Fire Fighting Turnout Gear Repair

[chrisash]

It's hard for us in the UK to understand the pressure you guys live with day by day. we have been lucky in that we only had one large school shooting in a Scottish town called Dunblane in 1996  killing 18 people including the shooter, and shortly after the government banned all handguns throughout the UK and strict controls on licence for rifles and shotguns

Schools have locked entrance doors and fence around the outside perimeter as far as practical but that's about it

[Wizcrafts]

May I ask you guys who are repairing turnout gear, where do you buy your Nomex thread and what sizes do you use on various parts of the suits? I am hoping to find one supplier who stocks multiple sizes in different colors, just like we have in the bonded nylon field.

My thinking, after looking over the suit they left on my table, is perhaps T60 on Reflexite and numbers; T80 or 90 on cuffs and some heavier weight on suede overlays (T105+). I am finding really odd Tex sizes in my search for Nomex suppliers. Some thread has two different numbers, like 100 Tex 24 Firefly, or Tex 105 Protos, or Tex 700 Protos.

From the suit I have, I see Khaki, black, yellow and white thread. Some is in the T60/T70 range and others look like T90 to T135. I see black denim cuffs and black 4 ounce suede over knees and elbows.

[Smartee]

On 3/21/2021 at 2:07 AM, Wizcrafts said:

Yes and no. A #19 needle creates a smaller hole giving a tighter thread fit. This means less water will get into the holes. However, you can use a #20 needle with T90 thread if the material is bulky and you are sewing over thick seams. The larger needle can resist being deflected better. The holes will be a little wider though. It may not matter if the construction deflects water spray anyway.

This advice applies to any gear that will be used outside, like motorcycle and snowmobile seats. Smaller needle holes make for a tighter thread fit and less water penetration..

Thank you Wiz!

[MtlBiker]

On 3/23/2021 at 10:48 AM, Wizcrafts said:

May I ask you guys who are repairing turnout gear, where do you buy your Nomex thread and what sizes do you use on various parts of the suits? I am hoping to find one supplier who stocks multiple sizes in different colors, just like we have in the bonded nylon field.

My thinking, after looking over the suit they left on my table, is perhaps T60 on Reflexite and numbers; T80 or 90 on cuffs and some heavier weight on suede overlays (T105+). I am finding really odd Tex sizes in my search for Nomex suppliers. Some thread has two different numbers, like 100 Tex 24 Firefly, or Tex 105 Protos, or Tex 700 Protos.

From the suit I have, I see Khaki, black, yellow and white thread. Some is in the T60/T70 range and others look like T90 to T135. I see black denim cuffs and black 4 ounce suede over knees and elbows.

I just bought some Nomex thread, believe it or not for making oven mitts. 

Anyway, American and Efird has a thread called ANESAFE (using Nomex) which is available in Tex 27 to Tex 90, in white and colors.

 

[AaronKK]

On 11/5/2020 at 10:34 AM, ArtV said:

Hi all, been a long time lurker but I have not posted up much. I have done some research into this and have not come up with much........ 

 

I am a leather worker who is looking at purchasing my first sewing machine........... here is where the question changes.   I believe I have narrowed down what I need for my leather goods, the Cowboy CB3200.  My question is.......... can I do turnout gear repair on this same machine? I would need to run nomex and kevlar thread. Any and all imput is appreciated. 

 

Thanks!!

Hey Artv! Just following up to see how the turnout repair is going? Interested in starting this myself. Thanks!

[AaronKK]

On 11/5/2020 at 10:34 AM, ArtV said:

Hi all, been a long time lurker but I have not posted up much. I have done some research into this and have not come up with much........ 

 

I am a leather worker who is looking at purchasing my first sewing machine........... here is where the question changes.   I believe I have narrowed down what I need for my leather goods, the Cowboy CB3200.  My question is.......... can I do turnout gear repair on this same machine? I would need to run nomex and kevlar thread. Any and all imput is appreciated. 

 

Thanks!!

Hey Artv! Just following up to see how the turnout repair is going? Interested in starting this myself. Thanks!

[AaronKK]

On 11/5/2020 at 10:34 AM, ArtV said:

Hi all, been a long time lurker but I have not posted up much. I have done some research into this and have not come up with much........ 

 

I am a leather worker who is looking at purchasing my first sewing machine........... here is where the question changes.   I believe I have narrowed down what I need for my leather goods, the Cowboy CB3200.  My question is.......... can I do turnout gear repair on this same machine? I would need to run nomex and kevlar thread. Any and all imput is appreciated. 

 

Thanks!!

Hey Artv! Just following up to see how the turnout repair is going? Interested in starting this myself. Thanks!

[Wizcrafts]

7 hours ago, AaronKK said:

Just following up to see how the turnout repair is going? Interested in starting this myself.

I cannot speak for the other member. But, I did repair one turnout suit last year and I did it on a standard duty cylinder arm machine and on a long arm, big bobbin shoe patcher, using a couple different sizes and colors of Nomex thread. There is no need for a machine heavier than a normal walking foot machine unless you plan to "make" this gear. I never encountered a seam that wouldn't fit under the raised foot or feet. The material was never tougher than my machines could handle. The thickest part was the new cuffs on the bottom of the legs. These were easily sewn around the snout of a Techsew 2700 cylinder arm walking foot machine using T90 Nomex with a #19 leather point needle. When I sewed through cloth or Reflexite, I used a round point needle.

This said, you could sew/repair firesuits on a Cowboy CB3200, until you get deep inside a leg or sleeve. That's when you'll need a long arm heavy patcher. I use an Adler 30-7. The next model up is a 30-70, or a Claes. These are very expensive machines that sew over 3/8 inch thickness and can manage #138 (T135) thread. The largest Nomex I found was T105, which is well within the limits.

If you do offer your services to repair turnout gear on a repeat basis, obtain liability insurance in case a repair fails and you get sued. Also, be prepared to send invoices and wait for checks to be issued.