Better Vinyl Repairs? (a.k.a. "Help save my Amy!")

[GFELube]

If someone has posted tips elsewhere, please direct me; couldn't find it thru search. Should be stickied?
Plus this might belong in the general "Repair & Maint." thread, but maybe that's really for 4-figure-priced dolls?

Well, I have been unsuccessful three times in sealing my poor vinyl Amy, but I really miss her, so I need some help.
Amy has a hole about the size of a Tic-Tac, or the hole a key might make, right next to the seam of her armpit. I have used a portion of the extra patch and glue that came with her to seal it, but it still slowly opens up again.
If I should be using some other, better sealant (such as something bought at a sporting goods store), please be specific, for I have never patched an inflatable pool, either

[yorktown]

- Howdy GFELube -

Sorry to hear about your Extreme doll "Amy" getting hurt, it's always sad to see that happen
to a good inflata babe.

I tend to use just the glue itself first for small pin hole type damage as this usually stops the spread of the tear. Of course if the tear gets bigger then I start to use the supplied patches.

I cut the patch so that its just slightly larger than the tear and apply the glue to the area and then apply the patch to it. I always allow the glue to dry for a period of 1 day. I then test inflate to see if I was successful, if i was well then great another dolly saved.

If not then what I do then is spread a thin coat of glue around the patch area perimeter. Remember a little goes a long way and never pour a lot of glue on a repair area as it will melt the dollies skin and could very well complicate the repair.

Take your time in the repair look at the tear and where in relation to the body it's located as the shape of the patch will be need to be shaped to fit the location. Thats a simple case of a good scissor cutting the patch to size and eye balling the location as how in relation to the hole will the patch both cover the tear and not be pulled off the repair area by normal use.

Try when not using the doll to leave her either partially inflated or totally deflated and left flat not all dumped like yesterdays jeans. I tend to store my inflata babes always flat and deflated when not in use and arms and legs left in a natural position to prevent stress tears from storage.

Good luck GFELube, and let us know how AMY is doing.

[GFELube]

Thanks for the reply, yorktown.

You're certainly right about leaving her arms and legs in a natural position; I'm sure that's what caused this in the first place. I didn't think about the fact that when I had my cheap inflates, I was alone in the house and could keep them lying around semi-inflated or hanging in the bathroom air-drying. Unfortunately, Amy has to sleep deflated and folded in a box at the bottom of the closet due to my current living arrangements (i.e. they might start charging me twice the room-rent for double-occupancy ) I try to bend her arms and legs where they would naturally bend for a RG, but have stopped bending her shoulders together now that this has occurred.

As the pics show, I did have to cut a section of patch to cover the hole (too large for simply glue alone), but due to the nature of the armpit seam, it seems that the patch will bend and stretch and come loose every time, even after drying for 24 hours. Since this post, I have added more glue around the edges of the patch, but cannot check to see if she's better or worse until tomorrow morning...

I guess I was hoping for some kind of industrial-strength pool sealant or something, which might not look good, but is better than a limp hissing Amy.

[Szalinski]

The problem is the patch cannot be used over a seam because the seam prohibits a good seal. If it hasn't gotten too big you might try Sevylor's adhesive. They used to call it Seam Seal, but I think it has been renamed (Air seal). This is the only vinyl adhesive I have found that really does adhere to vinyl. And since it is a gel, it can fill smaller holes.

http://www.sevylor.com/Air-Seal-P2070C45.aspx

[GFELube]

Thank you, I'll try that next...

[GFELube]

Still no luck with Amy

I went to my nearest Big 5 Sporting Goods, and all they had was a (slightly) better glue with patches ("The Wet Set"). Tried adding the glue around existing patch; didn't help. Still leaking out sides (tested under water, and can in fact see more tearing from under patch).

Finally looked for and went to a Sports Authority, still no Sevylor. They did have a $5 bottle of AirStop, and I put some of that on the sides. That does seem to be holding, but now it is leaking right by the seam itself. I have just added more of the AirStop, which will hopefully leech between the seam and the patch.

I am hoping this works, as it will be difficult at the moment to explain the credit card purchase at Sevylor.com. I will keep trying.

Meanwhile, Amy did stay inflated long enough to model her new dress I got from post-Halloween sales:

[Szalinski]

Still no luck with Amy

I went to my nearest Big 5 Sporting Goods, and all they had was a (slightly) better glue with patches ("The Wet Set"). Tried adding the glue around existing patch; didn't help. Still leaking out sides (tested under water, and can in fact see more tearing from under patch).

Finally looked for and went to a Sports Authority, still no Sevylor. They did have a $5 bottle of AirStop, and I put some of that on the sides. That does seem to be holding, but now it is leaking right by the seam itself. I have just added more of the AirStop, which will hopefully leech between the seam and the patch.

I am hoping this works, as it will be difficult at the moment to explain the credit card purchase at Sevylor.com. I will keep trying.

Meanwhile, Amy did stay inflated long enough to model her new dress I got from post-Halloween sales:

You ight have to order it online. I think Amazon.com has it (it did last time I looked). If not, it can be ordered directly from Sevylor, I can't imagine why you would be worried about explaining a Sevylor purchace, they make vinyl rafts, pool toys and other watersport items (not that kind! ).

I'm hoping AirSeal is the same stuff just renamed. It should be a gel, not a watery liquid. This is what let's it fill gaps and work on seams.

I do have 1 unopened tube of Seam Seal left over from my last aero-gurl. Since it's still in it's original factory seal it should be fine. I'd be willing to send it to you if your current try is unsuccesful and the new stuff is not the same (gel, not liquid).

Good luck with Amy.

[GFELube]

Yay! Amy is FIXED!

AirStop did the trick! Although this stuff is not a gel but a liquid (albeit a thicker and smellier one), it does seem to be holding:



I thank you for your offer, Szalinski; I may yet take you up on it, as I have not put Amy to the "ultimate" test yet, ya know? Although I may be worrying too much, I still would like to avoid explaining any weird charges, as I currently have no need for sports equipment either

BTW, I added the pics from this thread in a new album...

[dollluver73]

YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHH Congrats GFE. Good to hear she is finnaly fixed.

[hannahrox]

Glad you have your girl back!

[GFELube]

- 10-4 Good Buddies -

Back from a long-haul - and Amy the Extreme Dream climbed up into my cab - this is one truck-stop cutie

Amy is imported by TopCo - and her chassis is made from a heavy-gauge PVC - I sometimes worry about overloading the scales when she's riding shotgun

Hourglass figure - no molded feet or hands - just "fists" - perfect for pitching in with those barroom brawls or when some *&#$&^$ cuts you off in line at the port

Her main and rear entrances are made from something called PassionSkin - and she often has this Smokey knocking at her backdoor

Don't even bother asking about oral - that gate is sealed tighter than a shipping container full of iPads

[Walley]

Glue a little hair under her arms for that "euro" look and you'll never notice the patch!

[yorktown]

- Ahoy Mates -

hEy GFELube "return" my shirt and my truck - i need that for work on Monday -

Maybe its me but I seem to have seen this theme before with dollies and props before - even the blue bed - you been breaking into the pier or what -

[5768phillip]

Looks like the "extreme dream" doll only your doll has bigger tits! Would be perfect is she had hands and feet

[Obin]

This is the first time I have seen this post. I caught in time to see the happy ending.

Now the pretty face has a body again.

Szalinskey has suggested making a sticky for this type of information before.