Tip for MS Vest owners

[Jerry Holway]

Here's a tip or two for owners of MS/Ultra vests-

 

If those plastic racheting "tongues" get bent outward, or just stick out too much, you can thermo-form them into a better, non-proturding shape.

 

It's easier to do if you remove them from the vest, but not necessary if you have a willing partner.

 

Just stick a plastic tongue into a jar of hot, nearly boiling, water. It will get soft and lose its springyness... If it can be bent to the approximate shape at this point, it probably helps.

 

After a minute or so, remove the tongue and stick it into a glass of cold water. I used a small juice tumbler, and bent the end into a nice circle. Let cool a minute, remove, and there you are.

 

Nice thing about the process - you can do it again and again until you get it right.

 

Second tip: Before you re-assemble, remove the four release fittings from the Velcro'd straps.

You'll notice the screw has a washer on both sides of the fitting, and a fancy jam nut that holds it in place.

 

If you look at the fitting, there is a bend between the tab with the hole for the screw and the section that holds the release mechanism. You want to get rid of this bend. Stick the tab with the hole in a vise and with a piece of wood or similar against the part, hammer the part flat. All it takes is a couple of good blows.

 

Re-assemble, but omit the washer next to the head of the screw.

 

If you are nervous about doing this, you can order the spare parts for cheap from Tiffen (sorry, Frank), bend them, then install on your vest.

 

Jerry Holway

[JakePollock]

does that also work with producers? i know more than a few who would benefit from some serious thermo-forming!

 

the rigs i use are not mine. they belong to a rental house (an ultra and an msb). the msb vest could defenitely use some tweaking. i'll recommend this to them-along with re-tuning the msb arm to accomodate heavier rigs (in reference to a previous post).

 

jake pollock

taipei, taiwan