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Hi Logan,

Sorry for the delay – I’m currently traveling with limited access to the forum.

It’s not uncommon to have some misalignment but this amount seems like a lot. It looks like your piece 2 might be a bit wrinkled where it’s attached to the floor, which may account for it – make sure to keep the pieces flat and tight when sealing. Can you s…[Read more]

Hey Logan!

I havn’t started building my packraft yet but I’d be curious to know how you proceeded. Did it work out in the end?

Hi,

Raftko here and not a bot..had purchased ultralight kit past summer and only now got the sealing iron from Aliexpres that needs to be moded for EU plug and testing on the scraps should begin before I seal the first boat…happy days!

question for the experienced DIYers out there..
Small or big problem?

As seen in photo I’m attempting to seal pieces 1-2 together. For some reason piece 2 is waaay off from where it is supposed to be. Previous to this I sealed seam 3 down and it was about 2cm off from where it was supposed to be as well. I couldn’t figure out why it kept coming…[Read more]

ahh nevermind, I was able to figure it out.. turns out you need to put the correct pieces next to eachother… whoops! luckily I didn’t seal anything down yet

Hello! Not a bot 👍

If you order an adjustable Leather Iron through Aliexpress, like the Jingda first discovered by Lynn, you may want to also order a 3-prong US plug adaptor. They are inexpensive ($0.66 with free shipping), but hard to find on Aliexpress. Here is a link for one. I haven’t ordered it, just wanted to provide the link so others might. I will order one…[Read more]

I should have been clear that I am actually getting MasterSeal 6’s from them which are lighter for my purposes.

Thank you Lyn.  I ordered two.  The chain length is 19 cm, so a little short for my purpose but it will work.

I also use Seam Grip as an excellent cover for abrasion exposed areas.  It is very abrasion resistant and won’t peel away.  Simply brush over the area of the material that is abraded and it will extend its wear life significantly.

Derrick

Hi, reading all about DIY packrafts all the way from Belgium!

After my DIY winter hammock camping gear Im happy to explore some non sewing projects 😉

Im not a bot and I ordered some samples 😉

Cheers!

PJ

This is awesome – thanks for sharing!

I couldn’t find a small sturdy iron in Sydney Australia and I didn’t want to buy one online without seeing it first as they all looked way too big, so I built this one out of a $15 hair straightener. It was a 40-watt hair straightener and I used the heating elements from both sides of the straightener in the iron. The dial adjusts to 230°C and it…[Read more]

Just thought I’d add to my post and support Bruce’s comment above. Now I’ve had a flavour of some rescue skills, a full 3 day swiftwater rescue course will definitely be on my to do list. The course I did last week also emphasised the need for technical paddling skills so you paddle well and the packraft’s stability doesn’t make you complacent.

I come to packrafting as a whitewater boater. I have a solid kayak and canoe roll in class 3 or 4 whitewater. I started back in 1963, and am trying to figure out how to slow down a bit, but not leave the game behind.

That said, I think Mark Oates cautionary note to packrafters is critical: take a swiftwater rescue class, learn to use a throw…[Read more]

Matt,

Yes, hard to find. I have best luck searching under: adjustable leather iron. There are many models and colors. Be aware: the lowest prices are for non-adjustable irons and I don’t know how these will work. I’ve also seen one with a wider foot – it might be easier to cut off the “wings” to a more desirable narrow foot, don’t know, but here…[Read more]

Clemens,

The hardest part for me is trying to describe the filing effort. I file the bottom so it has a 19 or 20 mm wide flat area on the bottom. This leaves 2 mm or so of gently rounded edge on each side. I do not file the tip.

I use a coarse file for aluminum or steel. Be aware that aluminum galls, and it will be easier to smooth with…[Read more]