How to build a neck weight ?

[Apnea_Addict]

Hi,

does anybody have any useful hints on building a neck weight of 4 kilos. Or a tip where to buy one.

thank you
Holger

[perow1]

http://www.fridykning.se/arkiv/nackvikter.html
I hope that this will help you!

[BennyB]

Hi Holger,

I hope you're well mate. I'll email you some directions on how to put them together. The way I make them, you'll need

Lead Shot;
Bike inner tube (biggest you can find for 4kg neckweight...probably mountain bike);
Cable ties;
Clip off a backpack or dog collar or whatever you can get (and some sturdy material you can tie to the clip)


Cheers,
Ben

[Walrus]

For the quick option just need the bike tube, "backpack clip", lead shot and some electrical tape. After you feed the innertube thru the clip , put in the lead shot and just fold it back onto itself and tape it up. I've used one like this for a few years, you can get a bit of water in them but most do anyway.

I recomend the first one you make just use tape anyway rather then more permanent method. You can then adjust it easily by unwrapping the tape, putting in more/less shot and whack some more tape back on it. You probably want to play around with the weight to get your bouyancy right.

Cheers,
Wal

[BennyB]

A guy at training last night had one like Wal has described above and I must say it was a lot better than mine. The major difference is that using cable ties allows a lot of water in which then comes out for hours after and is grey with lead, which i'm sure can't be very good for you.

The key to Wal's one is getting tape that will stay on well and if it's tight enough it should let very little water in. As an added measure this guy put some leftover inner tube over the tape which held it in place really well and also helped keep the water out. Looks nice too. And, as Wal said easier to adjust and i'm guessing easier to make.

This is how I would make it:

1) Get your innertube, cut it in half where the valve is.

2) Get the end of the innertube and loop it through the clip and tape it down with good tape. At this point you might need some lead in the innertube to make sure you tape hard enough - pour in as much lead as will fill up to the level you are taping. Cut off some spare innertube off the other end and thread this over the area you've taped. This will help keep the tape in place, help keep it watertight and also looks a bit nicer. Check to ensure it is secure by stretching it.

3) Measure how long you need it by picking it up and holding it around your neck, ensuring that you consider the length of the clip as well. Mark a level with a pen where the lead should stop. I prefer my neckweights to be small enough so that when I am floating face down it won't touch the edge of my chin... hurts when you kick off the wall and get a punch on the chin as well

4) Pour in all of your required lead. You will probably find that it will be about twice as long as you need it. Time to start milking the cow

5) You can either use a broomstick handle or something thinner to push down the lead to the desired length, but my preferred method is to "milk" the lead down by using your foot to hold the closed end of the neckweight down, stretch it with one hand, and with the other hand form an upside down "ok" sign and push the lead down. The lead should move down and stretch the innertube and the neckweight will thicken. Keep doing this until the lead is down about an inch past the line you drew. It will take a while but it will get there eventually. Stretch, milk.... stretch, milk.

6) Loop the other end of the clip through the innertube and tape it down securely. Cut off the leftover tube, tape over the end, then cut off some spare innertube and thread this over the taped area.

Ta da, one neckweight. Now make another. And another... and another.....


When I do another one i'll take photos as I go along. Let me know if anything is not clear.

Cheers,
Ben

[Veronika]

Here is what I do (I also use the method described by Wal but with slight differences.):
I use a thin tube which has to be expanded to get the right amount of lead in the right tube lenght. First I loop 1 end through the clip and fix it with electrical tape - just one piece lenghtswise. I do not wrap the tube, it still has to be able to expand. Now I fill the tube with leadshot. After that comes the most important step . I wrap the tube around my neck to see how long it should be in the end. Mark the right lenght with a pencil on the tube.
Then I take a SCUBA tank and a regulator where I just take off the 2nd stage. After that I put the hose in the tube and fill it with air. That way it expands and I can shake the lead in the right place to get a neckweight of suitable size. I keep the tube shut with my hand @ what shall become its end, turn off the air and shake the tube to distribute the lead evenly. Then I let out the air, put on the clip and tape down both ends with electrical tape.
That way you can get an enormous variety of amount of lead in a tube. Just make shure that you don't overstretch it !

[JCDenton]

My question would be, how can i get so small pieces of lead to put it into the tube:S

[Waterenthusiast]

In my case i just bought some soft weigths (for scuba diving) and opened them. You can buy really easilly some on the web, i bought mine at amazon.de

Christophe

[Bill]

I took the 'soft weight' idea one step further and bought ankle weights. The steel is a lot more enviro-friendly than lead. The weights connected easily with their velcro and since I don't do flip turns, there is no need for a clasp at the bottom. Still trying to find an inner tube about twice the diameter of a mountain bike one so it will hold 4-5 kilo. Does anyone know of a scooter or mo-ped tube?

[shoutatthesky]

Good ideas guys! I have 10kg lead shot from the hunting shop. Now I just need - inner tube, electrical tape, plastic 'snap' buckle. What I don't know is how much weight to use. What are you guys using? or is this a completely individual thing that I need to find out by experiment?

[Duracell]

Neklood

And buy a dictionary, it's in dutch

[Narsil]

Very individual Shoutathesky.

Depends if you wear a tri suit/ wetsuit when you train, if / how much you pack, even your base buoyancy, speed and style in the water makes a difference.

Another factor at play is that some mono's offer quite a bit of floatation, to bring your legs up for the downstroke. Also, many people (even if they aren't wearing any neoprene) need to use a normal weightbelt (as well) to help them swim straighter in the water.

Having said all that, for an average sized male who doesn't pack , I'd build my first weight around the 1.5 kg to 2 kg range, have a swim, and adjust from there. If you want to call someone in New Zealand for advice who does a good job, Kieran (Kman) made three for me which have been great.


Guy

[DiverTodd]

There were quite a few floating around during my PFI advanced course in April, in Grand Cayman. The preffered method seemed to be "shot" weights, emptied into an inner tube section, taped shut around the plastic clasps on the ends. Going to make one myself soon, although for now I'm happy with the two wrist weights I got at Target. Together, they equal 4 lbs, and they're even neoprene coated!

Todd

[devinjohnson7]

do they let this stuff in the pool?? cause it sounds like if one burst open, you would haff to pay to get the pool filter unclogged with all that lead shot... i just made one out of high pressure tubing used for irrigation at home depot... i filled the tube with stainless steel nuts, and ran a wire through the center... the wire is shaped like a circle with a space just big enough to fit on my neck, but not off easily... then i filled it with water... and sealed it all off with 2 VERY hard to get on end caps... it doesnt leak water, and its pretty comfortable... i dont have pics, sooooo... ya... im also gonna make one like BennyB posted... so ill have 2... hope this helps

[BennyB]

Since writing that i've found a better way of doing step 5, one which doesn't result in blisters between your thumb and forefinger. Instead of milking the neckweight to get the weight into a smaller area, stand up, hold the top of the neckweight in one hand and let it dangle, then blow into the open end. The pressure of blowing into it will stretch the rubber and the lead shot will fall down. Although it's tough to blow into, you'll be surprised how well it works.

Cheers,
Ben