>-----Original Message-----
>
>Hi John,
>I used your iron suggestion on some polyurethane samples I recieved 
>today. It works great.  Unlike the soldering iron little technique is 
>needed for a great weld.  I tried that once as a kid with my mom's iron 

Yeah, it's much easier than the soldering iron (which I struggled with for ages)

>Took your teflon idea a step further.  I'm using parchment paper 

Aaaah, good idea!

>inflatable rafts.  Same idea I mentioned before.  $3 for a boston valve 

Got a URL for that? I'd love to see a photo or something....

My new idea for valves is using plumbing supplies. I was looking round my old mans garage 
(he never throws anything away :-) and I found some plastic 'stuff' that goes in a toilet 
cistern (intake pipes)

This is all 20mm tubes with a thread on the outside, cut a 7cm length of this. Then get 
some rubber washers and three plastic nuts.

Cut a small hole in the poly tube. Then push the threaded tube through the hole. Add a 
washer then a nut on the inside of the tube. The same on the outside so tightening the 
top nut squashes washer+poly+washer together to form an air tight seal.

Then you can use the last nut to secure the bladder to the dacron sleave, so when the 
bladder is deflated it doesn't fall inside the rib sleave....

I'm going to try to find smaller bits (under 20mm) I'm looking for approx 10mm tube + 
washer and nuts that fit it :-)

Phew!!

john.e.boy