Fred T STA?

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noshow

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South Surrey, British Columbia
Anyone use a FredT STA with a new Halcyon Pioneer Wing that has the intergrated STA?

My reasoning, which I don't know is correct, is to move 5 more pounds of weight off my hips and into the rig?
 
Cant say enough nice things about my FredT gear....

Only make sure that you round off all of the edges.....A LOT...

Mine came with "Factory" finished edges...I never paid too much attention to it till I looked at my OMS tanks the other day...OUCH!!!!

Gotta get some duct tape over the edges...or break down and buy a file or a rock or something....I dunno, I'm not very...."Mechanical"

STA WORKS GREAT!!!!!!1
 
Hi noshow,

I used to use the 5 pound STA Fred makes, but it was too much weight for use with my blimp 95LP steel tank. With an aluminum tank, it was sweet. I had to cut ( :eek: ) my Halcyon wing and remove the two plastic rods that form the integrated STA, and patch the cuts with some aquaseal, in order for the heavy STA to sit nicely on the wing. This isn't totally necessary, but is a lot more stable, which is half of the point of getting an STA. I now have the lightweight 2 piece STA, which I think would work with the integrated STA in place, but I'd already taken a razor to my wing. D'oh! You can't see it because of the backplate anyway.

I now have a finished heavy STA for sale :) Ditto windknots comments - they scratch up your tank a little (even when Fred files them for you - it's still steel!) , I had the same thoughts about using some duct tape to cushion it, but my tank's already beat up. Maybe if you had a brand new tank it might be a consideration.

Ben
 
there's always one of those sexy fishnet stocking nets to cover your tank......


I like RED.....

DEBURR....DEBURR....DEBURR....
 
I filed down the edges on my FredT two-piece STA and still wasn't satisfied that it wouldn't eat up my tanks. I went down to Lowe's (or maybe it was the Depot) and got some of that vinyl dip for tool handles. I got black, but it does come in other colors if you're particular. I put something like four or five coats on the wings of the STA; just about an inch or so up, didn't get it into the slots for the tank straps. There's no need to dip the entire STA. This has held up real well in both fresh and salt water. Cost around $6 or $7. When it eventually wears through, I'll just peel it off, and re-do the process. If I recall, I wiped everything down with acetone beforehand.
 
Tank contact angle on the STA lip is roughly 45° for all tank sizes, but varies a bit with tank diameter. The "sharp" corner properly positions a steel 72 at 6.9 diameter with larger tanks raised slightly. Filing a small "flat" equal to the tank contact angle on YOUR tanks onto the STA lip as part of your finishing process will greatly reduce tank marking, but overdoing it will allow the tank to bottom out on the center flat of the STA. I haven't found the marking significant on Galvanized steel tanks even with the "sharp" factory edge. I don't normally "do" painted steel tanks for reasons I've posted elsewhere, and prefer bare AL tanks if I'm stuck divivng with them.

Note that STA's like my Plates are stocked "unfinished" but can be supplied finished if requested.

FT
 
Plates were originally designed to mount doubles. The STA allows diving with a single tank using the same plate and harness used for doubles. It eliminates a lot of "fiddling" with gear adjustments.
The bottom two items in the photo are my light version STAs.

FT
 
https://www.shearwater.com/products/teric/

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