Gentle Friends,
The start of a new week brings up a topic I've been sitting on for a bit while folks got their rings to try on their stems. That seems to be happening with owners happy with the results but not pressing for more? Where's the 'I can do that better' spirit?
So, I won't wait any longer, here's my current mod to the famous rings to (IMO) improve them even more:
Notice on the ring in the foreground there's four fairly crude (on purpose) notches in the inner edge? Those vent air in past the improved seal the ring provides, doing basically what the external grooves on the PVHES do, only more so? I'd like it if some others would try this out and confirm it, please?
In the background is a second ring clamped in my vice grips showing my current technique (I've tried others, so far this is the best IMO). Notice the lighter color where it pinches out from under the jaws? Just nip the center part of that out. A razor blade does an excellent job, but I used small wire cutters which do a fast and rough job that still works very well.
There's plenty of ring still in contact with the glass, the stem stays put just fine. It doesn't turn the stem into a handle, of course, but it solves the initial problem (loose stem after a while) without introducing new problems with restricting air flow.
On that latter point, I was also screwing around with a small SS wire V shaped clip stuffed down the throat to stop the stem from bottoming out (the function of the notches in the PVHES). Some have used one or more screens for this, but screens make a better seal than a vent. My clip is more than 90% open. It worked well but I found it unnecessary since the stem tends to be held up by the modified ring just fine. I took it out again. For those that want to continue on, it's promising without the ring, the latest version of that had the ends of the V bent out a bit so they hit the wall at right angles. The stem sits on the two free ends at say 1:30 and 10:30 and the angle of the V at 6 o'clock. I tried several wire sizes, .020 to .030 seemed about right?
Anyway, I think there are some simple, cheap mods out there that will easily increase the utility of this little guy. Hopefully others will join in this Holy Quest?
OF