V-weight

If I stick a v-weight in my system (Highland bands, Halcyon SS plate) am I going to need longer bolts? As I understand it the weight lays over the bolts and directly under the plate, not actually attached to the bands until the BP is attached. Is this correct?

Tom

The V-weight occupies the empty space between the backplate/wing and the bands... longer bolts are not needed.

You might want to put a nylok nut on top of the V-weight to hold it in place when the plat & wing are off... and if you do you might need to countersink for the nylok so that the plate/wing can fit down snugly. It isn't necessary to include this nylok but it will keep the V-weight from moving around when you change position if the V-weight is not thick enough to take up all the extra room.

V-weights are easy to make using a piece of 1 1/2" angle iron dammed at the ends with plumber's putty. Plumber's putty should also be used at the ends to make a flat spot for the nylok nut on the bands.

Lead can be melted in a casts iron pot on a propane cooker... be careful to make sure that everything is dry... no water anywhere near your mold... and wear a respirator and stay UP wind so you don't breath lead fumes.

More than you asked and probably more than you wanted but I can't see why folks pay $$$ for this stuff when you can melt down some old tire weights and pour your own....

Thanks much Pug!

For casting a V weight (or P), see: http://www.cisatlantic.com/trimix/vweight/pweight.htm

Secondy, I completely disagree with Uncle Pug. Personally I'd stand UP WIND of the melt so I don't end up as smart as a camel.

Thirdly, UP, I must have a mental block because for the life of me I've read your post over and over and I can’t figure out where the nylock nut goes or what it's doing. Could you try again?

Given the swimming position of the cylinders, are you putting a bolt through from the topside of the cylinders (that won’t slip between them) then through the V weight and into a nut countersunk into the V weight on the BP side of the lead ingot?

Where I get confused is that it’s easy to keep a bolt from slipping between 95s and 104s but hard to do with AL80s because they’re about an inch apart (Sea Elite Manifold and Highland bands). And AL80s are where you’re most likely to need a V weight!

Roak

Originally posted by roakey
stand UP WIND of the melt

Click to expand...

I secure the V weight with the same bolts that go through the bands...

With the tanks laying on the floor... diverside up... bolts pointing up... there should be a nylock on the bolt through the bands...

The V of the weight will need to be notched out for this nut... if you then put the V weight onto the band bolts and want to run another nylock down onto the weight to hold it in place you will need to countersink the lead or that nut will interfer with the wing and plate... you could just leave that second nylock out... slap the wing and then the plate on, tighten down the wing nuts and be done with it. But the little V weight I have is only 4# and doesn't take up all the room in there so it might clank around if I change positions... so I have the extra nylock holding it down.