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Post by nikeajax on Aug 28, 2015 7:42:44 GMT -8
Dave, since you mentioned "Made in France" it reminds me of once when I was looking at some of the things my mom brought back from her parent's farm in Iowa. It was a piece of tapestry that looked European, but when I looked at the back, it read, "Made in Frans": my only thought is that it was made in occupied-Japan for the black market?!?!?!?
Jaybird
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Post by surflung on Aug 31, 2015 7:27:13 GMT -8
- Wow SitkaDiver! That DX has to be the most well preserved example in the world... It's beautiful. And your grandfather's reg... What a thing to show young people who have no idea who they're looking at when they meet old people. I knew an old guy at Church and had no idea he was a Judo expert in the Marines! Just knowing they had a Great Grampa who was a diver has to be inspiring to your kids... Being able to handle his actual diving equipment is something really special.
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Post by surflung on Sept 3, 2015 14:12:16 GMT -8
Another Favorite of Mine...- The Voit VR1 single stage can be seen in quite a few early Sea Hunt episodes. I have a theory that the Voit VR1 and VR2 regs were used because the green hoses showed up better in black and white than the black hoses of USD regulators. The original VR1 Voit Lung had green hoses and a straight green mouthpiece. - My VR1 is actually a Faux VR1... I built it from Mistral guts and a damaged Voit Navy can (label side). I think the original VR1s are very rare... I have seen them selling for up around $700 even when not in very good condition. I figured I could build up my own, have it be much nicer, and cost a lot less. - Well, the "cost a lot less" part ended up being a bit optimistic. Repairing and plating the cans got pretty expensive.... BUT they are way more beautiful than I would have got buying and unrestored original VR1. - I originally planned to put green hoses and a straight green mouthpiece on this regulator. But, I liked the combination of the more modern gray hoses and curved mouthpiece in green to sort of compliment the green color in the label. And since it isn't an original VR1 anyway... And I dive this reg a lot... I have it set up with the hoses and mouthpiece I like the most. Usually I dive this reg with those navy surplus twin38s I fixed up. - The reasons I dive this regulator a lot are because it not only looks nice and authentic, it also breathes exceptionally easy. Being essentially a Mistral inside, I think it breathes better than any other Mistral I've tried... Including four other Mistrals that I have owned. Voit Lung VR1 Model
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Post by SeaRat on Sept 26, 2015 21:07:05 GMT -8
I've had several nice dives this last week, and wanted to weigh in on my favorite single hose regulators. I have a number of them.
For use with the Nautilus Constant Volume System (CVS), I choose the Dacor Pacer 900. It is all metal body construction, and seems to fit onto the Nautilus CVS better than just about all the other regulators. It also has very good performance characteristics.
For pre-1975 regulators, I have one that never was; it is a first generation Calypso modified to accept a second generation LP hose, with a "T" that allows me a low pressure inflator and a safe second octopus. That safe second is a second generation Calypso. I have an old Sea-Vue-style gauge on it too. This regulator is DIR compliant, in that the first generation Calypso is on an extended, six-foot LP hose. If I ever dive with a buddy on a dive boat requiring DIR-configured regulators, I wonder what they will say when I drag out my 50+ year-old modified Calypso. I dove it today, and it performed admirably in the river.
My favorite post-1975 regulator still has to be the Scubapro A.I.R. I, as it's breathing characteristics and stability are amazing. I dove it Thursday, and had a very vigorous dive in which it performed wonderfully.
I'll try getting some photos a bit later.
John
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Post by surflung on Sept 29, 2015 9:50:33 GMT -8
Not fair John... You gotta show us pretty pictures...
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Post by SeaRat on Sept 29, 2015 13:44:28 GMT -8
Okay Eb, Here's the hybrid Calypso regulator. This has the original Calypso first stage, with the nut and the LP hose removed, replaced with a nut from the second generation Calypso, along with a "T,' and then both the original Calypso second stage and the second generation second stage. Along with this is the original USD pressure gauge, and a LP hose for my Para-Sea BC. So you can see, this regulator, parts of which date back to 1961-62, would be very interesting to pull out on a charter boat requiring DIR-equipped regulators. The entire regulator, mounted on a single steel 72. A close-up of the USD pressure gauge. Close-up of the two Calypso second stages. These are generation one and two of the Calypso, from 1961-62 and the middle 1960s. I actually like the first generation Calypso second stage better than the second generation, as it breaths drier. It has the exhalation mushroom valve in the center of the diaphragm (which I have replaced with a silicone mushroom off a Scubapro Son-of-a-Gun snorkel). John
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Post by SeaRat on Sept 29, 2015 13:53:07 GMT -8
Eb, Now, for the Scubapro A.I.R. I regulator. I bought this regulator new. The breathing characteristics of this regulator are outstanding. The design and shape of the second stage, with the diaphragm behind the housing, is extremely streamlined when in river currents and the water's current does not affect it at all. Note two things about the first stage. 1) I have placed on it the cold-water adapter, so the first stage is filled with silicone grease. It is immune to freezing. 2) I have placed the LP hose in the top, and not on the side, of the first stage LP outlets. This means that the LP air comes out of the piston and directly down the LP hose. The LP air doesn't have to make a 90 degree turn, causing turbulence within the first stage. This comes from the Naval Experimental Diving Unit studies of this regulator. This is the second stage of the A.I.R. I regulator. It has a "Pre-dive" and "Dive" setting on the front switch. When the second stage is in my mouth, it is in the "Dive" position, with the lever up. When I take it out on the surface, it is switched to the "Pre-dive" position, and it does not free flow in that position. The other hoses are my LP inflator for my Para-Sea BC, and the dive computer. John
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Post by SeaRat on Sept 29, 2015 14:27:03 GMT -8
Finally, here is the Pacer 900 on the Dacor Nautilus CVS: John
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retpo
Senior Diver
Posts: 63
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Post by retpo on Sept 30, 2015 15:16:38 GMT -8
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