be sure to to click  the tiny link immediately below "ComDive.com merchandise"  which says:  +Please List your Items,  which then opens a little text entry box so you can identify what your payment is for.
 The link is pretty small & easy to miss, plus if you have a popup killer it may not appear.
 If you are having any sort of trouble we can always email an invoice to you, just ask.

 The reason we don't use a "shopping cart" is because paypal has no good way to calculate shipping cost by weight, just by dollar amount or flat rate.
Getting gouged on shipping is one of my main irritations of shopping online and I figure there are a lot of other shoppers that share the sentiment.
It may be a little more work because of the email-swapping but you will not be overcharged for shipping this way.


 thanks,
 Bob Thiry
 Triton Marine

=-=-=-=-=
Robert Thiry
Triton Marine
2044 Bowling Green Drive
Sacramento CA 95825-0102
USA
=-=-=-=-=-=
voice: (916) 922-1135
fax: (610) 744-4190
voice mail: (775) 406-2917
salesinfo@comdive.com
http://comdive.com
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=



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Guarantee  

You are guaranteed to be 100% happy with whatever you buy from us or you may return for full refund, (shipping excluded).

Items must be returned in original condition unless otherwise stated.