# How to make silicone hoses/couplers/etc..



## boxerdudejay (Jun 16, 2009)

I am building a custom setup and would prefer to make some custom turbo intake tubes, elbows and couplers with multiple connectors for a bov/vacuum nipples/etc.. 

So does anyone here have a good write up on making your own silicone hoses? where would i get supplies?


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## PeOpLeG60T (Jul 5, 2004)

i dont know where you could find the materials but i think they use special treatments to make those things in order to bond the silicone and cloth. probably heat and pressure . there wont be any magical ways of making those . they also go for cheap on the internets.... for the things you say you need to connect it would be alot easier to mount the BOV on one of the intake tubes and your vacc connections need to be post throttle , on the intake manifold in order to have the good vacc signal. 

there is a ton of other things on an engine that would need to be reinvented but couplers are not one of them IMO . you want those to be reliable too 

im not saying this is not possible , just giving my 2 cents . i'd be very interested in seeing your developments on the subject , i like to see people try different things.


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## boxerdudejay (Jun 16, 2009)

I agree with your opinion. I was just curious if anyone in here has ever attempted it and how it turned out. i heard samco sells some kind of adhesive tape but i think its just to repair silicone couplers. 

I'll try and post up some pics of how i need the piping routed and formed and you will probably understand why i would like to make something(F coupler, odd angles, some ares oval/flat shaped for tight spaces) i also would like to have 100% silicone boost/coolant/pvc hoses, it would be alot cheaper than buying coolant hose's from samco and finding someone to custom make them for me. would be fun to try out even if i fail miserably. 

g60t hey? my project started as a g60 and slowly is now pg/16vT the only thing left that is "g60" is the engine block


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## Brian.G (May 8, 2010)

I made a few yrs ago, as in 13yrs ago nearly 

Its not that awful complex and dont worry, I wont ask why would you do it or else my head will also be on the line for the same such questions regarding other stuff that you can buy off the shelf:laugh: 

First you need a template, call it a form, mandrel, model, whatever you want. This has to be alloy bar whatever size you need(internal bore) I used solid because it bends better and does not kink(unless you have a fancy bender which I had not. 

You make this bar 2 inches longer either end than you need it, bend it up to suit your run and once your happy with the fit you can start. 

Cover it in chalk dust. 
Wrap un-cured silicone tape around it overlapping as you go, you could use sheet silicone if you wanted if the form has no compound curves, but you will need to slice it up into say 1 1/4 wide tape lengths if your form is complex, so you can wrap it tight. The silicone comes maybe 1/16 thick between clingflim type stuff, you obviously remove film as you wrap. One wrap of this forms your smooth bore. It needs to be wrapped REALLY tight with no pockets or this will expand and form blisters at the bake stage. Its also hard-ish to work as it tears easy, imagine chewing gum sticks, thats what its like. 
Next, you wrap it in polyester reinforced silicone, the same as above but a weave through it, similar to the stuff you see in garden hoses. 2 layers of this pending hose rating(psi). This stuff can also differ from the bore silicone as the bore silicone may be chemical resistant, ie, petrol, oil, but not as strong as the weave layer. once thats on(tightly) you can then finish the hose off on the outside, again with just plain silicone as with the bore. 
Once thats on and smooth enough, you wrap the hose with either heat proof smooth tape(5/8th wide) or heat proof herring bone tape if you want it textured. You tape these in place either end one wrapped. 
Next, it needs to be baked, from memory I used 180 degrees c for 25min. Its stinks when your baking so buy an old oven and go outside. If you over bake it will dull silicone, if you under bake it wont cure right and you'll have squishy spots in places. 

Once cooled you then need to trim ends to your length, If you grooved form with a hacksaw blade before you started your stanley blade will follow in this groove and will be guided. Once thats done you need to pull pipe off form, if chalk didnt work lift hose at end and pump in washing up liquid and massage around hose and form, the hose can then be gripped and pulled off form. 
If the form is complex, dont trim hose, but use the ends to grip it with a puller or portapower or whatever and pull off that way. Trimming clean after is harder though but you can insert something into the hose end to run your blade on. 

Ill look later but I think I have VERY small amount of the materials still left somewhere, Ill look, might give you a better idea.:thumbup:


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## PeOpLeG60T (Jul 5, 2004)

> g60t hey? my project started as a g60 and slowly is now pg/16vT the only thing left that is "g60" is the engine block


yeah its my old nickname , i used to have a G60 then the blower wasnt boosting much .... i threw a 1.6TD kit on it but then the block was overdue for a rebuilt , compression numbers in the 120 .... 

i had half a 16v taking space in a closet so i decided to make it run and turbo it with a real turbo and since then , no regrets hehehe.

thanks for the info again Brian , i knew you'd chime in and solve the mystery heheheh . nice to see the baking process is as straightforward as oven cooking , thought they had to be cooked with pressure or under vacuum or something . i didnt knew those kind of tapes were available . might be usefull just knowing it can be done for some kinda super specific custom task.

Brian is the one to ask for those kinda things ehhehe


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## boxerdudejay (Jun 16, 2009)

Brian.G said:


> I made a few yrs ago, as in 13yrs ago nearly
> 
> Its not that awful complex and dont worry, I wont ask why would you do it or else my head will also be on the line for the same such questions regarding other stuff that you can buy off the shelf:laugh:
> 
> ...


wow great info, thanks. Have you seen any guide DIY's online? there was one on a dsm site but it wasn't the best, other than that i cant find any real good info.


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## mldouthi (Jun 26, 2010)

Bringing back a really old thread as I am having trouble finding polyester reinforced silicone.
I have found fiberglass reinforced silicone on mcmastercarr, but that is as close as I have gotten. Can I just get some polyester loose weave fabric and layer that in the other silicone tape? Also is self sealing silicone the same as uncured? Self sealing seems to be the most available. 

I am needing/wanting to make a small adapter for my supercharger project for the bypass valve.


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## Brian.G (May 8, 2010)

mldouthi said:


> Bringing back a really old thread as I am having trouble finding polyester reinforced silicone.
> I have found fiberglass reinforced silicone on mcmastercarr, but that is as close as I have gotten. Can I just get some polyester loose weave fabric and layer that in the other silicone tape? Also is self sealing silicone the same as uncured? Self sealing seems to be the most available.
> 
> I am needing/wanting to make a small adapter for my supercharger project for the bypass valve.


Its not the same, no. I see this tape a lot, and is used on large joints outside on electrical work from what I can see. Its is a follow on from the messy self amalgamating tape we used to call denso tape. 

The stuff you are after is a little different. Maybe if you buy some of the tape you speak of, and try it it may work, but Im not sure.

Here is the real deal> 
http://www.silicone.co.uk/silicone-rubber-sheeting/fabric-sheeting

Below is a vid of how the pipes are made, its far better than my short description above, but it was just a rough rundown,






Brian,


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## mldouthi (Jun 26, 2010)

Thanks for the info. :thumbup:
Our 3m rep at work is bringing me a sample of 3m #70 self fusing tape, Ill try it out. 

Ill have to see if I can find a place that sells these sheeting in the states. 
I only need a ~1.5"ID x 1" long piece. haha.


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## Brian.G (May 8, 2010)

mldouthi said:


> Thanks for the info. :thumbup:
> Our 3m rep at work is bringing me a sample of 3m #70 self fusing tape, Ill try it out.
> 
> Ill have to see if I can find a place that sells these sheeting in the states.
> I only need a ~1.5"ID x 1" long piece. haha.


No problem:thumbup: Be sure and report back with how you get on,

B.


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## mldouthi (Jun 26, 2010)

will do.


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## Brian.G (May 8, 2010)

Ill also be making hoses for the Bm supercharger project shortly so Ill post up how I go,

B,


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## hasondea (Mar 25, 2013)

you speak of, and try it it may work, but Im not sure.

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## Anyclamp (May 26, 2012)

*Made silicone before*

I made some silicone in my day. 
I didn't use the self sealing stuff. I used the raw stuff that comes white and mixed it with some pigmant powder to make the blue that I wanted then flattened it out with a roller and chalked my mold. Then layered it on the mold like so: Silicone, nylon, silicone, nylon, silicone, nylon, silicone then wrapped it with some clear tape. I think I got it from Samco back then but can't remember. Then you hang it in the Kiln and heat it up to 300 degrees centigrade and pull them out the next day. My first hose withstood up to 30 psi of boost and then ballooned. I have probably left out some details but you get the idea.


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