How I Ended Up Making an Inflatable Suit
So, this inflatable suit thing. It wasn’t like I woke up one day and thought, “I absolutely NEED an inflatable suit.” Nah, it was more like I saw one of those silly dinosaur costumes at a party, and a little voice in my head went, “Huh, I wonder if I could make something like that?” And you know how those little voices can be. They just sort of… stick around.
Getting Started: The “What Do I Even Need?” Phase
First off, I figured I needed fabric. Something that wouldn’t let air out, obviously. My mind went to ripstop nylon, like for kites or tents. Seemed like a good bet. I also knew I’d need some way to blow it up, so a small battery-powered fan was on the list. The biggest puzzle, though, was how to stick the pieces together so they’d be airtight. Sewing alone wouldn’t cut it; air would just whistle through the holes.
- Lightweight, airtight fabric? Check. (Or so I thought).
- A small fan? Yep.
- How to seal the seams? That was the big unknown.
My First Go: More Flop Than Inflate
I got some cheap nylon from a local shop, didn’t even bother with a proper pattern. I just kind of sketched out a big, blobby person shape and started cutting. For sealing, my first genius idea was to use duct tape on the inside after sewing. Big mistake. That stuff peeled off almost immediately when the fabric flexed. Looked like a deflated mess.
Then I tried some kind of fabric glue along the seams. That was better, but it was messy, took forever to dry, and still leaked like crazy. I felt like I was wrestling a giant, slippery garbage bag that just refused to hold its breath.
The Fan Conundrum
Okay, so assuming I could ever get the darn thing to hold air, I needed a fan. I salvaged a small computer case fan, thinking I was clever. Rigged it up to a battery pack. Turned it on. It made a pathetic whirring noise and produced about as much airflow as a gentle sigh. Clearly not gonna cut it for a whole suit. I ended up having to buy one of those little fans specifically made for inflatable costumes. Lesson learned: some things you just gotta buy proper.
Back to the Drawing Board (and Sewing Machine)
After the duct tape disaster and the gluey mess, I did some more digging online. Seam sealing tape! The kind you iron on for waterproof gear. This sounded promising. So, I got a roll of that. My next attempt involved sewing the seams and then painstakingly ironing this tape over every single one. It was tedious, let me tell you. And my “pattern” was still basically a couple of giant rectangles sewn together, so it looked… unique.
I also realized the cheap nylon I bought first was a bit too porous. Even with taped seams, it felt like it was slowly oozing air. So, another trip to the store for a slightly better quality, coated nylon. This stuff felt more like it could actually do the job.
The Moment of Inflation!
So, I stitched up my new, slightly-less-awful-looking suit with the better fabric. Carefully ironed on all the seam tape. Attached the proper fan near the back. Took a deep breath and switched it on. And believe it or not, the thing started to puff up! It wasn’t super quick, and it wasn’t perfectly smooth, but it was undeniably inflating. I looked like a giant, lumpy blueberry. It was glorious.
It actually worked! I had to patch a couple of small spots where my taping wasn’t perfect, but it held air. I did a little dance, or tried to. Moving was… interesting.
Wearing My Creation
Walking around in my homemade inflatable suit was an experience. First off, it’s surprisingly warm in there. Like a personal sauna powered by a tiny fan. Visibility wasn’t great either, depending on how I’d designed the head part (which was pretty basic, let’s be honest). And I bumped into everything. But the sheer ridiculousness of it made it all worthwhile. People would just stare, then usually crack up.
What I Reckon After All That Faff
So, yeah, that was my journey into inflatable suit making. It took way longer than I thought, involved more failed attempts than I care to admit, and I definitely smelled like melted plastic for a few days from all that ironing.
Would I do it again? Hmm, maybe. If I did, I’d definitely invest in a proper pattern from the get-go. And I’d be even more meticulous with the seam sealing. It’s all about those seams.
But hey, I made an inflatable suit. It was bulky, a bit lopsided, but it was mine. And that’s pretty cool, I guess.
