I'm getting into rafting on the cheap, and after a few runs down the San Juan and Desolation I really want some good pads for the kids to sit on and us to sleep on under the stars. I have a hard time stomaching the 150-300 dollars that companies are asking for pads and I'm looking at making some myself.
My plan is to source some PVC fabric from a local (Salt Lake) company that makes PVC tarps for long haul truckers. They hand heat weld their product so I thought I'd do the same. I would source polyurethane foam (medium/Firm, either 3 or 4 inches thick) from a local upholstery company , or get it off the internet. The pads friends have are just a PVC sleeve, welded together down the seam and at the ends with a C7 valve on the side or in a corner.
I expect I'll need to practice on some scrap PVC material, but after that I think I could get it air-tight. Maravia doesn't guarantee their Silverbacks to be airtight and Jack from Jack's PVC Welding says after a few thorn holes, he doesn't sleep with the valve closed any more. So perfection is hoped for but not essential.
The math works out like this:
PVC fabric: $10
Polyurethane Foam: $25ish
C7 Valve: $20 - I could use a cheaper valve to cut costs but this is for comparison.
Inexpensive adjustable heat plastic welding gun (not industrial quality, I don't need it to be): $50
If successful, the first one would run $105 and every one thereafter would be $55 (or average it, I don't care). I could make the 3 I need for well under the cost of one Maravia Silverback and could make them fit my raft and family.
Has anyone done this? Is there something I'm missing? Thoughts? Suggestions?
My plan is to source some PVC fabric from a local (Salt Lake) company that makes PVC tarps for long haul truckers. They hand heat weld their product so I thought I'd do the same. I would source polyurethane foam (medium/Firm, either 3 or 4 inches thick) from a local upholstery company , or get it off the internet. The pads friends have are just a PVC sleeve, welded together down the seam and at the ends with a C7 valve on the side or in a corner.
I expect I'll need to practice on some scrap PVC material, but after that I think I could get it air-tight. Maravia doesn't guarantee their Silverbacks to be airtight and Jack from Jack's PVC Welding says after a few thorn holes, he doesn't sleep with the valve closed any more. So perfection is hoped for but not essential.
The math works out like this:
PVC fabric: $10
Polyurethane Foam: $25ish
C7 Valve: $20 - I could use a cheaper valve to cut costs but this is for comparison.
Inexpensive adjustable heat plastic welding gun (not industrial quality, I don't need it to be): $50
If successful, the first one would run $105 and every one thereafter would be $55 (or average it, I don't care). I could make the 3 I need for well under the cost of one Maravia Silverback and could make them fit my raft and family.
Has anyone done this? Is there something I'm missing? Thoughts? Suggestions?