Omer Airbalete 110

Quote from Marco

Like the handle. I also use inner tube in some of my guns grips.

Thanks Marco, Just got some Homer Ti 1.5 botties..... your were right... Marco San...made in china, but
......Lead Free.... <img src= " class="smiley" srcset="https://spearfishing.world/forum/images/smilies/emojione/1f606@2x.png 2x" height="23" width="23" loading="eager" data-tooltip="biggrin" aria-label="biggrin">

Ciao, Don

Quote from Marco

Like the handle. I also use inner tube in some of my guns grips.

I even use inner tube for my wt belt, and it lasted 20 years. Some ahole stole both my prototypes off my boat last year.
Cheers Don

Just a update, checked the pressure today and @ 75 degrees the gun is still holding 30 bar of nitrogen on the gauge. Going to bump it to 34 Bar this week end and try to load it. At the end of the season I'm going to convert it to a vacuum barrel if I ever get the extra muzzle to measure I've been trying to get from Omer.

Cheers, Don

I'm a power whore, and I like to try to break new things, then build stronger bits.
I need to put some meat in the freezer before I dabble with the toy near 30# game fish.;)

Cheers, Don

Here is the new cone and work in progress muzzle treatment. This is the first layer of Dynamat noise suppression material covered by rescue tape. The gun is at 32 bar on nitrogen @ 75 degrees. The local vis has been piss so. waiting to head back to the Island soon for tests.I used to mill the cones out of Ti but all my parts are on heaver shafts.Omer has some 6.5 mm ones now I split and fill the void with Gflex epoxy and finish flush.
Cheers, Don

Quote from LunkerBuster

nice...dynamat 5mil? it is clearly not the 1 cm foam

I used to used that for keeping trunk lids and body panels from vibrating in custom car audio installs...really cool stuff

It's called Dynamat Extreme and is 1.67mm ...or so.

I doing some testing on a prototype vacuum/dry barrel kit from Croatia for my Airbalete.

Some images of the Tomba parts for Airbalete and the stock piston assembly
as removed from my Airbalete.

My first step was to wash the gun in fresh water to remove any trace of sand or salt deposits. The handle was then removed to take a pressure reading and depressurize the barrel assembly by releasing the fill valve pin. I am happy to report the Nitrogen I filled the gun with many months ago still held at 30 Bar at the same temp.

After using a short rod to press the piston 6'' back into the inner barrel I
carefully unscrewed the end fitting with a thin rod. The piston was removed
and the inner barrel was inspected with a borescope I have had kicking around many years.The inner barrel was found to be un-scored and water free.
After several sandy beach surf entry's.

The next image shows the piston assemble with very small droplets of water from the wash down process on the scraper ring.

I washed the affected parts in rubbing alcohol and followed with a canned air blow down. After a application of Omer Airgun grease to the piston assembly and the O-rings the Tomba parts were installed.
I plan on pressurizing the gun tonight followed by a tub submersion to check for any leaks.

Cheers Don,
Images to follow....

A delay of game....
Sunday in need of some upper body exercise I passed on my Nitrogen tank and fill setup, and attached the stock hand pump. Two espresso and a little techno music later my air gauge was at 21 bar @ 80 degrees.

Next step was to assemble the Tomba shaft seal parts and do a trail fit. After sliding the cone O-ring and slide ring into position I was surprised to watch it slowly rise and dislodge the O-ring with a slight hiss. I than inserted the shaft 75%
a couple of times to attempt to improve the piston seal/ inner barrel sealing.

A test submerge in fresh water reveled 5mm bubbles coming from the piston/seal every 2 seconds. Cocking the piston into the sear box only increased the rate of air bubble release. see image.

The Airbalete I have was used before I received it so I have no record of it's duty cycle or maintenance.The piston was cleaned with lint free wipes and re-lubed with Omer grease before careful reassembly. I cleaned and
pressured two times with the same result. I am ordering 2 new piston assembly's from my local Omer dealer today. Sorry for the slight delay in fish procurement and seal trials. No tank leaks were found and the Tomba kit parts fitted perfectly as expected.
PS....At least these bubbles in the tub don't stink.:@:@;)
Cheers Don Paul

The Omer patented flopper ring is said to help to quickly remove the spear from the fish by securing the flopper to the shaft on removal. I have shot a few fish with it at this point and do not find this to be the case. If one looks at the
small fast Bonito in the last image you will see the retainer ring has ended up on the opposite side of the fish. Try sliding the ring through the tight entry wound and broken sharp bones if you want proof. On skinny fish thinner than the length of the flopper this may not be a issue. I usually use the twist and pull system anyway.

I have a very simple cure that takes only seconds to rig that also helps to open and limit closing of the flopper and a lost fish.

Image #2 and 3 show the the 1000 grit wet paper I use to polish the shaft and the sharp edges of the flopper. After a acetone wash I apply 2 wraps of 3m weather proof electrical tape with the front edge 7.0 mm rearward of the closed rear edge of the flopper. this prevents the flopper retainer from sliding through the fish.
image #4. shows the retainer ring slide forward after applying slight pressure to secure the flopper and withdraw the shaft from the fish.
Image # 5. demonstrates how the retainer wedges the wing from closing no even if the fish shakes and unseats a tuned flopper or a slack shooting line. This mod has held up for a couple of Bonita, 2 27# White Sea Bass, and a few calico Bass.
Very simple but effective. At first I was going to lay down a small TIG weld dimple, but this had the same result.
Image #5 also shows the Omer 6.5 mm cone I split and Gflex epoxy I bond filling the small gap and polishing smooth,
I could not find 7 mm cones in the US catalog although this is a popular shaft in the US with it's increased mass and stiffer
spline cycle. When I strip the handle down next I'll show the softer SS spring I fab'ed in exchanged for the stiff stock one.
After the dry barrel hunts I plan on stripping the gun down for elongation of the air tank to inner barrel orifices at the rear of the barrel.along with piston snubber exchange.
Cheers, Don Paul
Images to follow...

Quote from LunkerBuster

pretty brillain little move there.

the tape really stops the ring?!?!:@

how often does it need to be replaced?

what do you think is the source of the air in the leak?

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Tape has lived through two small bonita, a pair 25ilb ish White Sea Bass and a few more fish and the price is right.

The source of the small air leak is the real seal on the piston or a hair line fracture of the piston itself.
I will find out after after I install the new piston on order, Ultraviolet dye will be in the barrel my mid week with a inspection to follow. I all so will be using a mod'ed piston snubber to reduce impact shock on the piston. Mares use a softer material. I have a extra used inner barrel I have already ported and enlarged the barrel/tank ports. Here is a early preview, I will share my findings with shaft impact data at the end of the build up and compare it to stock.

Cheers, Don

Your Welcome Dan, I just saw how soft that last image is in my post:@ and the gold pin is just a door key bit...not Homer.

I have a shaft like that on a vintage Cressi spring gun. I know you know where the shaft brakes on grouper.;)

Cheers, Don