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Post by sticks97687 on Sept 14, 2014 7:02:43 GMT -8
Hello all. I am new to the forum and about to be new to diving again. I have decided to get back in the water after a 20 year hiatus so I got re-certified and then dug out my old gear. My last dive in '94 was in the Red Sea and was amazing so I'm not sure how I lost momentum but there ya go.
I have a dead BC (to be replaced) and a Voit Swimaster with USD yellow octo and a Tekna console with integrated knife (and an ancient little dive computer/bottom timer). I Also have a second rig of a Sherwood Magnum II with Parkway gauges.
I am looking for advice on whether I can or should bother to refurb this equipment or just move on. I don't expect to be doing any extreme diving 60' or less in warm water. Any advice would be appreciated.
Take care, Mark.
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Post by nikeajax on Sept 14, 2014 8:08:53 GMT -8
Ahoy Mark, can you give us some images? Also, welcome aboard... Swimaster was not a model, but actually part of the name of the company; at one point they were AMF-Voit-Swimaster: are you confused yet?
Jaybird
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Post by sticks97687 on Sept 14, 2014 10:50:35 GMT -8
Thanks Jaybird. I was born confused. I'm pretty sure its a Mk 12 II. It has the venture tube. Just brought it to a local shop and he said parts are no longer available and to toss it. Do you agree?? :-) He is servicing the Sherwood Magnum II which he said was a mediocre unit but usable.
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Post by nikeajax on Sept 14, 2014 11:27:47 GMT -8
Mark, what you have is an MR-12: does it have the black label, or the bull'-eye? You LDS is full of ca-ca: since you said it has the venturi, I'm guessing it's the one with the bull's eye: no these are excellent breathers! Your LDS just wants to sell you new stuff: parts can be had for these but you need to know where to look... Chances are, your second stage diaphragm is still good, I hope? I've heard that the Mares diaphragm will fit the newer models like yours: Mares still makes an incarnation of the MR-12. We can help you get it up to working order, and make it safe to boot!
Jaybird
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dalec
New Member
Posts: 8
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Post by dalec on Sept 14, 2014 12:00:25 GMT -8
Hi Sticks welcome to the board, When it comes to vintage era gear most of us tend to look at what LDS's say with a jaded eye. As Jay said, they are really in the business to sell new gear and 99.9% of the people they deal with want off the shelf, new stuff. It isn't really their fault (sort of), it's just the mental attitude that dominates the dive industry. Not to paint all professional types with the same brush either. Sometimes you will find a guy (or gal) who also appreciates quality but that's why we tend to use forums like this for info. The choice to go vintage or not probably has more to do with you as a person than with the gear. In some ways it will always be easier to slap down some money and walk out of a store with what you "need" to dive. And you will fit in more with the majority of divers if you use what they use. Those of us that dive vintage usually do so because we like doing so, the same way some people "like" driving old sports cars or non electric hand tools. Some do it for the simplicity, some for the memories, some for the challenge. I don't know about the Voit but if it can be restored someone on the boards will know it and will be able to point the way to parts. But be be careful... Few among us still have that "one" regulator we initially thought would do. This thing has a way of taking over once you've been bit and it's best to make sure you have room in the basement, garage, den, closets, sheds etc... first
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Post by nikeajax on Sept 14, 2014 12:43:28 GMT -8
Sitkadiver (Dave) knows a lot about these regs, as does Searat (John): they both have nothing but good things to say about them. I have one: But as you can see it's the older style: I have yet to dive it... They are a pretty straightforward reg as far as working on them goes. For me anyway, there's a romance to old things, the styling, the history, and I think above all, the mystique of having something interesting that most people are convinced is going to kill me I love history, and it's fun to go back and look at the regs that came before what I have. I also like it when I'm watching an old TV show or movie and I see something that I have, or want: like watching an old monster movie with my wife and seeing an obscure reg and then thinking, "Boy, you NEVER see those anywhere..." I just won a Divair which was sold by Healthways. Searat-John got me hooked on Healthways stuff: a few years back I was watching and old monster movie and the heroes were using Divairs. I used to have a Nash Rambler too, and I wanted one because Lois Lane and Jimmy Olson would drive around in one on the old Superman TV show... Yeah, I'll be the first to admit I'm a nerd! Jaybird
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Post by herman on Sept 14, 2014 13:58:47 GMT -8
Pretty much any of the MR-12 series can be serviced, finding someone to do it is the problem since most shops will not service any reg that they can't get an official service kit for. That said, any of MR-12 series use most of the same parts that the current MR-12 uses (and darn near every USD/AL ever made). Second stages are easy including the older one shown above. No service kits are available for it but the main diaphragm from the Mares Abyss fits and the rest of the parts are common ones. The Sherwoods are also easy to service and any Sherwood dealer will likely be able to help you with the Magnum.
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Post by nikeajax on Sept 14, 2014 14:41:44 GMT -8
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Post by sitkadiver on Sept 16, 2014 8:37:14 GMT -8
Hello Mark,
Welcome to the board. I suppose I need to check in more often. Although I appreciate Jay's compliment, I am in no way an expert on these regs. I own 2 second stages, one is an MR-12 II like you describe. I've dove it several times and never had a problem. I also have about 5 or six of the first stages. I use those for dive work because I like the way the hoses are routed. (I think the thread Jay posted has pictures of all.)
I just did a small rebuild on a Tekna guage. There are very few parts and all that you'll likely need are a couple of o-rings on either side of the air bar. I don't have any first hand experience with the Parkway, but most SPG are sourced from a supplier and re-labeled. I do know that Parkway had a great reputation for many years. But, living on an island, I don't get out much and could not tell you anything bout their current parts supplies.
My philosophy on SPG repairs is a simple one - "If it isn't broken, don't fix it". I think if your SPGs are working, you're good to go. If they're leaking air, a couple of 90 durometer o-rings will get you back in business.
Anyway, hope that helps and have fun with the restorations and diving.
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Post by seattlelaw on Jul 18, 2015 7:37:51 GMT -8
I have a pair of 1973 MR-12's; they are not Titans; not bulls eye; they are black face; they were rebuilt in about 1980 the mouthpiece on one is torn off so I need a mouthpiece; is there anyone who can work on them and figure out whether they are safe to dive or not?
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Post by herman on Jul 18, 2015 9:32:55 GMT -8
Welcome to the board. Not likely you will find anyone willing to work on them but that said, they are basically US Divers/Aqualung Conshelfs internally. Very easy to service and parts can be substituted if you know what your doing. That said, if they are serviced they are fine to dive.
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Post by SeaRat on Jul 18, 2015 16:15:58 GMT -8
Okay, great to have both of you here, SeattleLaw and Sticks97687. I have several things to say about the MR-12 and the MR-12 II. I have used the MR-12 for many, many years and it is a great, reliable, simple regulator. Like Sitkadiver above, I really like the hose routings of the MR-12 first stage (same on both regulators). It is a simple one to maintain too. I'll supply parts diagrams and some ads for both a bit later. I have an MR-12 second stage on my Trieste II as an octopus, and have had that configuration for some twenty years. I used it on my dives on July 2 and July 4th, 2015, actually and you can see them being used in the video I shot and posted here titled "Salmon in Trouble." We were issued MR-12s in the U.S. Air Force when I was a pararescueman and that regulator had U.S. Navy Approval. (The "MR" stands for "Military Regulation" if my memory is correct, and the U.S. Navy used a bunch of them). The "vortex assist" from the venturi tube was an added feature of the MR-12 II, and apparently resulted in easier breathing at depth under high workloads. archive.rubicon-foundation.org/xmlui/handle/123456789/4809archive.rubicon-foundation.org/xmlui/bitstream/handle/123456789/4809/NEDU_1977_09.pdf?sequence=1You will notice that the Naval Experimental Diving Unit recommended changes to the MR-12 II second stage diaphragm to decrease cracking pressure. This is because this regulator, and the MR-12 predecessor, used a neoprene-impregnated nylon diaphragm, which was somewhat hard to pull down. This will increase with age, but because of the toughness of these diaphragms, I've found that taking them out, dousing them with silicone grease, and then vigorously moving them up and down with your fingers decreases the problem (increases the flexibility). But so also would replacing the diaphragm with a new Mares diaphragm if it fits (see above statements). Dan Barringer at this Vintage Scuba Supply website will take an MR-12 or MR-12 II and recondition it if you like. I believe that Dan also has second stage diaphragms for the MR-12. John
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Post by SeaRat on Jul 23, 2015 7:01:35 GMT -8
Well, I finally got to scanning the Swimaster MR-12 II Parts Diagram. The parts diagram for the MR-12 is identical, except for the cover, as the only difference is in the second stage body. John
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