DIY wing. Critique and Comments.

[captain]

McMaster Carr sells several types of neoprene and polyurethane coated fabrics that could be used to make a bladderless wing.
Doing it that way would allow you to do it any way you might want. I have been thinking about giving it a try.

 

[scubafanatic]

.....i'm of mixed emotions here.......I appreciate the cleverness you've displayed here, and I appreciate the need/desire to build/modify/customize your gear, as I do a fair amount of that with my own scuba gear...although I'll admit I don't have the talent/tools to build my own subcomponents out of raw materials and limit myself to the clever buying/assembling of existing subcomponents across many different manufactuters....given the abundance of cheap and or good used wings out there I can't believe it's remotely worth my time/effort to actually build my own wing....what next, dig a lead mine in my backyard so I can mine/smelt my own custom lead weights ? ....no criticism here, just a matter of degree I guess....hope everything works out for you !

 

[Ed Palma]

I can appreciate your sentiments... so if it bothers you... you can skip the DIY section

Actually, you don't need to dig a mine, just get scrap lead to make your own weights.
_________________

Personally, I made the wing at a time in my diving when the term "cheap wing" was a very relative term. Doing the project gave me a very deep sense of self-satisfaction, especially from the reactions of people who didn't realize it was a homemade wing.

I've since modified it from before, patterning it after DSS wings, which are easily removed from the plate (I am currently using an Al plate with 2 cam bands). I'll post a picture of it in its current form in the future.

 

[scubafanatic]

I can appreciate your sentiments... so if it bothers you... you can skip the DIY section

Actually, you don't need to dig a mine, just get scrap lead to make your own weights.
_________________

Personally, I made the wing at a time in my diving when the term "cheap wing" was a very relative term. Doing the project gave me a very deep sense of self-satisfaction, especially from the reactions of people who didn't realize it was a homemade wing.

I've since modified it from before, patterning it after DSS wings, which are easily removed from the plate (I am currently using an Al plate with 2 cam bands). I'll post a picture of it in its current form in the future.

...well, your point is well taken....guess you're 'DIY' whereas I'm just 'diy'.....

 

[Ed Palma]

...well, your point is well taken....guess you're 'DIY' whereas I'm just 'diy'.....

Haha! Good one!

 

[arvin0630]

ey doc.. kudos to you for raising our flag and waving it high and proud!!

reading this makes me want to start diy'ng stuff again, but first i guess i'd have to figure out where to get everything else that i'd need. i've tried lights and suits and stuff, but a wing...now this would be very interesting to try!!!

thanks for sharing it with us!!!

 

[MichiganScott]

You're my hero! Well if it works well anyway. I've been wanting to try that exact thing with a horescoller. I've noticed many are cheap on e-bay as you discovered.
I guess I've just been waiting for someone else to try first.

 

[antero]

How'd you seal off the ends of the tube?

Cotol, Aquaseal, then ziptie w/stainless steel tooth. No bubble, you can jump on it

 

[Sea Spartan]

How did you test them?

I tested the bladder by lying on top of it while fully inflated. It didn't burst. Then, I took into consideration the fact tht most of the pressure would be taken up by the shroud, and not the bladder itself, but it was nice to know that in the event of a shroud failure, the OPV would take care of the rest.

I inflated them and then walked on them

 

[deepdivered]

i think an enter-tube would work great as a do-nut wing. i want to make a back plate bc like the transplate from dive right. i mean it cost a flipen lot for just a steal back plate and some webing and a wing!