Hi all
I know its a long shot but does anyone know where I can buy a bladder for a slingshot 11m Octane 2010??
Cheers in advance
better question might be to ask which bladders are compatible with an 11m octane 2010 ss
answer.... i dont really know. probably most... which strut is it for? or is it for the leading edge?
I hear that Motti can make up a bladder to suit any kite - just send him your old one to copy
I really need to do the same after landing my old Griffin kite on spiky grassy 15 effing holes later!!
Or simply buy a blank bladder from Kitepower (Tuff Bladders are the best) with the necessary stick-on valves. You may need also the dump and pump valves.
What you need:
* sharp scissors
* a flat area, ideally a nice clean, flat concrete floor or a very long table!
* some TearAid for mistakes (6 inches should be enough)
* new bladder
* 5 or so stick on valves, depending on your kite's original valve. May be a Cabrinha or Slingshot valve? Don't just use ANY valve.
* dump valve and inflate valve
* marker
* alcohol strips (box of 100 from your local pharmacist for under $20!)
* ruler, ideally a steel one
* a friend to help/hold and patience!
Allow 2 - 3 hours to do this as a beginner.
METHOD:
Take out the old bladder. You'll obviously need to snip off any cable ties, pull out the tubes, and push in the valves into the LE.
Lay your old bladder flat and straight, with the valves facing up. Get all air out of the sucker!
Lay the new bladder flat and straight, adjacent with your old bladder. Make sure the new bladder is also on the right side as they have a slight curve to them on one side. It has to match your old bladder. If the new bladder is slightly longer, it doesn't matter - even better!
With the ruler, mark the middle of each hole adjacent to the ones already on your old bladder. So basically from nozzle middle to where the middle of the new nozzle of the valve is going to be.
Make sure you don't accidentally pull the bladder to one side and mark it on the wrong spot!
Mark ALL your holes that you need to cut out. Criss-cross like [+]
Lift one side of the new bladder and make a snip where your hole is going to be.
Do this for all the valve holes you need.
This will allow air into the new bladder so you can easily separate the bladder apart later.
Now, this is the most dangerous bit!
Carefully lift one of the holes, fold the bladder in half at that point with your thumb and index finger, and cut a slightly larger hole in a sem-circle fashion, around the little snip you did earlier. Don't snip both sides of the bladder!
Have some Tear Aid handly in case of mistakes, but you really can't afford to make any, so have a friend make sure you're doing it right.
The rest is easy peasy.
Sit the new valves flat over each new hole and have a "cylinder like" object that fits over the top of the valve with a small weight on top. This is just my method because I've wasted a lot of stick on valves from experience.
I use 2 to 3 inch diameter plumbers' tube connectors from bunnings.
They are wide enough to allow a weight to sit on top without folding the nozzle of the valve.
Obviously have all this ready before you begin!
Rip open one alcohol strip and clean the area around the new hole you've made. I use one strip per valve.
Allow it to dry!
Now, remove the sticky back of one valve and have your friend make sure the bladder is FLAT and STRAIGHT, without any wrinkles whatsoever.
Place the valve carefully in a roll motion, making sure the nozzle is centred over the hole.
Quickly apply gentle pressure to the sticky area and place the cylinder on-top, and then put on the weight. Leave it for an hour or so.
Whilst that's setting, do the next valve and so on.
This is where you have to be patient.
Some stick on valves are pretty much instant, MOST I found, are not, contrary to what advertisers say! Don't guess this or take the risk because if you pump the bladder prematurely, the valves can delaminate and that sticky glue does not stick again - ever! You'll need a new valve or apply your own glue.
Leave all the valves weighted overnight even better.
Next day:
Pump up bladder once all valves are set (allow 12 hours to be sure), and test the entire bladder for leaks with a spray bottle and soapy water.
If all good, pat dry, allow to dry, soak the bladder in a bag with lots of talcum powder and insert the sucker into your kite.
Connect all the tubes, etc and kite!!
Trust Lofty, he is an expert at making inflatables....
Funny you posted that because the makers of those dolls make a fortune! Hmm wouldn't mind looking into how/who does them actually and team up!
Wow lofty big effort mate Thanks.....
But,,,
I rang Motti today and he recons he can sort it for $50 so gonna go with that...
Cheers anyway
By the way what's a blank bladder worth, Rough idea??
Wow lofty big effort mate Thanks.....
But,,,
I rang Motti today and he recons he can sort it for $50 so gonna go with that...
Cheers anyway
By the way what's a blank bladder worth, Rough idea??
$50, your joking. He charged me $250 for my 11m. Something doesn't sound right!
Wow lofty big effort mate Thanks.....
But,,,
I rang Motti today and he recons he can sort it for $50 so gonna go with that...
Cheers anyway
By the way what's a blank bladder worth, Rough idea??
$50, your joking. He charged me $250 for my 11m. Something doesn't sound right!
I second that. $50? A strut bladder without a valve costs $50. You sure he's not going to fleece you once you send him the bladder and he calls and says - "... ahhh sorry mate, I meant $250!"..... good luck mate
Sorry he recons he can repair it for $50 not a new bladder ,,I Haven't received the bill yet so will let u know...
for those interested bill was $58
Happy chappy
thanks for reporting back good to know :)