I'd made some with full stainless hardware.
The cylindrical holding blocks are SS machined instead of delrin or alloy.
I do away with the vinyl tubing cover as I don't find it necessary but the
springs comes in 3 length, 8, 81/2 and 9 inch for the correct fit.

Davy
Singapore

----- Original Message -----
From: Duane Liptak Jr. <d.liptak.jr@wo*.at*.ne*>
To: <techdiver@aquanaut.com>; Manos Manoli <cytech@ma*.co*.cy*>
Sent: Monday, August 13, 2001 7:29 PM
Subject: Re: Jet fin Spring Heel straps


>
>
> >Anyone knows where i can get good Spring Heel straps and bye them on line
?
> >
> >Some thinks are difficult to find if you leave on  Mediterranean Island.
> >
>
>
>    You're better off making them, as long as you have some degree of
> aptitude for this sort of thing.  All the ones I've seen for sale use
either
> an aluminum or delrin cylinder  with SS wire bent through them for the
> connection between spring and fin.  They are not as clean as the original
> design.  You can make your own that are a lot closer to the original
oceanic
> straps, and are just as clean as the originals.  The clear vinyl tubing is
> also popular on the pre-made jobs, and it is less than optimal.
>     Cobb's web site has a pretty good page on making the straps as far as
> where to get the springs (McMaster-Carr online) etc., but when you get to
> making the ends of the spring straps do this instead:  Go to the local
> marine supply shop and get a 3" black rubber bow bumper (one of the things
> that looks like a "v" with a thick middle).  Cut the "wings" off  and
split
> each one in two.  You now have four chunks of hard black rubber that are
> tapered from one end to the other.  Now find yourself a pair of the
oceanic
> straps or a photo of same.  Shape the blocks until they look like the
> oceanic connections.  I used a dremel tool, a razor knife, and some 60
grit
> emery paper.  You'll need to drill a 1/2 inch hole for the spring, and a
> 5/32 for the connection hardware.  Tie in your overstretch line, stick a
> loop of the spring into one of the ends and secure it with the original
> Scubapro strap hardware.  The metal "U" goes through the block and through
> the loop in the spring (inside the block).  The little rod goes through
the
> attachment point on the fin.  Peen them back together.  Be sure to put on
> the spring covers before doing the other side.:-))
>     For the spring covers, I used the sheathing for 10/4 water resistant
> electrical cable.  It's much softer than the vinyl tubing, and is closer
to
> the compound on the original straps.  Cut it to length, pull out the guts,
> and slip it on.
>     The original oceanic straps had a hard plastic or delrin strap end,
but
> it is a non-structurally critical element--The spring and attachment
> hardware are what is being stressed and the strap wouldn't break even if
the
> block disintegrated--so the rubber compound works without sacrificing any
> strength.  Total construction time was about four hours.  There is a lot
> more pissing around involved with making the strap ends like this, but the
> end result is worth it.  The lines are much cleaner.
>     Hunsucker has a set of the originals, and the only way you can tell
our
> fins apart without taking a REAL close look is the fact that I have round
> black rubber spring covers, and he has the original triangular oceanics.
> I'll try and scare up a digital camera for some photos.  I'm terribly
> low-tech. :-))
>     If you'd rather not make straps, Lloyd Bailey has them for sale
online,
> but they're the type with an aluminum cylinder and SS wire for the
> connections.
>
> S/F,
> Duane
>
>
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