Its Started: Long Live my WildCat

[redefined_cycles]

Not quite MYOG... But whatever it is... Its started (sorry for being annoying*)...

Hopefully over the course of the project I might get enough little pointers - off you lot - that I dont make a complete shambles...




Might involve a sowing machine or at least an upgraded thimble (thingy)...

*If that's how you find the title

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So.. My first dilemma (even before getting to the sewing bit) is understanding zips.

In case one can't be bothered to hazard a guess, I'm trying to replace the zipper on the Wildcat. Looked at the professional replacing shops (like the one in Lancashire and Scotland as suggeste by Alpkit) but prices is too steep.

So, the dilemma... Zips. The one I'm removing is a YKK with no head nor tail. The ones I can see (from here https://www.uksewing.com/collections/yk ... =397215637 ) either come in a 20 inch or a 22 inch and have a head and tail -I dont really understand open and closed ended as the pics all look like they have a head/tail.

If I purchase the 22 inch its longer that the length of the bag... If I buy the 20 inch its gonna be a bit short..
Should I be purchasing the one bigger than even 22 inch and then use some sort of sharp i instrument to chop off 'the head' and then I could just sew that to the starting of the zip opening with the zip closed. That way it wont all come undone

Any9ne care to have amy thoughts or sugget an alternative YKK... I've gone for Vislon as it appears a bit rugged and potential a bit showerproof (and able to be lurchased without needing a specialist account or buying massove quantities...

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So I bought a YKK vislon zipper. Thinking it would have some sort of water resisting/shower proof properties as it was described by the website with 'marine' and 'wetsuits' as part of the blurb.... Dont think it is though. Got in 61cm as it was cheap even though I only needed 52cm. Planning to somehow cut that down in fue course!!

Anyway. I've made the first few (a full 4 cm of em) needlework/seam thingies in the end of the bag where the zipper begins. Hoping that once its all got some structure I can get out the wifes sewing machine and try my hand at a bit of that too

Hopefully it'll all hold together nicely and won't look too bodgy. Beth (who I imagine put it together at WildCat probably wouldn't approve but I will try... )

[ScotRoutes]

Remember, wetsuits aren't waterproof.

[redefined_cycles]

Remember, wetsuits aren't waterproof.

Oh... I had wondered that slightly but assumed they were I have been enlightened (like the quilt)...

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After some hand threading... and learning how to use the wifes sewing machine... lots of broken threads from it... then using some tough surgical thread with curved needle (needed chucking in sharpsBin in one of the lockerrooms at work as I found on sink which one of the surgeons must've left- closed packet it was - so I took to discard )... then ending one of the ends with some epoxy to hold it together .... I GIVE YOU, MY REFURBED NEW ZIPPED Wildcat

Anyone able to spot the serious bodgeup

[Zippy]

Anyone able to spot the serious bodgeup

Zips run in opposite directions?

[redefined_cycles]

Anyone able to spot the serious bodgeup

Zips run in opposite directions?