how important is the center hole grommet on the hogarthian harness webbing?

[ajduplessis]

Use a soldering rod to make the hole, a grommet is not a bad idea and will protect the "damaged" hole.

 

[cool_hardware52]

Use a soldering rod to make the hole, a grommet is not a bad idea and will protect the "damaged" hole.

Protect from what?

Tobin

 

[Randy43068]

I'm a keep it simple kinda guy. My suggestion is to forget grommets and such and use an old soldering iron melt a hole in it. All of my plates are rigged with the hole melted and I've never had a problem in several years of diving.

That webbing is really strong and tough. You are not even getting close to it's limit of strength when used on on a backplate.

If you don't have an old soldering iron you can use a flame source (gas stove in my case) and a pair of pliers and an old quarter inch bolt. Heat the bolt and press into the center of the webbing (length wise) and move it around a bit to make a hole big enough for the BP bolt. Makes a nice clean hole with the edges melted so it won't fray.

Keep it simple.

By the center hole gormet, I mean the metel gormet in the webbing which line up with the top bolt hole on the backplate. Basically, I am swapping out a dive rite basic harness with a stiffer webbing. Can I just drill a hole in the webbing? Or do I need to have the metal gormet installed? If so, where can I find that kind of hardware?

As for why I want to swap out the DR harness, I think I complained before. The DR webbing is just so soft and sloppy. It doesn't stay flat once wet, so things slide around. I have to make adjustment before every dive to make sure the D-rings are in the right places, left and right should straps are of the same length. This harness is only 3 monthes old and I have only used it with single tank. Absolutely no excuse for having such a bad quality webbing. I think DR should replace it. But for $10, I dont want to bother. it is just a hassle.

 

[Randy43068]

Spent? Now you tell me!

There is *zero* need for a grommet. Just melt hole with whatever is handy.

Once the harness is actually laced there is no load on the portion of the harness with the hole and or grommet. You could cut the webbing into at the grommet and the harness would be just fine. The webbing makes two 90 degree bend and one 180 degree bend on each side of the plate before it sees and load.

A spent brass cartridge heated up makes a nice clean hole.

Tobin

 

[Insta-Gator]

Not at .22

 

[Randy43068]

Spend the case by passing lead through the webbing.

 

[ajduplessis]

Protect from what?

Tobin

The bolt and thread that goes through it, unless you only make holes to reduce weight.

 

[eelnoraa]

Thank you guys. For some reason, this thread never came up when I click the "What's new". Good that I actually went into the BC section today and saw this, otherwise, I would have gone buy a set of gorment tool today. Now I will go with the soldering ion method. But before that, why it has to be "OLD" soldering ion? Does the melted nylon make the soldering ion unusable afterward? Just curious!!

Looks like I am not the only one with problem with DR webbing. I emailed DR last week and mentioned the webbing issue, they told me that is the way it should be. They called it "soft & pliable", so more comfortable since no padding comes with basic harness. And they didn't their "soft & pliable" webbing will slip. Well, webbing is cheap, so I won't argue with them.

 

[aquaregia]

I don't like soft and pliable. I'd shoot for rough and uncomfortable.

 

[eelnoraa]

all done using soldering ion. Nice and solid webbing that wont twist or roll up, D-Ring won't slip anymore. Thank you all.