here i will detail the construction of my new vac bed. (vac bed explained here)
I've wanted one for ages but never really bothered. It was not until a couple months back when i finally got to give one a try at a local fetish event. Once tried out i was hooked and had to do the build.
On to the construction;
Dug out two sheets of latex from my box black and silver. (both from different sources. One supplier: sheetlatex.com).
Figured out the height i wanted the bed to be: 80''
added 8 more for the top close (really want side but top is far more simple and quick)
so cut two pieces 88'' long.
Then clean and glued the log sides together with a 1cm seam.
Now i have a long tube that just happens to be 40'' wide
Close the bottom of the tube to complete the envelope. I did this by rounding off the corners and gluing everything closed. I had a bit of trouble getting the corners flat so i also added reinforcement patches on top of the corners.
next was off to the hardware store; got two 10' lengths of 2'' pvc central vac tubing. And fittings of course.
Parts:
PVC tubing 20'
3x 90 fitting
1x tee fitting
1x coupling
now to cut the tube:
the 10' lengths worked out perfect. Was just enough to cut one side and one end from each. 40 wide – 2x2 = 36 and same for the tall side 80 – 4 (the width of the fittings)
Cut:
2x 36''
2x 76''
Next was to assemble one end tube with two 90s and stuff it into the bottom of the envelope. I then marked and added glue in a small circle where i added a reinforcement gasket.
Once glue was done with the gasket i cut the hole in the envelope.
The gasket was made by creating a circle just a bit smaller then the hole i was planning to make.
Finishes for the vac bed;
Close the bag:
To seal things up I went super simple.
Used:
This works by simply pressing the envelope into the channel of the track with the rubber cord.
I have in mind a side opening bag with a magnetic seal but this is far to complex for a first attempt at a vac bed.
One way valve:
The purpose of the one way valve is so that one can turn off the vacuum pump (this case a shop-vac) and have the vacuum inside the bed remain. A crude valve is a flap of rubber that sits on top of an airway allowing air to pass in only one direction. This works because in the flow direction air can easily pass beneath the flap. In the stop direction air will push the flap closed blocking the airway.
This ended up having two solutions. First was a double flap valve that I made myself. Second and far more effective was to use the exhaust valve from the mask (see below for mask)
Problems encountered with Plan A:
Breathing rig.
See post: http://arcnet01.com/the-lab/2010/8/4/vac-bed-breathing-rig.html