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Old 03-15-2021, 05:10 AM   #2
Mikel_24
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Join Date: Nov 2016
Location: Bilbao (Spain)
Posts: 445
Re: S-Wing Foot Pocket Molding

The problem with the first approach (foot inside the footpocket) is that you can only heat the material from the inside. The rubber or EPDM does not conduct heat very well, which means that you will probably scortch the outside with the heat gun before the inside gets warm.

What I suggest doing (and I did it myself in a pair of LABRAX, the low cost version of the PATHOS) is to put my socks on, then heat the inside/outside of the foot pocket with the heatgun while wearing gloves (any work gloves will work) and once the rubber was soft and pliable, put the heat gun aside and quickly put my feet inside. Then cool it off.

And yes, now I have them marked LEFT and RIGHT because otherwise I cannot WEAR them.

Some guys, instead of using a heat gun, recommend using a big pot of boiling whater (will never get above 100ºC) for 5 minutes. This addresses the problem of heat soaking the whole foot pocket (as it will heat evenly) but translates into another problem if you are trying to mold the pockes once the fins are attached... Some cianoacrilate glues don't like the heat and anything above 80ºC will either loose, weaken or destroy the bond. So be carefull how deep you submerge your fins.

If we are talking only footpockets, then anything goes.

I still preffer the heat gun approach.

Mikel

Last edited by Mikel_24; 03-18-2021 at 05:54 AM.
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