rethinking spring strap blocks for jets

[el-ninio]

I've been working on my own variant of spring straps for SG jets, and I finally realized that the delrin blocks are a HUGE overkill. as a matter of fact, if you connect the spring strate to the SS backle, the blocks are only used to stablize the setup and to prevent lines from getting hooked up on the spring. no real force is ever placed apon the blocks. and even if they shatter, your straps still work!
you could easily make them out of molded plastic that could be placed over the original backes, with out haveing to cut them off, and it would work just as well (and cost about 1$ for a set of 4). if you make them right, they would bend in the middle, wrap around the backle and lock into place with a molded locking setup. no fudd, no place for lines to get james, and about 15$ a pair :-)
now, all I need is to find me someone that can manufacture the plastic coversm, and Ill be rich :0)

as for mu current desighn: the blocks are made of black delrin, about 26mmX16mmX30mm (or 28mm, I;m still wokring onthe deatails.)
in one of the 16mmX26mm sides I drilled a 12mm hol, sbout 14-16mm deap. I made a grove, about 14mm deap, throw the long dimention of the same side. that I have now is U shaped from the side. I added two hols for scrows (cone headed allen wrench) that go from near the corners of the 26X30 side, throw the grove and into the other side.

to install this, you remove the moving part of the buckle, attach the spring and the cave line to the backle, and then slide the block over the backle so that the spring goose into the 12mm hole. put the scrows through the small holes, and you are done.

I will try to post a picture tomorow.

[el-ninio]

This is a diagram of the blocks I made. you may need to shorten the 30mm side, but probably no more them 2-3mm

[el-ninio]

as you can see, the origianl SP hardware is kept intacked. The setup is streamlined, sits tight behind the rubbre mountpoints and if worse comes to wores and you have to remove the sprinrngs on a dive trip, all you need is an allen scrowdriver and a regular rubber strap.

[mddolson]

Good job.
I might be tempted to file/round off the corners, but otherwise a great job.

Well done.

1) Inexpensive
2) Meets your needs
3) Minimal or no other gear mods
4) You can do it yourself.

IT MAY not be DIR but it is WFM (Works For Me!)

Mike D

[el-ninio]

mddolson once bubbled...
Good job.
I might be tempted to file/round off the corners, but otherwise a great job.

Well done.

1) Inexpensive
2) Meets your needs
3) Minimal or no other gear mods
4) You can do it yourself.

IT MAY not be DIR but it is WFM (Works For Me!)

Mike D

why do you think it's not DIR?

and as for the corners:

[Uncle Pug]

el-ninio once bubbled...
why do you think it's not DIR?
nothing non-DIR about them... Mike's just trollin' ya. :D

[mddolson]

Pug 's right, I'm just yankin your chain.

Seriously I think they are great and are indeed DIR.

I lean heavily towards the DIR confguration. ( I dive with a backplate and wing, and 7 ft hose). Stream lining is important, but I am not a "DIR" purist. I am not using Jet or Turtle fins, (my Turtles wore out after 20 years) and I have a dump valve on my BC inflator hose, so to the purist, I am not DIR. I have, however put spring straps on my Mares Volo fins. I used SS shackles. So technically although I'm not "Doing It Right"......... It Works for me.

I am sorry if you thought I was implying your Blocks aren't DIR. I did not intend that. My point is it doesn't matter if they are DIR or Not, as long as they work for you! If they are DIR .... BONUS!

best regards

Mike D

[scuba-punk]

That's the way that I make my buckles too. It just seems to be the easiest way to make them that doesn't require destroying your fins in the process. :)

If you want an even cooler look, turn the buckles around so that the screw heads are on the inside. Sleek, black, yummy... :)

-Frank =-)

[el-ninio]

the blocks will not be able to turn and get over the rubber "ear" of the fins unless you push the "bar" down away from the blocks.
but first you need to push the springs into the blocks - this you have to do horozantly

[Bob3]

We used to use a cut up hockey puck instead of delrin.

el-ninio, how many ice skating rinks are there in Jerusalem?
:tease:

[rstark]

el-ninio, do you have a pic of the spring attached to the buckle without the block? The reason i ask is I want to see how you are attaching the spring.

[Uncle Pug]

you will find some excellent pictures of el nino's project here (http://thedecostop.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=146&perpage=20&pagenumber=2)

[el-ninio]

Bob3 once bubbled...
We used to use a cut up hockey puck instead of delrin.

el-ninio, how many ice skating rinks are there in Jerusalem?
:tease:

but there is this rolerblade skating ring.

we get snow every 3-4 years here, and it rains about 30-40 days every year - very good for bicycles, not so hot for skiing or ice skating...

but then again, I may be able to use some a cut-up bicycle tayer...
:-)

[klausbh]

Why bother with blocks in the first place?

For $0 I just hook my springs right on the buckle.

-Klaus

[el-ninio]

I've been diving with this setup, and it works great. I do have minor improvment on the original desighn: you really don't need need the two scrows - if the size is right, there is *no* way the blocks will slip off. this is due to the bar which prevent the blocks from moving out of the rubber "ear". without the scrows the block looks even more elegant - it's just plain black ;)


ANSWER to klausbn:

if you don't add blocks, you increase the chances of a line getting stuck on the spring loop (someone called this a "line magnet"), and you lose most of the cookness of the setup, wich is a segnificant part of the fun :D

[Uncle Pug]

While most folks don't have to worry about trapping cave line in their fins... you might want to try and floss your spring blocks with some just for fun.

I have a hunch that without the screws closing the kerf in the block, line could find its way in there and potentially get trapped between spring coils.

Just a thought.

[M_B]

Just wanted to say "thank you" to all of you who have been sharing his/her ideas/experience here. It helped us to have a great week of diving - I replaced the original rubber straps on SJ of my wife's and mine and, even though, I’m not 100% satisfied with what I’ve done - I’m definitely satisfied with the achieved results.

M_B