Double tank bands!

[wunat]

Anyone out there every attempt to make the double tank bands themselves. If anyone has any design drawing or instruction, I would be overwhelm if they can be shared.

I am living in Thailand and diving double tank is something rare. For this reason, I don't find shops carrying such products.

Thanks a ton!!!

 

[H2Andy]

send Walter a PM.
he has plans for building bands yourself.

or, you could buy them through the internet and have them shipped to you.
you could get them for under $100 new

 

[aquaoren]

You can try Victor too. He's a Canadian guy that makes excellent quality custom bands. You tell him what diameter tanks and what manifold you have and he'll make them for you.
Very nice guy and a pleasure to deal with.
Here's a link to his eBay store: http://stores.ebay.ca/Technical-Solutions

 

[CALI68]

Anyone out there every attempt to make the double tank bands themselves. If anyone has any design drawing or instruction, I would be overwhelm if they can be shared.

I am living in Thailand and diving double tank is something rare. For this reason, I don't find shops carrying such products.

Thanks a ton!!!

You can always order some Highland bands for Extreme Exposure:

http://www.extreme-exposure.com/

 

[wunat]

Thanks alot for the reply. Very helpful. I am currently finding some information about the diameter of tanks used in Thailand.

I found this one via a search through the internet.

I am intending to use the 2nd tank as a spare air as I am a fairly large guy and my air consumption is not as efficient. I tend to have less allowable bottom time (limited by air availability) by about 30%.

After speaking to a technical diver instructor, he said that I might consider diving doubles. Though it is recommended to use a manifolds for travelling consideration, I might be able to use to carry a stage bottle and use it as extra air.

Any other suggestions or warnings (about my idea)?

Once again, thanks alot for your quick replies.

Ciao,

 

[Soggy]

I am intending to use the 2nd tank as a spare air as I am a fairly large guy and my air consumption is not as efficient. I tend to have less allowable bottom time (limited by air availability) by about 30%.

After speaking to a technical diver instructor, he said that I might consider diving doubles. Though it is recommended to use a manifolds for travelling consideration, I might be able to use to carry a stage bottle and use it as extra air.

That's the worst possible reason to dive doubles....you are adding gear to fix a comfort/fitness problem. For one thing, you SAC will *increase* because of the extra drag and task loading. Additionally, diving with a stage tank requires gas planning and management skills/trainining. I know some pretty big guys that can outbreathe some pretty small guys. I don't anything about you or your experience, but when you have a really poor SAC rate compared to the rest of your diving buddies, it tends to suggest that you are either a very very new diver or you need to spend some time at the gym doing cardio.

Fix the cause of the problem, not the symptoms.

 

[Rick Murchison]

If your objective is to have more gas for recreational no-stop diving, and to keep it simple, your best option is to get a bigger tank. The next best option is to get manifolded doubles, so that all the gas is available without having to change regulators to manage the gas. The least desirable option (for recreational no-stop diving) is the independent doubles (or any other independent bottle) solution, because it complicates gas management... but that's doable with practice, planning and experience. It ain't exactly rocket science.
I also recommend you work on your gas consumption rate, which may obviate the need for more gas in the first place - but I do understand that there are folks - especially "football player" body types - that regardless of the shape they're in, simply use more gas than others and need more gas than the usual AL 80 to get a decent dive in.
Rick

 

[The Kraken]

Wunat,
To answer your question and not delve into your particular diving style, may I just sat that you will probably come out better buying a set of bands.

I make quite a number of diving related items, B/P's, STA's and so forth.

Even with access to a complete machine/fab shop, I would be hesitant to try to fabricate my own tank bands.

You may find some local machine/fabrication shop to make you up a set, but I dare say that you will probably not be pleased and probably won't save a significant amount of money.

the K

 

[wunat]

Thanks for the responses.

I have been working with my air consumption for a while. Saw some improvements....still finding adjustments in getting it better. Hope that I can make up for more by the time I completed my DM certification.

I have been hearing suggestions and warnings about it the suggestion in carrying a stage bottle. At the moment, I simply prefer to keep things as simple as possible. Using a double tank with manifold will add some problem having to do travel diving with it. I guess I will leave things as it is for now and see how my air consumption goes.

Once again, thanks a ton!!