Bit of info required here fella's, I have a pair of Sharks neoprene chest waders that require felt sole replacement.
Is there any "special" cleaning to do to the wader foot, what glue to use, are clamps required, basically guys any tips will be gratefully recieved.

Regards

seddo

You can try it, Seddo. Lord knows I have tried to reglue felt soles, but it's very difficult to get a bond that lasts. Not trying to discourage you, just beaing realistic.

Here's the method I used and it produced pretty good results, at least ones that lasted through most of a year:

1. After the boots have been thoroughly washed in soap and water and are ABSOLUTELY dry, clean the sole surface (both boot and felt) with a wire brush, scrubber pad, and using an air compressor to blast the sand and grit out of the felt.

It seems like any grit that's left will interfear with the bond. Using the air compressor really seemed to help get the trapped grit out of the felt sole especially.

2. I use and adheasive called Sportsmans Goop or another brand called ShoeGoo. They both are very tough, but stay flexible when cured.

3. There's no neat way to glue the soles on. You have to get the glue all the way to the sole edge, all the way around. Any gap will allow sand to get in and act as a wedge to begin tearing the sole off the boot again.

4. After you get the soles glued and in position, I used as many sliding bar clamps as possible to hold them absolutely tight to the boot until the glue cures. Again, what I've found is that any gap that's left is the next failure point.

5. After clamping, clean up the squeez-out glue, but leave as much of a "ridge" as possible right where the felt meets the sole. Again, trying to protect the joint and provide a little more strength.

Overall, I seemed to be able to get heels to stick on pretty well, but the front soles I'm lucky if they would last out the season. On bootfoot waders, I guess you have to try because otherwise they're hosed.

This issue of felt soles coming off and being such a PITA to re-do is one of the main reason why I'm quite happy to see the phase-out of felt. I'll probably throw my last pair of felt sole wading boots in the bin after next season.

Grouse

Grouse has given a good description on the how-to but I'll just toss in an additional thought. I'm assuming these are waders with built in boots.

Clamping the new felt to the old is the main pain where one sits. Take a roll of 'Duct Tape' and wrap the new felt on as tightly as you can while the glue sets. This will be a two person job!
Fred

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I have ben using these new type plastic spring clamps that come in bags of various sizes.I think B&D were the originators.but are now copied in the millions by the Chinese.cheap as chips(3 for a £ in the poundland shops) and very very effective at holding the felt under good pressure to the boot(about 6 clamps for a sole 4 for a heel).I normaly leave for at least 48 hrs to get a good cure.(i use Aquasure).
This is what I mean.but cheaper.

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I recommend Barge Cement:

Barge Rubber Cement

It is a waterproof and flexible contact cement, better than Shoo Goo in my opinion for this purpose. I was a wading boot tester for Weinbrenner Boot Company, the makers of the Gary Borger Wading Boot. This is what they use in the original manufacture of the boot before also sewing the felt on the boot welt.

The reason I think Barge Cement is better is that it will from a thinner layer and hold just as well, plus it is a contact cement.

Coat both surfaces and allow to get tacky. Once the surfaces are mated, they will not move so line them up carefully.

The best way to apply compression is to cut rubber strips from an old tire inner tube from a truck tire. Then wrap these as thick rubber band around the felt and boot to apply compression. Wrap as tight as you can. This will give you an even compression between the new sole and boot bottom.

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Silver Creek- "Discovery consists of seeing what everybody has seen and thinking what nobody has thought"....Szent-Gyorgy

Cheers for the consructive and instructive info guys, these would be for a spare set so I can wait until the winter nights when there is very little else to do before I give it a bash.

Thanks again


seddo

What a timely question!!

The felt sole half came off my Orvis waders today.... Do I go for the glue-it-back-on option or could I get a new pair from Orvis?



Jason

I used 'wet grab' from B&Q and some clamps + bits of wood to sandwich the things with. Seems to have done the job.

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Time is a stream I go fishing in.

Felt Sole Glue

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WHEN YOU LEAVE THE RIVER, TAKE NOTHING, AND LEAVE ONLY FOOTPRINT'S!!!

THA CAN TELL A YORKSHIREMAN ,BUT THA CAN'T TELL HIM MUCH !!

A huge thumbs up for Silver Creeks recommendation for Barge Cement. Will this stuff 'last/work?' The 'Space Needle' in Seattle was built for a Worlds Fair and the sealing flaps for the elevator to the observation tower were put on with a few bolts and Barge Cement. And that was 50 years ago.

The rubber gave out, the glue didn't.

Space Needle | Seattle Observation Deck, View Restaurant & Tourist Attraction

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"The problems we face today are there because the people who work for a
living are now outnumbered by those who vote for a living." -- Anonymous