Weld on my game clip broke. (but they fixed it!)

On the water. with a ling on it. and the tie rope slipped off. I noticed it and dealt with it, but sometimes I really despair of getting anything of quality these days.

I mean it's a hunk of metal, nothing should go wrong with it, ever.

the spring of the clip pulls directly against the spot weld. I think they are all like this. seems like the weld should go all the way a round it, or the steel should bent in a loop around it and then welded.

something! sheesh. 

J

On the water. with a ling on it. and the tie rope slipped off. I noticed it and dealt with it, but sometimes I really despair of getting anything of quality these days.

I mean it's a hunk of metal, nothing should go wrong with it, ever.

the spring of the clip pulls directly against the spot weld. I think they are all like this. seems like the weld should go all the way a round it, or the steel should bent in a loop around it and then welded.

something! sheesh. 

J

You're right J definitely a pee poor weld....all show and no go.

Thanks for the heads up. I just went and looked at mine, it's about 15 yrs old and has allot more weld material (bead) in that spot, but it's penetration that matters. It's been thru allot so I'm gonna declare it OK.

Good info though, might save a lost trophy for someone else.

dale

More info...

the clip is from

National Divers MFG.

3420 Yale Way
Fremont, CA 94538
510 490 7722

purchased through Hook1

anyways I called the number and a nice person answered and said bring it by and they will re-weld it.

Also, I spoke with my friend who owned  windsurfing shop a while back and he said that stainless steel welds are problematic in saltwater. They always seem to pop. He said that the windsurfers moved to aluminum for lots of clips and things as the welds hold up a lot better in saltwater.

John

I dropped by national divers mfg. in fremont (what a cool hole in the wall company!) and they (he!) rewelded the clip while I waited (all of 5 minutes).

Cool!     

Cool!

I dropped by national divers mfg. in fremont (what a cool hole in the wall company!) and they (he!) rewelded the clip while I waited (all of 5 minutes).

Cool!     

where's the follow up pic?

Adam, you need the sense of "closure"? 

He put a nice weld on there,  . You'll have to trust me on that cause I am not taking a follow-on pic!

They also reported never having failures, but at the same time when I told them what happened, the woman on the phone didn't seem too surprised that the weld popped. hmmm...

I still think they could be designed so the spring force of the clip does not pull directly on the weld. the cross bar should wrap around the bar on the other side and the weld should be on the opposite side so that the spring force of the clip is trying to push the weld together not pull the weld apart.

John

did you share that with them(he)?      just lookin for some closer on this thread!

I did, but I think they have a way of making them and they sell and they are not out to re-invent the gameclip.

but who knows!

John