Why have a zipper on a wing, if you can't........ (warning a longish rant follows)

[cool_hardware52]

I think I'd shrivel up and dry out if I didn't dive for a couple weeks...

I hear that. That's why I have spares / workarounds and "know where to borrows" for every thing that's mission critical.

It's the guy with a dozen cylinders, 6 regs, 4 exposure suits, 3 pairs of fins and one wing that always befuddles me.

Tobin

 

[LeadTurn_SD]

I hear that. That's why I have spares / workarounds and "know where to borrows" for every thing that's mission critical.

It's the guy with a dozen cylinders, 6 regs, 4 exposure suits, 3 pairs of fins and one wing that always befuddles me.

Tobin

Hi Tobin,

I am guilty as charged Actually, I have 9 regs, 7 tanks, but only 1 exposure suit (this is Hawaii after all!!!). Your points are well taken though.

The wife and I are back to diving in our "poodle jackets", and we are none too pleased about it. I saw the wings as being ultra-low-failure-rate items, so did not consider the need for "spares" at this point in their service life.

Could be a pair DSS Torus wings are now in our future.... you had me at "quick turnaround" on repairs :blinking:.

I'll need to do some careful explaining to the missus.....

Sadly, as of now Tobin has responded more promptly to this silly online rant of mine than the actual manufacturer has to my last "tickler" email regarding the status of our wings.

Ah well. I'm learning some good lessons.

Best wishes.

 

[spectrum]

Tobin makes some very good points and you don't need to know squat about diving or wings to see the truth in his statements.

8 years in a hardware store and now a hobby centerd around parts and technical support for vintage snowblowers has demonstrated the vast range of mechanical ablity out there. Making a sale or having a conversation does not always let you discern the seasoned craftsman mechanic from the misguided klutz of a hack. Once you enable the latter to get into the project it becomes a no win situation. There really are pople out there incapabable of replacing a cylinder valve o-ring, let alone a BC bladder. There are people on the internet that have no buisness using computers and selling parts can quickly become a slippery slope. Add to this situation the level of reliability we want to associate with dive gear the choice not to enable self service is entirely rational.

I have worked on OPV vlaves for instance that were best serviced with special spanners. With some skill and a well stocked toolbox there are work arounds and making a tool can even be an option for some. Others will be stalled dead in their tracks especially if the works are fouled with crusty salt. Worse yet the vice grips and pump pliers will come out to wreak havoc. I have seen OPV seals take seat impressions and never marry up quite right again. Flipping the seal may work, otherwise you are now looking for a seal. it's not always entirely a matter of hand assembly of non perishable parts.

So as much as the likes of chrpai and Tortuga68 think they have this thing covered you're clearly showing that you don't even know what you don't know on this matter.

LeadTurn_SD, I have to say that you are being more than gracious here. 2 wings that fail simutaneously in that manner screams defect to me. Perhaps not a blatant defect but certainly an alarming weakness. If you got 2 of these you are not alone. I think dealing with this discretely is a good call and I hope you do press for them to make good on these and prevail.

Pete

 

[LeadTurn_SD]

Thanks Pete.

I think I fall somewhere between your description of "seasoned craftsman mechanic and misguided klutz".... maybe shade tree mechanic? I have the skinned knuckles to prove it...

I really don't want to call these weld failures a "defect", I feel that may not be fair to the manufacturer because folks might think all of their wings and other products were "suspect", which would not be true.... I think Tobin did a nice job addressing how welds can sometimes fail unpredictably.

We just had incredibly bad luck and got a couple of less-than-perfect welds I guess, that let go after several years of use.

I'm not terribly bummed about the failures, just impatient to have our BP/W's back in service.

Best wishes.

 

[tech3324]

For this thread to be a proper Rant we really need to know who the manufacture is. Without that piece of information I cannot be properly outraged.

 

[FM1520]

I have a DSS 30 lb horseshoe with a zipper. I got a

pinch flat, I sent it in to DSS and they turned it around very fast - I don't think they had the wing for more than a day. It spent more time in the mail than the shop.

Tobin, it was nice meeting you at the SCUBA show in Long Beach. ​

 

[LeadTurn_SD]

For this thread to be a proper Rant we really need to know who the manufacture is. Without that piece of information I cannot be properly outraged.

I'll settle for "improper" outrage at this point

Actually, just a response from the manufacturer to my most recent email asking about the status of the wings would make me feel all warm and fuzzy.... it has been all quiet from him since July 5th...

I'm suddenly "not feeling the love" (from the manufacturer) .

But no, I'm not going to name the brand in an open thread. If you absolutely "have to know", send me a PM and I'll provide more detail.

I do get that stuff like this happens, I was raised in a small family business (motorcycle shop), and have been a small business owner myself for most of my adult life... I understand that despite the very best intentions things can just fall through the cracks sometimes, and we all have bad days (weeks?)....

I'm just surprised because I'd think two failed bladders from the same diver would "light a fire" one way or another....

Best wishes.

 

[chrpai]

What skills and tools? I've removed the bladder from my DRIS 27LB and put it back in. I didn't need any tools to do this and it only took a few minutes.

Yup, I clearly don't know what I don't know. I didn't make any claim that you could do this with any wing. I just said I could do it with my wing.

It's kind of like dive computers. Buy the right one and changing batteries isn't a big deal... And if you really buy the right one ($) you can dive it a bunch of years and replace it if you can't patch it yourself.

A wing shouldn't be expensive IMO.

 

[tracydr]

OP- at this point, since you are getting no help from the manufacturer, I would think that naming them on this thread may help your cause. The manufacturers do read these threads. Perhaps your wing is sitting on somebody's desk somewhere and your email is going into a juk mailbox. Also, have you tried calling them?

 

[LeadTurn_SD]

OP- at this point, since you are getting no help from the manufacturer, I would think that naming them on this thread may help your cause. The manufacturers do read these threads. Perhaps your wing is sitting on somebody's desk somewhere and your email is going into a juk mailbox. Also, have you tried calling them?

Thanks tracydr.

There is a 6 hour time difference between Hilo, Hawaii and Macon, Georgia, but yep, I had already planned to give Chris a call tomorrow since I have not heard anything in a couple weeks. The initial email communications were really prompt, but then silence.

And you know, I would have thought two wing bladders failing in the same way at the same time, and sent in from the same diving family would be hard to miss and have triggered an "oh crap" and a quick response.... but like you said it could be that they fell through the cracks and are just sitting in a box still.

So, for the curious, the info above, plus a quick glance at my profile will identify the company as Edge/HOG, and the two failed wings as HOG 32 lb singles wings.

Hopefully a quick phone call to Chris will get things back on track (it was Chris I was corresponding with).

Again, I don't want this to be a slam against Edge/HOG, but my frustration has steered the thread in that direction now for better or worse.

Best wishes.