Neoprene Waders from Fishingwaders.co.uk
CLICK HERE
TO GO TO OUR HOME PAGE
Neoprene waders are ideal to keep warm in cold weather and dry in extreme conditions. They are made of rubber that is run through a machine on a set of rollers and heated so the rubber expands making thousands of tiny air bubbles in it. Cloth backing is added and it is rolled off in 15 metre rolls. That is where we start.
To make a pair of neoprene waders we first cut the neoprene
with a sharp knife around a
Template, taking great care to cut it straight. First we cut
a left side and then a right side so we have the two sides of
the waders. Next we need to glue the edges on the inside of the
waders with a two part glue that has to be weighed out in exact
proportions and then mixed using a mixer. When the edges are
glued together we wait until it the glue becomes tacky and then
carefully butt the edges together. The result, a pair of neoprene
waders without boots or dressing, in order to dress the waders
we then over lock all the seems that have been glued
Next comes the cutting and over locking for a chest pocket and the kneepads. All the seams need to be taped on the reverse side to the over locking and then all the seams need to be taped and heat-sealed into place.
That leaves you with a completed pair of neoprene waders still without boots.
Before attaching boots to the completed waders it is important
to decide the quality of boots required. Boots for waders can
be made from cheap P.V.C., which is usually used on imported
waders, or expensive polyurethane, which has similar thermal
properties to the neoprene.
It's a personal choice but the polyurethane gets our vote, L
C Waders believes in using only the best materials. The polyurethane
has to be prepared so the boots are first cleaned with solvent
then rubbed with rough sandpaper to clean them thoroughly. The
boots are now ready for attachment to the waders. For this single
part glue is used as there is a larger surface area to make watertight.
The boots and the neoprene waders are both coated with glue.
Wait for this to dry and apply a second coat of glue. Great care
must now be taken to make sure the neoprene is straight when
attached and then that all the air bubbles are pressed out. This
requires a lot of pressure. To hide the join an elastic band
is applied which is glued with heat reactive glue. A band is
then glued around the neoprene waders. When this is dry the two-glued
surfaces are put together, lined up perfectly and heated with
a hot air gun. The result? A pair of the best neoprene waders
ever made and the only neoprene waders made in England. Because
the boots are polyurethane which has thermal properties, they
are not only a pair of the best they are also the warmest waders
you will find, what more could you want?