reserve rod attachment

[rhwestfall]

Anyone have a good way to secure a j-valve reserve rod on a modern set of twins? The bands don't have the clip of yesteryear. Thinking of using a stage rigging band and some additional hardware, but maybe someone has solved this already.....

[antique diver]

There is an easy quick-fix for that. Take a piece of 3/4" wide nylon strap or something similar. Cut it long enough to fit under the lower band with about 3/4" extra length. Heat up a nail and burn a hole in the strap about 3/8" from the end and just large enough to accommodate the rod. slip it over the rod, attach rod to J-valve lever, then slip the strap under the tank band. Tighten band and go diving.

There are fancier ways to do this, such as bend a piece of Stainless or galvanized steel, make a hole in it and stick it under the band. I like the nylon because nothing hard protruding from the tank band to snag on stuff.

[rhwestfall]

Thanks - that duh moment... My engineer's brain was all hung up on something "fancy"...

[antique diver]

Thanks - that duh moment... My engineer's brain was all hung up on something "fancy"...

I tend to do that too, but this idea came about just as I was about to go in the water, and realized that I had no attachment on a new rig for the rod. A little quick work with my knife on a scrap of cloth, and I was in business. I upgraded to the nylon strap when I got back home.

We used to commonly dive without a rod to prevent entanglements, but that was way back when my arm found it much easier to reach over to the valve lever.