For those of us who dive with ponys, the question of securing them vs. having them free to hand to a buddy is an endless debate. For the photog's among us, slinging them doesn't always work. Pony Tamer has made a killing with a concept that's been around as long as the rudder: the gudgeon and pintle. Here is a DIY pony mount system that uses the gudgeon and pintle that Pony Tamer has imitated, but uses off the shelf parts from Home Depot. Not counting the stainless steel tank bands, the cost is less than $10 and 90 min labor to make FOUR sets. The pin is not captive, as in the patented Pony Tamer, but will likely be lost in a disengagement scenario. Alternatively, you could add a little cement when fitting the pin so it stays with the pony inside the upper (double) ferrule. The key piece in this kit is a "ferrule and stop" set used to clamp down permanently on guy wires using a compression tool. In our case, the soft metal and 1/4" internal diameter are perfect to accept a clevis pin to bind the two pieces together.
The key is using a drill press to make the slot for the tank band close enough to the edge of the double ferrule so that the adjacent stop doesn't bind against the tank.
Here are the parts, all $4 of them.
The concept is to strap the single ferrule to the main tank, to act as a receiver for the clevis pin. You'll need to grind a shallow channel in the fat single ferrule (what the package refers to as the "stop") so that it doesn't slip out from underneath the tank band.
Then, to build the carrier for the clevis pin, we use one side of the double ferrule. Grind a flat where the multiple holes will go, so the drill press bit doesn't skitter off the edge. Drill four or five adjacent holes and link them up by wiggling the ferrule under the bit (you'll probably break a bit or two) and then smooth out the channel with a hacksaw blade or thin file.
Slip the pony hose clamp/tank band through the narrow slot you've just created and strap it tight to the pony. When you slide the clevis pin through both ferrules, the tanks are linked, and the hitch pin clip holds them together. You can tie a line or a flag to the clip for easy access by the diver who will release the tanks.
If desired, a second set can be mounted at the bottom of the pony in lieu of a bungie or inner tube, like the Super Pony Tamer. In this case, the hitch pin clip is engaged BETWEEN the two ferrules, so it does not also lock the pony to the main tank, but rather just serves as a stabilizing mount.
A lift of less than 1 inch will free your pony for use.
The Pony Tamer may be patented, but the gudgeon and pintle have been holding rudders on boats for centuries. I don't think this breaks any rules.
The key is using a drill press to make the slot for the tank band close enough to the edge of the double ferrule so that the adjacent stop doesn't bind against the tank.
Here are the parts, all $4 of them.The concept is to strap the single ferrule to the main tank, to act as a receiver for the clevis pin. You'll need to grind a shallow channel in the fat single ferrule (what the package refers to as the "stop") so that it doesn't slip out from underneath the tank band.
Then, to build the carrier for the clevis pin, we use one side of the double ferrule. Grind a flat where the multiple holes will go, so the drill press bit doesn't skitter off the edge. Drill four or five adjacent holes and link them up by wiggling the ferrule under the bit (you'll probably break a bit or two) and then smooth out the channel with a hacksaw blade or thin file.
Slip the pony hose clamp/tank band through the narrow slot you've just created and strap it tight to the pony. When you slide the clevis pin through both ferrules, the tanks are linked, and the hitch pin clip holds them together. You can tie a line or a flag to the clip for easy access by the diver who will release the tanks.
If desired, a second set can be mounted at the bottom of the pony in lieu of a bungie or inner tube, like the Super Pony Tamer. In this case, the hitch pin clip is engaged BETWEEN the two ferrules, so it does not also lock the pony to the main tank, but rather just serves as a stabilizing mount.
A lift of less than 1 inch will free your pony for use.
The Pony Tamer may be patented, but the gudgeon and pintle have been holding rudders on boats for centuries. I don't think this breaks any rules.
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