Posts by metelin

  • California Dreamin

    linda mar is everyones "secret spot" in norcal. i dove it several of those rare days when there was top to bottom viz, it is spectacular. even on days when you can't see the tip of the gun it was productive for me. my only regret is i didn't have a chance to dive it during the early days when abs were legal to take there, i have seen several hubcap size ones in the water and many more built into walls of the local shacks or decorating peoples yards.


    btw, crab season just opened.

  • Northern California Diving

    Quote from Sam

    Sometimes it's just nice to swim with and marvel at the fish you pursue. At one point as I was creeping along the bottom, a ling sauntered up from behind me and brushed along my torso like I was no threat. . .he even looked back at me and I think we came to a mutual understanding. Moments like that are the reason I'm addicted to diving.


    i agree completely, take what you need, don't kill everythng you see, do some window shopping just for pleasure.


    nice video, send more when you can.:thumbsup2:

  • Santa Cruz report 5/14

    thanks for the report. dove sc last week, the viz on the back side looked like catalina in the winter unfortunately, the water temp was also like catalina in the winter. nice to hear that you actually saw fish from the boat, i heard some reports of monster fish being taken there recently but it seems like a slow year so far. i think all the wind is keeping the water temp down, if we can get a break form it maybe we'll see more fish.

  • Oil finishes

    not sure what the difference is between danish, teak or linseed but i suspect any of them would work to keep the wood for drying and that's the bottom line.


    hard finishes are a pain to get perfect and once you scratch or ding the gun you need to sand off the old stuff and redo completely where as with oil you reapply and the damage is minimized.


    i think as long as you don't mix different types of wood and if you stick to teak or mahogany (or any mahogany substitutes other than philippine) oil is fine.


    i have noticed wood other than the ones mentioned above tend to swell up quite a bit once wet even with a hard finish where teak and mahogany tend to swell much less. i'm always weary about a guns that swells more than i expect.

  • Oil finishes

    teak is really the only wood that contains oil, padauk doesn't that i know of (i could be wrong). sapele is a good choice for guns, if the lam joins seem tigh and there are no screws on joints i think oil is fine.


    many european wood guns are made with sapele as well as jbl elite (a really good gun for the price imo). the jbl is not laminated but many euros are and many come with an oil finish.


    incidently, you can tell how much oil is in the wood when you cut it. teak cuts without creating much dust, the shaving tend to clump together and due to the oil. other wood however makes a dust storm with fine dust that hangs in the air and gets all over the place includng every orifice in your body:)

  • Band Slot vs. Top Tie In Bands

    i like a band slot that's holds bands very tight. for 4 5/8'' bands i would cut it with a 1/2'' bit and make it 1 3/4'' long.


    tigh in bands are a pain to make, load, you loose power and the front wishbone frays often even if you debur the hole well.