DIY Kata Rain Cover

A

andybiz_2005

Well-known member
Hi all,

In my country, it rains very often (alternate days) & I would like to make my own rain cover for my DVX. I plan to use soft, but tough transparent plastic material & stitch the whole thing together with water-proof glue.

I am particullarly worried about the type of glue used. When the glue is dry, it should still be flexible & foldable. Very often, the glues out there get kinda rigid & hard, which I don't like. Have any of you tried Elephant glue before? How about rubber glue? Any of you had experienc making a rain cover for your DVX? THanks.

Andrew
 
Wow this is funny I was just about to make one of these and post it, Now that HURRICANE season is here.


I shot some stuff the other day with a tiny clear plastic trash bag and some tape, it worked great, and this was through our first Hurricane.
 
Hi everyone,

Well, the research on the bond/glue that Edweirdo suggested came to nothing. I'm providing below an e-mail history of what actually transpired between me & Keith in my quest for a suitable glue for my DIY rain cover :


1st E-mail

Dear Sir/Madam,

I would like to inquire on a very specific sealant product found on another
website that carries your company's product as shown in the link below

http://www.stemtostern.com/catalog/...sive+Cau&OEManufacturerID=158&DepartmentID=67


I am building my own plastic transparent rain cover for my professional
video camera & am looking for a sealant that bonds well with soft, flexible
plastic.

The sealant must be flexible & not hard when it is dry, rubber-like, must
be water-proof & weather resistant as this rain cover I'm making will be
exposed to the rain to shelter my professional video equipment.

How much is this sealant selling for & where are the locations where I can
purchase one in K.L.?

Your kind reply is very much appreciated.

Regards,

Andrew

2nd E-mail

klai2@mmm.com wrote:
Hi Andrew,

First of all, thanks a lot for your enquiry to 3M product.

Need to gather some information of your inquiry in order for us to
recommend the right product solution for you,

1) What plastic material do you want to bond to ie, PP, PC and etc

2) Roughly how much is your usage ?

3) When do you require the sealant ?

4) Do you have colour preference ?

5) Is the sealant curing time critical to you.If yes, please advise.

Thank you.

Best regards,
Keith Lai

3rd E-mail

Hello Keith,

Thanks for your prompt reply. I intend to design my own rain cover & build it myself as I'm a hands-on kinda person. An example of such a commercial rain cover can be viewed in the link below :
Kata Rain Cover For DVX100A :
http://www.abelcine.com/store/product.php?productid=10339

I am looking for a plastic material that is completely transparent, completely flexible, yet tough (can bend & fold many times without cracking or tearing), about 1mm thickness, resistant to rain & the acidity that is contained in rain.

Since I'm a videographer who needs to take external shots of buildings like hotels, regardless of weather (even in heavy rain) during weddings to establish the location of the shoot, I need a water-resistant plastic glue/gum/bond that doesn't disintegrate easily from the acidic rain & this sealant can also bend & fold flexibly with the transparent plastic cover. I don't want a glue that hardens when dry & cracks when bent. Something more of rubbery gum, that bonds tightly with transparent plastic.

The sealant color should be transparent like the plastic. Well, the curing time can be anywhere from 5mins to `5mins.

Do you have a sealant that meets these requirements? If yes, what are their various sizes & how much does it cost? Thank you once again Keith.

Regards,

Andrew

4th E-mail

Hi Andrew,

Pertaining to your question, I will get back to you after checking with my
technical specialist in the sealant product.

Meanwhile, for your information we don't have any retailer in the consumer
market selling our sealant range of products.
Generally, if it is a isolated inquiry, the customer will have to buy at
the minimum order quatity (MOQ). The MOQ will vary base on the individual
product.

Copy to Cheah, please assist to give your product recommendation in this
case.

Thank you.

Best regards,
Keith Lai

5th E-mail

Hi Andrew,

Sorry to inform that, we currently do not have suitable product for your
application.

Thank you.

Best regards,
Keith Lai



If you know of any other bonding alternative, I would be very appreciative.

Andrew
 
Something everyone should keep in mind for there adhessive is a product called "seam tape" its what they use on high end tents and jackets because of durability and flexability. I have access to a nice well of durable products. If anyone needs said seam tape I have no problem sending it out. A tube costs i beleive five-ten dollars I would have to check if anyone IS intered. The issue with many of these tapes it that they get old and crack eventually. If you go to REI or EMS you may find a wide array of tapes but not many will last. This is from previous back packing experience having over $3000 dollars worth of equipment get drenched and become useless while your in "the thick of it" because of shitty tape.
 
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I'm sorry fellas but this where i draw the line...some DIY projects should be left for the professionals and come with a warranty that inssures up to $5,000
 
Rather than glue, I would look at heat sealing the seams. Use a release paper on both sides and weld with a soldering iron.
 
I'll post my results. And why I am using seam tape. If you look at "high end" mountaneering jackets and space tents the same equipment that goes to the highest points of the world and keeps people alive. They're using double stripped seam tape. Personally I don't trust draw strings to keep out severe weather.
I believe my price estimate was slightly off if we were doing it per "tube". I also know there is PSI rating done for each company. Its applied with a hair dryer or heat gun. I will stop out and check into all this when I get some time off. I am making five personally.

I am also going to investigate other solutions from the manufacturers
 
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Personally I wouldn't touch the bulk non heat rolls with a ten foot poll. You want to bond the tape to your fabric seams as deep as possible.
 
OK JwrFord, I noted your advice with thanks. Yeah, what if the tape eventually peels off due to rough use, etc? Better to be cautious than not at all.

Andrew
 
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