Vibram Discs (don't get caught without your rubber)

[cjskier]

I did nearly the same thing last weekend with an X-link Ridge. Tagged the first tree in my way from the tee and gave it a nice warp, but only on the side that hit the tree(unlike other putter that the whole thing would warp with that kind of hit). It has 2 slight what look to be permanent creases where she bent. Still flies the same, but feels a bit odd now.

I'd love to hear an update on this disc. Did it work its way back a bit for you? Did you try heating it up a touch and seeing if it would go back?

Its been about a week or week and a half since I happened. I was able to message out most of the damage the day it happened. Since then it has flattened back out completely, but you can still feel where it creased. Flies the same to me though. But, like I said, my soft Bangers would have been permanently ruined by that shot.

 

[TheCarGuy]

I tried out the ridges that some on here suggested to me to replace the banger gt. I got 2 in the firm plastic. They were harder than I like and felt to slick for my liking also. Flight wise they were noticeably more stable than my bangers and do not glide as well. I also got a VP when I ordered the ridges and like it better but it is not totally what I was looking for either. Last night I ordered 2 regular summits, 1 regular VP, and a regular ridge. I would love to be able to use vibram because the durability is outstanding and I have always loved their soles I am also tired of going through Pro D plastic at a rapid rate due to hitting things and ESP is too slick for my liking. Hopefully these will be grippier, a little softer, and have a little more glide while being less stable. The ridge was what was suggested to me as a banger lover, maybe the summit is closer because the ridge is much more stable.

 

[Mr. Plow]

Has anyone had the tops on their proto VPs start to sink in? It's really strange because my discs are always stored vertically in my bag, and I can't figure out why the top started to cave in because it's never been layed flat for an extended period of time. It has spent a few hours in the trunk of my car in 100 degree heat, but they're never laying down flat so I can't figure out what happened. I was thinking about laying it upside down and pouring some hot water in it to flatten it out, but with the Vibram logo slightly protruding from the top I don't think this will completely fix the problem. Anyone else had similar problems? How did you fix it?

Also, has anyone experimented with dying any of the Vibram putters yet? I just got a really nice looking gray/light blue granite firm VP from PIAS used, but want to dye it to a color that's easier to find.

 

[booter]

it could be from the putter being against another disc and reating a suction and the heat just made it more malleble(sp?) and it aved in the top.

 

[jubuttib]

Also, has anyone experimented with dying any of the Vibram putters yet? I just got a really nice looking gray/light blue granite firm VP from PIAS used, but want to dye it to a color that's easier to find.

There have been some pictures, apparently they dye very well indeed. Some have noted that sometimes the dye also spreads straight through the disc, creating a mirror image on the bottom.

Vibram Ridge

Vibram Ridge

 

[Mr. Plow]

it could be from the putter being against another disc and reating a suction and the heat just made it more malleble(sp?) and it aved in the top.

Booter, I think you're onto something. Generally, I do have my bag packed pretty full which makes that a possibility.

Jubuttib, those dyes look really nice! Thanks for the info. I'll probably just try to dye the whole thing one solid color as I don't have experience doing nice looking dyes like those.

 

[booter]

yea I only say that because I've had that happen to me when I arried my fuse on the side pocket of my sim. I had it in between 2 rocs and I took it out later after a roound and it was flat. I usually tend to take my bag out and not leaveit in the ar because I've had discs warp in my old bag that was packed to the brim

 

[Jeronimo]

Steve, any chance of seeing a black and white marble or "chunk" colored series of putters?

 

[dgdave]

Are the ascents pdga approved?

 

[Timko]

No.

 

[Steven Dodge]

it could be from the putter being against another disc and reating a suction and the heat just made it more malleble(sp?) and it aved in the top.

Booter, I think you're onto something. Generally, I do have my bag packed pretty full which makes that a possibility.

Jubuttib, those dyes look really nice! Thanks for the info. I'll probably just try to dye the whole thing one solid color as I don't have experience doing nice looking dyes like those.

I believe we just found the problem. When I showed the team a collapsed top sample, no one was able to come up with a theory that held water. The rubber compound was the same, the pressure when molding was the same, the color could not cause it. Then today while I was in the molding room we saw a collapsed top on one that had not even been packaged yet. It turns out that there was a molder on 3rd shift that would cool the discs right side up (even though the work instructions clearly state to cool them up side down!) This would cause some of the discs to have weak tops (or totally collapsed tops). We had a retailer return a half dozen discs for this issue last week so I knew something was weird in Denmark.

I talked with QC and they will be talking with the 3rd shift molders and this won't happen again.

If anyone has a collapsed top on their Vibram disc and they would like it replaced, please ship it back to me at the address below with a return address and a date of purchase (I don't need a receipt, just an approximate guess). You pay for shipping to me and I'll pay for shipping of the new one back to you. This should not have happened and if anyone is unhappy with their disc, we will make it right. Send the disc to:

Quabaug Corp.
Steve Dodge / Collapsed Top
18 School St.
North Brookfield, MA 01535

 

[Steven Dodge]

Are the ascents pdga approved?

We'll send them to the PDGA after we are satisfied with the field tester results.

 

[dgdave]

So, it there an opening on the 3rd shift now? I' looking for a new job.

(Note to self, cool discs upside down)

 

[zj10021]

thats great customer service. amazing

 

[Jeronimo]

I believe we just found the problem. When I showed the team a collapsed top sample, no one was able to come up with a theory that held water. The rubber compound was the same, the pressure when molding was the same, the color could not cause it. Then today while I was in the molding room we saw a collapsed top on one that had not even been packaged yet. It turns out that there was a molder on 3rd shift that would cool the discs right side up (even though the work instructions clearly state to cool them up side down!) This would cause some of the discs to have weak tops (or totally collapsed tops). We had a retailer return a half dozen discs for this issue last week so I knew something was weird in Denmark.

I talked with QC and they will be talking with the 3rd shift molders and this won't happen again.

You wouldn't believe how often I deal with shit like this. People don't like it but the fact is manufacturing is about saying what you do, and doing what you say, over and over and over again. A lot of times the reason people do stuff like this is because they don't understand why the work instructions were written the way they were in the first place. Not that you're looking for advice on how to handle the matter Steve, but mention to your QC guys that being proactive and including/engaging the laborers is more effective in defect prevention than punishment. You always have to draw a line in the sand at some point though.

 

[Vegan Ray]

You wouldn't believe the inhuman punishments he would impose when I used to work for him. A really cruel taskmaster, that Steve Dodge.

 

[jubuttib]

Luckily mine are fine, the shipping would be more than the disc is worth. =)

Sidetracking a bit: Have/could you test what would happen if you cooled your discs upside down and in a rack that has a hole where the flightplate is? If cooling it right side up leads to a sunken flight plate, maybe you this way you could get some dome on the disc. And if it's cooling right after molding, it'd probably hold better than any post-production modification we can do. Just a thought for an experiment.

 

[Mad Scientist]

Steve, any chance of seeing a black and white marble or "chunk" colored series of putters?

I'd love some plain white Ridges in regular X-Link :thumbup:

 

[Mike C]

Any plans to mark the plastic type on the bottom of the discs? I recently lost my Ridge and had to guess at which plastic type it was when I traded for a replacement. I got one that's exactly the same, and a Ridge and VP that feel much floppier. I'm happy with all three but I figured it would be nice for reference.

 

[Carter]

I picked up a back up granite x-link ridge from dgc that had a sunken top. I sent it in to get replaced(thanks Steve/Vibram), but just an fyi that DiscGolfCenter's inventory may be of the sunken variety.