Home made tube weight?

[JThompson]

Just wondering if someone has made a inexpensive tube weight like the Dive Rite 4-Pound Tube Weight. I cant seem to find them at my LDS, but it couldnt be that hard to make some.

 

[616fun]

Just wondering if someone has made a inexpensive tube weight like the Dive Rite 4-Pound Tube Weight. I cant seem to find them at my LDS, but it couldnt be that hard to make some.

Not sure what Dive Rite's tube weight looks like but...

I've been thinking of making some weights from PVC and lead shot. Figured I'd just weigh them out and seal the lead in the pipe with PVC glue and some caps. The stuff will NEVER loosen and it's made to withstand water.

You could then just devise a loop on the PVC that you could attach to your tank strap.

 

[JThompson]

Thanks for the help I might give that a try, although I think I might use your idea with the PVC and some how attach it to the d-rings on the back of my harness.

 

[616fun]

Thanks for the help I might give that a try, although I think I might use your idea with the PVC and some how attach it to the d-rings on the back of my harness.

D rings would work great too. Check out Gander Mountain (if there is one in your area). I bought my lead shot there for some other weights I made. Cost was like $15 for 25 lb. Just get the biggest shot you can find for shotgun shell reloading. Let me know how they turn out. This is a project I've been thinking of, but have a couple ahead of it to complete first.

 

[FredT]

Flexible tubes weights can be made from bicycle inner tubes with an appropriate gule to close the ends.

FT

 

[archman]

Flexible tubes weights can be made from bicycle inner tubes with an appropriate gule to close the ends.

Yeah! that's a SUPER notion. How do you seal the inner tube, do you just goop up the insides at each end and press together, or is there some fancy rolling/sealing procedure? Should there be drainage hole(s) cut into the tube?

 

[willydiver]

Yeah! that's a SUPER notion. How do you seal the inner tube, do you just goop up the insides at each end and press together, or is there some fancy rolling/sealing procedure? Should there be drainage hole(s) cut into the tube?

For the inner tube weights, use the glue that comes with a tube patch/repair kit. If you've got a shop handy and some 1/2" thick plastic or delrin, just cut some disks with a groove around the circumference. Insert the disk plugs into the ends of the tube after filling with shot and cable-tie it. That's how the overpriced ankle weights are made.

WD

 

[JThompson]

Thanks for those suggestions, I started to make the weights with PVC and quickly found that they might be pretty uncomfortable on my back. I think I might play with the inner tube idea next.

 

[kidspot]

I just finished making a 2lb channel and 2 2lb STA weights that I'm hoping will work well for me (have not dived yet with them, so I don't know how my trim will be affected by them yet) I put more pictures up at
http://www.kidspot.org/personal/scubaboard/fincomparison.html

I used 1" tube webbing and filled it with lead from a soft weight then made it just slightly smaller than my STA so that it would stay on when the tank was off. I can put 1 or 2 on at the same time and adjust my weighting. For the channel weight I just sewed a piece of 1" nylon webbing to both ends of the remainder of the soft weight (after sewing it closed) and put holes in the pieces of webbing that lined up with the bolts in my BP.
Just another possible idea for you.

Aloha, Tim

 

[willydiver]

I used 1" tube webbing and filled it with lead from a soft weight then made it just slightly smaller than my STA so that it would stay on when the tank was off. I can put 1 or 2 on at the same time and adjust my weighting. For the channel weight I just sewed a piece of 1" nylon webbing to both ends of the remainder of the soft weight (after sewing it closed) and put holes in the pieces of webbing that lined up with the bolts in my BP.
Just another possible idea for you.

Aloha, Tim[/QUOTE]

Tim,
Nice work and use of materials. Where did you get the tubular nylon?
Thanks,

WD