How to repair long rips in nylon fabric ...anyone have any experience with this? (building a rifle range cart).

[want2learn]

Hi, i need to repair a couple of long rips in nylon fabric (baby stroller seat...similar fabric to what one might find on a backpack).

The background is i picked up a used baby stroller that i'm hoping to repurpose as a rifle cart for the range.....i'm having a tough time carrying all the stuff with my spine issues and remember seeing someone using a DIY cart he built with an old baby stroller...though i would try to copy his design.

The stroller i secured for free seems to function well ie. it is stable and rolls nicely. Unfortunately, the seat and basket both made of nylon type of fabric have large linear tears in them.

It appears that at some point the previous owner tried to employ some sort of adhesive patch, remnants of which are still present but the repair failed.

I think it's worth salvaging as some 85% of the material looks pretty darn good.

....wondering if there's a decent way to repair the linear tears...each about 5 inches long. i have no sewing machine but i'm game to try simple options.

also, if anyone else had made such a rifle carrier i'd sure love to hear your suggestions as to how best to proceed.

thank you

 

[Slab74]

Gorilla tape. Not pretty but it works. Tape both sides and it will last quite a while. I’ve used it to repair a horse blanket, as a quick fix before resewing. Forgot about it a washed it with the tape on. Used it for about a year before we realized we still had tape on it.

 

[adamjma]

If you can get the seat and basket off you might be able to try iron on patches to close up the holes. Not sure if they come in 5+" lengths, so you might need to look around for them. As long as you are careful with the iron heat you can probably get the patch to adhere before the material starts to burn or melt.

Alternatively, any local tailoring business should be able to sew a repair patch on each hole for next to nothing.

 

[want2learn]

is there a particular brand of patch you would advocate.

i tried duct tape but it quickly failed....haven't tried Gorilla tape but i recall seeing some at Home Depot.

our local tailor shop is still closed....wonder if he can survive all of this.....i didn't consider that option but should have....will certainly check if i can't solve this.

 

[sinister]

Post or send me some pics. I'm a parachute rigger and have sewing machines.

 

[adamjma]

is there a particular brand of patch you would advocate.

Not off the top of my head. Just thought it might work. Quick look on Amazon found these that might do the trick:

https://www.amazon.com/Wrights-BDX230-008-45-Bondex-Patches-Pkg-Light/dp/B005DNOQ3G

 

[want2learn]

thanks.....here are the photos of the tears and of the stroller. the tears are on both sides at the seams. sure appreciate any help. i looked at replacement seats but they're pretty expensive.

 

[Slab74]

After seeing the rips, I’m thinking they do need to be sewed. Gorilla tape is a whole other ballgame when compared to your average duct tape, but those rips are along the seams. For some reason I was picturing them in the middle of the panels and running the other direction. Good luck.

 

[Triple BB]

If you can get the fabric off the frame, will be easier to repair. If it was me, I'd trim all the long threads away from the tear. I'd close the seam and put some duct tape on the front to temporarily hold everything in place. On the back, I'd use some similar material, lightweight canvas, or old denim from some blue jeans. I'd cut a 2" wide strip or so that's 1" longer than the tear. On the back side, I'd coat the repair strip with Aquaseal and make sure the tear has a bead down the length of it. Lay on yer repair strip and press it down. Smear the excess along the edges of repair strip to seal them down. Once dried, I'd do the same with the other side. I've repaired a few decoys bags this way. I usually toss my ducks and geese in with the deeks for the walk out. After a year or two, the bottoms ripped out. Cost to repair, $8 or so. Alternative is to take it and have it sewn. If so, yer deal will no longer be a deal...

 

[brianf]

Duct tape both sides and a shitty needle and thread job.

Sew through the tape so the tape is the anchor...

Or just grab a reusable shopping bag and wire/zip tie it to the inside.

 

[Heretoimproveforhunting]

get the whole thing off the frame and someone could reinforce fix it pretty easy. if you didnt mind investing a little more money, i bet a good rigger (sinister chimed in earlier) might be able to use the old one as a pattern and then use a camo cordura to make a copy to use. have a little more cool factor to it

 

[sinister]

It's fixable, but not sure how long the fix will last.

If you see how the nylon's faded, the nylon fibers that make up the fabric got all ate-up by the ultraviolet light in sunshine -- the same stuff that eats up tents, curtains, boat and RV covers, etc. Whatever the kid's weight, you see it stressed the seam and gave way.

If you can get the fabric harness off the frame an upholsterer or rigger can repair it for maybe ten more years' use. Or just commission someone to make it a dedicated gun-carrier rather than a jog-stroller. There are outdoor boat and RV fabrics like Sunbrella that will last longer than nylon. I made a gas grill cover for my ex brother-in-law that's lasted 15 years.

You probably want something like this?

 

[adamjma]

Yeah, on the seam you have few options and patching isn't likely to work. Get it to a sewing shop.

 

[carbonbased]

Ok dude, if I can do this, you can. No need to remove the fabric. Stitch “in situ”, as it were.

Step 1: buy a speedy stitcher: https://www.amazon.com/Speedy-Stitcher-SEW110-BRK-Sewing-Awl/dp/B0049W6XRE?ref_=fsclp_pl_dp_7. Made in the USA, originally to repair sails and such. Under $30.

Step two: If you need some more material for support, maybe buy some webbing from, say, Ace Hardware or online. There’s nylon and poly and I forget the difference, but I don’t think It’ll matter for your application.

Step three: stitch. It’s easy. The speedy stitcher is like a manual sewing machine that sews lock stitches. Maybe you can sew other stitches, but that is all that’s shown in the user manual.

The SS is not “speedy” like a real sewing machine. But it BLOWS AWAY trying to sew thick stuff with only a needle and thread.

Notes: the SS company also sells thinner thread and skinnier needles separately. I use these too, for less demanding applications. The thread they provide is very, very, VERY tough. It’s not like any thread you’ve probably ever seen. It’s thick (even their “thin” variety) and waxed; seems tougher than the thread manufacturers use for backpacks.

Edit: I assume you don’t care if it looks “perfect.” The way it looks is dependent upon your skill level. Nonetheless, it WILL be super-ballz strong if you are half-ways proficient. Look at other sewn stuff, like backpacks etc, to see how it’s put together.

You could repair that in a half-hr. I’ve repaired camping chairs, sewed thick Boy Scout patches on, and repaired gun cases with the Speedy Stitcher.

 

[want2learn]

Wow....thanks everyone...will carefully read through all the posts.
sinister...that's exactly what i'm hoping to duplicate. cosmetics aren't terribly important to me for this application. I'd like to be able to keep participating as long as i can and i think a mobile carrier would really work out well.

 

[sinister]

Found a fella who uses the exact stroller you have for a shooting cart. Here are a couple of photos of his rig:

https://www.dropbox.com/s/ua1gkl1mmz6nvhm/Photo Jun 06%2C 9 03 16 AM.jpg?dl=0

https://www.dropbox.com/s/zll12c0h1corggv/Photo Jun 06%2C 9 03 09 AM.jpg?dl=0

 

[want2learn]

thanks everyone....working on it