Wing nuts or lock nuts?

[49north]

How do you transport the gas needed? Or is that what beans are for?

Shielding gas should be non-flammable!

 

[rongoodman]

I've been using the Delrin nuts from DSS. They loosen occasionally, but it's obvious when they do so I just snug them up again when I finish the dive. I've been thinking of going back to wing nuts and lock washers.

 

[divad]

Reading this thread is like watching paint dry.................which is probably a good indicator of the general efficacy and safety of backplate/tank connections.

 

[Carlos Danger]

I have the delrin thumb wheels as well, the DSS ones and the DGX ones. Both work well, but I occasionally have to snug them up slightly. They never come loose though.

My trick for the Dive Rite versions is to flip them upside down, and using a rubber washer sandwiched between the engraved writing on the wheel itself and the BP surface. This provides improved thread engagement, as well as a larger surface area in contact with the rubber washer and plate. They take an extra bit of effort to get them torqued down nice and tight, but stay put really well.

 

[Compressor]

I'm so glad I started this thread. It shows that there are lots of ways to do things. Some like the Delrin option, I never knew.

 

[divad]

If I ever want to put a backplate on a shuttle or B-2 Spirit, I'll be sure to worry about them!

Back-mounted doubles: flat washer and wing nut or whatever is on the tanks. I use the following 1/4" hex drive on my Ryobi to speed wingnuts down. They are about $6.50 on Amazon:

View attachment 458904​

Back-mounted Single: Many times I am using a Sex bolt SS or nylon. I don't need o-rings, but I don't pull them out

SF2 Rebreather: I actually use SS button bolts with Loctite.

I always carry one of these.....................

.................................................in case my Buddy's nuts need tightening.........................................

 

[wetb4igetinthewater]

I really like these ones. Best of both worlds


OMS 5/16-18 Delrin Thumbwheels, Set of Two

 

[Aqua-Andy]

How do you transport the gas needed? Or is that what beans are for?

Any decent dive op Is going to have argon for drysuit inflation which is also an excellent shielding gas for Tig welding Stainless steel. Problem solved.

 

[JohnnyC]

What you really should be doing is removing the scrubber from a rebreather, breathing it until just shy of unconsciousness, capturing the CO2 and running it through a booster with some helium into your already filled argon bottle. It's an active gas, but depending on how exotic your bolt material is, an active gas and something like Hastelloy filler really is the ticket to a good quality weld. It may take several cycles of CO2 production so best get an early start.

 

[49north]

What you really should be doing is removing the scrubber from a rebreather, breathing it until just shy of unconsciousness, capturing the CO2 and running it through a booster with some helium into your already filled argon bottle. It's an active gas, but depending on how exotic your bolt material is, an active gas and something like Hastelloy filler really is the ticket to a good quality weld. It may take several cycles of CO2 production so best get an early start.

I like it since a little helium added to the argon produces much hotter welds!

Since we have solved the loose nuts problem, perhaps a new thread should be started on heat shielding the wing. Maybe outer shells could be made from recycled asbestos.