Waterproofing enclosure

I thought sugru was okay, but it had a short shelf-life and was pricey. It’s especially good for remotes or other things you fondle with your hands, it has a good tactile feel to it when cured.

I probably wouldn’t use it to waterproof an enclosure, but I don’t think it’s a terrible choice.

Honestly after using butyl tape it’s hard to consider something else, unless the enclosure wasn’t a tight fit and I didn’t have a spacer, then I think butyl tape would not be good.

1 Like

Thanks. I will try butyl tape next then.

Use up your sugru before it expires. :wink:

The expiration date on the package is not a joke.

This is coming from the guy who disregards most expiration dates and will eat almost any food regardless of the date on the packaging.

1 Like

I’ve been using butyl tape for over a year on a commuter board and it’s very good. It never hardens, so it flexes with the board and enclosure. The extra ooozes out a bit after installing, just scrape it away no problem. When I do need to pull the enclosure, it has a good suction to prove it’s still working :+1:

Best of all, they have lots at the local hardware store sold as “window sealant”

3 Likes

My limited experience with it is really good so far as well. I wish I’d read a water resisting thread authored by @iamasalmon a year ago :rofl:

2 Likes

To be honest, I didn’t know how well it would work. I use it all the time to seal deck plates on boats, tho

1 Like

Next thing you’re going to tell me is boat builders know a thing or two about waterproofing, eh?

:rofl:

1 Like

You can remove the enclosure without destroying the butyl tape seal, or do you have to first take it away and seal the enclosure to the deck again? Although I haven’t tried yet, I would guess that with sugru you will have to do it all over again …

Actually more lax than you think about water intrusion. Boats let the water in then pump it out.

Wait… bilge pumps on skates? Could be the next big thing :joy:

1 Like

It’s like silly putty (probably is silly putty).
You’ll may deform the seal taking it off, but you can just squish/pinch it back into place or lay more down and cut the extra off. It’s super cheap, you get like 10 boards worth for $10.

Full confession:
I had it around the house and was too impatient to wait for the foam gasket to come in the mail.

edit: I swear I have posted about butyl tape before. Can’t find it now, maybe on the old forum.

2 Likes

Yes, if it’s a thick and strong fiberglass enclosure. I have to pry HARD to get the enclosure off. If it was ABS or even thinner fiberglass you’d probably destroy the enclosure trying to get it loose.

But as @iamasalmon said, you can mostly reuse it again, just squish it back into place, and I have added a little bit more new as well. It’s a lot like chewing gum or Silly Putty that never hardens but isn’t completely soft either, and is very sticky and malleable.

2 Likes

Magic stuff :crazy_face: - will try!