Thanks. I’ll try both and report back. Not sure I need absolute 100% lock out, but want to be close at least. But currently the best I can do is moderate friction and that’s not enough.
My solution to stiffen up Atlas bipod cant
- Thread starter carbonbased
- Start date
You can always add grease, but removing grease off a carbon washer looks to be a minor pain in the ass. So I’d order a few washers to test. They’re cheap.
You can just wipe or blot the grease off the carbon washers with a blue shop towel. We use them in several of the reels we manufacture. There are several different grades and types of carbon washers.
Cool. I thought they were sorta porous. Glad to know that’s not the case.
It's a tightly woven fiber type washer usually. The tighter the weave the less grease can get into the material. That's where you need to blot the washer. Grease will not hurt it or cause the washer not to hold.
We use grease on our washers to help make the drag smoother which usually means a little less start up inertia. The carbon materials tend to slip pretty easily under about 10 pounds of pressure. For what you are using it for it should be fine even if there is grease. Either way its applying some friction and reducing space between the clamping surfaces. You could probably get the same result with something else but this is a good cheap solution.
We use grease on our washers to help make the drag smoother which usually means a little less start up inertia. The carbon materials tend to slip pretty easily under about 10 pounds of pressure. For what you are using it for it should be fine even if there is grease. Either way its applying some friction and reducing space between the clamping surfaces. You could probably get the same result with something else but this is a good cheap solution.
Got my Smooooth Desg carbon fiber washers (ordered an extra). Replaced the existing washer after wiping of the bit of grease that was on the body of the bipod.
Works great! Maybe not 100% lockup but very close. So close that for all practical purposes it is 100%. I can release the tension and the can’t action is still smooth and easy to adjust.
With a lot of friction dialed in but not fully locked it doesn’t feel 100% smooth, but I’m quibbling. Still works great. If I didn’t know that was a complaint, I doubt I would have noticed.
If you want your bipod to lock solidly I recommend these washers. Company was super easy to work with and mailed out the washers quickly. Which is awesome because I’m sure they rather sell much larger orders.
Works great! Maybe not 100% lockup but very close. So close that for all practical purposes it is 100%. I can release the tension and the can’t action is still smooth and easy to adjust.
With a lot of friction dialed in but not fully locked it doesn’t feel 100% smooth, but I’m quibbling. Still works great. If I didn’t know that was a complaint, I doubt I would have noticed.
If you want your bipod to lock solidly I recommend these washers. Company was super easy to work with and mailed out the washers quickly. Which is awesome because I’m sure they rather sell much larger orders.
Reviving an old thread for a fix on the cant. I have a super cal and a regular. I've done the washer mods and it was better, but not perfect. I ended cutting 2 washers from thin leather (from a leather seat) discard the steel washer from the front and replace with a leather washer. Put a leather washer under the Brass washer and resemble. It made it 100% better. Super smooth cant and positive lock up without having to crank down. Try it, it doesn't cost a dime.
Thank you for this post. I had given up on my BT cal. Ordered the washer, fit perfect. Now the bipod tightens up to almost 100%.Ok, sparked by this post by @Old Man with Gun:
Atlas Pod Lock (won't)
I have the Atlas cal (at least I think its the CAL) with the built in pod lock /ARCA rail attach No matter how much a crank down the tension its still way too loose and easy bumped off center. Is there any kind of tension adjustment. I'm not superman by any stretch, but its waay to loose for...www.snipershide.com
I began a quest to find a carbon fiber drag washer for my CAL v2 bipod. Drag, as for fishing reels, not for drag shows.
Anyway, I found one, which amazingly needed no cutting, sanding, fitting, cursing, or anything! Heads up: I shoot from a bench, I want to lock the cant ability off (or make it very, very stiff). The CAL, for me, was not cutting it even after messing with the locknut's gross tension adjustment, and I was ready to sell it.
My mod doesn't give me 1000% lockup like my Elite Iron or LRA bipods, but close enough for government work. I wiped off the existing grease that was in the area where the original washer resided before slapping the new CF one in there. I didn't use acetone to remove ALL of the grease, which maybe wouldn't be the worst idea if you want max max max lockup.
I did alert @Kasey (owner of Atlas/B&T Industries) to my research and he's looking into washers like these. Btw, @Terry Cross, the creator of the Pod-Loc cant tightening device that's on the Atlas (and other) bipods told me that his invention works the way it does is by design, a design which was driven by his end users. Out of shape lusers like me were not his focus lol (nor should they have been).
Anyway, I use bipods at the range sometimes because they are light, and I want to set it and forget it. Can't guarantee anything if you like to have a looser cant. Kasey said the previous CF washers his team tried were grabby; if they added lube they didn't lock off enough. Maybe I got lucky…mine is not grabby either.
THE SECRET WASHER
----> Ask for model number: 8** (yeah, with two asterisks) <-----
Carbontex Drag Washer - 19.54 x 8.06 x 0.76mm
https://www.smoothdrag.com/wp/
Fits Atlas Cal pretty much perfectly. I see no need to trim.
I texted (760) 949-0271 and they texted back. Or you can email, whatever. $2.85 + $0.68 for first class shipping. Ask 'em how to pay.
I got one for free. It wasn't a comp for review thing. They just offered as I suppose they usually get larger orders.
Don't ask for a free one you idiots. It's tree fiddy!!! Do you live in your mom's basement???
View attachment 8369223
View attachment 8369222
- Unscrew handle
- Use socket or wrench to remove locking nut. Various other parts will slide off.
- Slide "mount" off of spindle. Kinda tricky.
- Remove white plastic washer, decide if you want to remove all grease or just wipe excess off
- Put your new CF washer on
- Reassemble and fine-tune the gross tightness by tightening/loosening locknut
- Spin on handle and go shoot
View attachment 8369224
Carry on.
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