Tying your own bands

[weekendrx]

I have a question for all the guys who tie their own bands. I'm finally going to tie my own bands. Spending $15 or $16 per band is getting old, even when they are top notch quality. Being able to outfit all four of my guns for about half of what I would otherwise pay is enticing. And worst case if I can't tie them myself I'll just buy them...

Now for my actual question. I want to tie bands with removable wishbones. What do you guys use for the looped and knotted line that is pushed into the rubber? I have everything else ordered but can't seem to figure out what I should be using for the insert. Thanks for any help, even band tips in general.

Kurt

[SpearoTastic]

There is more than one way to do it.

Here is my preferred method Trygons speargun bands part 1/2 - YouTube
There is info on materials in the comments

And another link to help you http://www.spearboard.com/showpost.php?p=969426

Good luck and dive safe!

[Bill McIntyre]

Originally Posted by weekendrx

Now for my actual question. I want to tie bands with removable wishbones. What do you guys use for the looped and knotted line that is pushed into the rubber? I have everything else ordered but can't seem to figure out what I should be using for the insert. Thanks for any help, even band tips in general.

Kurt

I can't see why people bother with removable wishbones. I use 3 mm Spectra for wishbones, and the rubber always wears out before the wishbone. There is no need to remove and replace it.

[jfjf]

Originally Posted by Bill McIntyre

I can't see why people bother with removable wishbones. I use 3 mm Spectra for wishbones, and the rubber always wears out before the wishbone. There is no need to remove and replace it.

And I can't see why some people bother with shrink tubing....it always seems to wear out..

[Bill McIntyre]

Originally Posted by jfjf

And I can't see why some people bother with shrink tubing....it always seems to wear out..

I agree. That is an old photo and I quit using it. I quit tapering the bands too.

[weekendrx]

Thanks guys, maybe I'll go with fixed wishbones. Food for thought

[Johnoly]

I don't use pliers to put the knot into the rubber. They can score the rubber and it slips too much. Ray Odor has an "inserter" tool that is small, fast and works like a charm.

http://www.spearfishing.cc/Accessories.htm

[weekendrx]

All the supplies came in from Neptonics yesterday. 20 feet of rubber, cinch cord and wishbone material. Over the past two days I tied 10 bands for myself and two for my dive buddy. Only issue was that I accidentally ordered 9/16 rubber instead of the 5/8. To remedy the issue on my 42 and 52 inch hybrids, I just tied an extra band. Seems like it will work just fine.

Everything together cost about $55.00. If I had paid someone else for them it would have run about $175 for 12 bands. Granted, they aren't as pretty as the tapered ones with removable wishbones, but they will work. I was also surprised just how easy the process really was. Thanks for all the input guys.

Kurt

[phil herranen]

i use the orange spectra from neptonics for the loops that go in the ends of the bands and dacron 500# utility cord for the centers
phil

[weekendrx]

Thanks Phil, I'll give that a shot the next time I make them.

[phil herranen]

Originally Posted by Bill McIntyre

I can't see why people bother with removable wishbones. I use 3 mm Spectra for wishbones, and the rubber always wears out before the wishbone. There is no need to remove and replace it.

i dont put a cut in the band slot on the muzzles of my guns ,so they are stronger and i can have less wood in front of the band slot than a bolt reinforced muzzle . because of this i need to use removable centers for fast tool-less band removal .
phil

[Kevin Sheets]

I have been tying my own bands with the loops and this year I am trying some plastic inserts from Spearitco. (I think that's right). It will make changing the wishbone very easy. I have had a few wear out before the band was done on bands with the slots. The shark fin type seem to hold up better.

[lazybean]

Originally Posted by phil herranen

i dont put a cut in the band slot on the muzzles of my guns ,so they are stronger and i can have less wood in front of the band slot than a bolt reinforced muzzle . because of this i need to use removable centers for fast tool-less band removal .
phil

Not to completely derail this thread, but i have to disagree about the band slot cut in a the muzzle. I had almost the exact same discussion with a buddy a while ago.

The cut for the bands goes at the front, the entire load from the bands is straight back. There is zero load on the tip of the gun from the bands, any point forward from were the bands are touching the gun.

The sole purpose of the wood below and in front of the bands is to keep them in place. So placing a cut small enough to keep the bands from falling off when unloaded has zero effect on the guns strength.

[phil herranen]

Originally Posted by lazybean

Not to completely derail this thread, but i have to disagree about the band slot cut in a the muzzle. I had almost the exact same discussion with a buddy a while ago.

The cut for the bands goes at the front, the entire load from the bands is straight back. There is zero load on the tip of the gun from the bands, any point forward from were the bands are touching the gun.

The sole purpose of the wood below and in front of the bands is to keep them in place. So placing a cut small enough to keep the bands from falling off when unloaded has zero effect on the guns strength.

when a multi band gun is loaded all the bands are pulling to the front of the band slot and as they wedge against each other they cause up and down side force on the muzzle of the gun . after the gun is fired they will also sometimes stay stacked up after the shot and put a lot of side load on the slot . there is a reason everyone that has to warranty their work reinforces their muzzle with a bolt of keeping it solid on guns with more than 2-3 bands ,and i have fixed enuff guns that guys built without a bolt or solid muzzle to know the truth.
phil

[lazybean]

All my experience is from 3 band guns, so i see your point about the stacking with more bands. Do you find most the damage is from the rebound of the bands or from loaded bands causing an upward tension?

Just hoping I am still right and don't owe my buddy a beer.