Shredder valve glue repair ?

[melissawd]

My shredder has a problem. It is a 2000 model with the plastic military valves. If you have a shredder or oher craft of this vintage you may be able to help me. What has happened is that the hypalon is coming unglued from the valve boot or base. The failure of the glue began at the outter edge of where the hypalon is glued to the outter rim of the base inside of the thwart. In other words, a large section has come unglued with only a small leak at the inside edge of where the hypalon is glued to the boot. But it's a fast enough leak that the thwart is deflating very quickly. The problem is worstening fast. I need to fix this myself or get it fixed in short order for a week long trip coming up. If I do it myself, I need info on how to best detach the rest of the hypalon without damaging it, then how to clean and prep it in place, then how to best get it glued without screwing it up. If I did it that way I wouldn't have to cut into the prefectly good boot or rubber. Or do I need to totally replace the valve and have a patch as the end result (not my preference)? Any advice would be great.

[melissawd]

anyone.....lots of views and no ideas? come on Buzzards...a little help?

[melissawd]

OK Buzzards, I guess my first post was confusing maybe. It's hard to descirbe. If all of the glue released, the whole valve, valve base/boot and all, would end up inside the thwart. And you would be looking through the hole the manufacturer cut in ithe hypalon to install the valve. Get it?

[zbaird]

You would be best off in the long run removing the boot, prepping the area, applying new patches to both inside and out and installing a new c-7 style valve. You could try and rebuild from where you are but if you are on a tight schedule a botched job could hose you. I could probably squeeze you in if you wanted to have it professionally done.

[melissawd]

thanks zbaird. Eric of IRR out of Salida is going to repair it for me (unless I decide to do it myself). He also suggested removing the old boot and going with the c-7, though he also said he would reglue it if I want that done. But he also said reglueing it would be like taking a broken 8 track tape player out of the car and putting a new 8 track in, instead of updating to a CD player. I'm hating the idea of a patch on the tiny little thwart of my (formerly) perfect pristine little shredder. I'm also wondering about the other 3 valves and when the glue is going to fail on those...and then the seams? Is that style of military valve prone to this sort of glue failure, or is it more like the manufacturer was using less than the best glue? any idea?