Building custom weight for BC

[plumcrazy]

I did a similar thing but with a different BC. I use a Apeks WTX Harness with a DiveRite Venture wing. I wanted more weight on the BC for better trim and less belt weight. I used a couple of 3/8"x3" stainless bars and wrapped them in adhesive backed vinyl (window weather striping) and slide them into the back plate pocket. Works perfect.

This is very similar to what I am trying to acomplish. I do not have "back plate pockets" so I am going to have to attach them a little differently. What intrests me the most about your setup is the "Works perfect" part. I am trying to acomplish easier horozontal trim. Do you feel that putting the weight on the BC in this fashion has helped you acomplish this??

 

[Ed Palma]

Pete,


Lead "looses" about 9% of it's weight when submerged. (720-63)/720 = .91

Stainless Steel "looses" about 13% of it's weight when submerged (495-63)/495 =.87

The difference in terms of ballasting a scuba diver is trivial.

Of course 4 lbs of Stainless will be ~1.45 the volume of 4 lbs of lead.


Tobin

Hi Tobin,

Are these values for fresh water or salt water?

To the OP:

Another vote for the use of trim pouches on your bands.

Ed

 

[cool_hardware52]

Hi Tobin,

Are these values for fresh water or salt water?

Fresh water is about 2.5% less dense than salt water.

That 2.5% will impact a divers total weighting when moving from fresh to salt water or salt to freshwater.

It will have essentially no impact on the efficacy of lead vs Stainless steel in either fluid.

To the OP:

Another vote for the use of trim pouches on your bands.

Ed

Again I'll point out that moving ballast from the diver, i.e. in a belt, to the diver's rig will increase minimum required wing capacity necessary to float the gear if it is ditched.


Tobin

 

[Teamcasa]

I did a similar thing but with a different BC. I use a Apeks WTX Harness with a DiveRite Venture wing. I wanted more weight on the BC for better trim and less belt weight. I used a couple of 3/8"x3" stainless bars and wrapped them in adhesive backed vinyl (window weather striping) and slide them into the back plate pocket. Works perfect.

This is very similar to what I am trying to acomplish. I do not have "back plate pockets" so I am going to have to attach them a little differently. What intrests me the most about your setup is the "Works perfect" part. I am trying to acomplish easier horozontal trim. Do you feel that putting the weight on the BC in this fashion has helped you acomplish this??

Yes, Moving the weight to directly under the tank helps a great deal and reduces the amount of weight on my belt.

 

[HisLovelyBride]

Yes, Moving the weight to directly under the tank helps a great deal and reduces the amount of weight on my belt.

I did a similar thing but with a different BC. I use a Apeks WTX Harness with a DiveRite Venture wing. I wanted more weight on the BC for better trim and less belt weight. I used a couple of 3/8"x3" stainless bars and wrapped them in adhesive backed vinyl (window weather striping) and slide them into the back plate pocket. Works perfect.

This is very similar to what I am trying to acomplish. I do not have "back plate pockets" so I am going to have to attach them a little differently. What intrests me the most about your setup is the "Works perfect" part. I am trying to acomplish easier horozontal trim. Do you feel that putting the weight on the BC in this fashion has helped you acomplish this??

Dave did the same thing for my harness and it has helped my trim a lot! I really like that I can spread out the weight more evenly. If you can get some of your weight on the back of your harness, you will really like the difference.

 

[trappist]

I do not have much problem with adding weight... I dive "light" (8~10lbs with my semi dry - 20~24 with my drysuit). But as you just read, I do have to adjust when I switch from my semi-dry to my drysuit... doubling the weight and having everything on the belt... not for me...
My solution was easy: a simple webbing with 12lbs of lead that I add to my tank when diving dry, and simply leave when not needed... The other 12lbs are in my pockets as far in the back as possible (BP/W setup) so that it is not in my way, but I still can ditch if needed
You could therefore reapply the concept: steel tank versus aluminium tank: one web with given amount o lead needed. Then you can add a second one to have a more "permanent" add on the tank to free up your BC pockets. This avoids modifying a BC, keeps a lot of flexibility and does not cost much at all (piece of webbing + belt clip ~10$?)
At least you can start with this and see you this feels, without spending too much at first...
and big advantage: you can carry the weight in different steps ;o)

One remark, you can only have one web+lead, it is always easy to add the difference needed between steel and Al ;o) That is what I would do if I would need to switch all the time between these... I don't... steel all the way ;o)

 

[bevansmw]

On a little bit different note I use lead ingots from ebay for my ballast in the weight pockets of my BC (Zeagle Ranger). Looks like right now 50lbs can be had for $30 which is a fraction of the cost of weights from a dive shop. That includes shipping in a flat-rate box.

Not that you would need 50#s

Lead shot for making shotgun shells could also be used to make your own soft weights.

Sorry for off topic

 

[NAM001]

Given any thought to using a steel tank that alone took 6-8 lbs out of the weight belt

 

[plumcrazy]

Actually I had no idea that someone even made such a device. I know,,,,, "silly boy this is SCUBA, someone, somewhere makes a device for everything!!" I think I'm gonna try something like that. Based on that concept I think I'll just cable tie a couple of three pound weights to the upper band on my BC just to experiment with the effect this will have on my trim. I am hoping to get to the local hole on Sunday. If I do I'll let you know how it worked. Thanks

Well I was finally able to make to the quarry today. I cable tied two three pound weight to my upper tank band and WOW. What a difference. I felt a lot more ease in maintaining horozontal trim. I think I am going to proceed with my plan to build a weight. The plan as of now is to buy a 12' X 12" X 3/16" piece of stainless. I will cut that into three 4" X 12" pieces. Each piece should weigh in at around 2 1/2 lbs. I can then stack the pieces together as needed depending on what level of exposure protection I am wearing. It is only four screws that hold my rig together so making adjustments will be a snap. Of course I could just buy weight pockets but where is the fun in that ??

 

[NAM001]

well i was finally able to make to the quarry today. I cable tied two three pound weight to my upper tank band and wow. What a difference. I felt a lot more ease in maintaining horozontal trim. I think i am going to proceed with my plan to build a weight. The plan as of now is to buy a 12' x 12" x 3/16" piece of stainless. I will cut that into three 4" x 12" pieces. Each piece should weigh in at around 2 1/2 lbs. I can then stack the pieces together as needed depending on what level of exposure protection i am wearing. It is only four screws that hold my rig together so making adjustments will be a snap. Of course i could just buy weight pockets but where is the fun in that ??:d

be careful not to do something that will gouge the tank that could be a problem when it comes time for a visual or hydro.

What if you were able to make a device like a bag with a hole in the bottom. Slide it over the top of the tank. Valve throught the hole. Have a couple of straps langing from the bag that will be between the tank and tank strap of the bc to hold it on. Make pockets in the bag for softweights. Bag could be made from nylon or parachute material.