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Post by james1979 on Jun 24, 2020 11:20:52 GMT -8
Hello, Just found this board today.... I'm active on SB and VDH forums already. Not that experienced as a diver, but a tinkerer by nature... I started on DIY a few years ago by buying an old Conshelf XII off fleabay for cheap just to see how they work. That taught me enough that I'm not really interested in "New" gear, and now I primarily dive that Conshelf XII with an SP 109 second and Conshelf alternate. I have a few dives on DAAMs (one with Cyclone, HPR upgrades from VDH, and one bone stock right down to the old diaphragm and resurfaced HP seat). Working on getting some 38s back in service for my 10 y.o. to use as singles, and tinkering away on other projects. Respectfully, James
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Post by nikeajax on Jun 24, 2020 12:25:56 GMT -8
Ahoy James, and welcome shipmate! Our site isn't the biggest, but it is the first of its kind I like to think of it as "The island of the misfit toys", which you might get if you've ever seen the old Rank & Bass "Rudolf the Red Nosed Reindeer" from the 1960's. We love weird stuff here, the more esoteric, the better. My fave regs are Heathways and Dacor, in that order: not a big fan of USD gear as it's way too easy to service and almost zero challenge to get things right again, like the Chevrolet of the scuba world. I love anything old: history is fun! Jaybird
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Post by james1979 on Jun 25, 2020 4:10:31 GMT -8
For the record, Rudolf is mandatory annual viewing in our household! Now that I've found this board, I've been doing some deep reading on it, and see the predilection for Healthways... So I blame you all if I buy one to work on, lol! As for weird and esoteric, one of my hobbies is 3d printing.... so if any of you run into a part that you think may be well served by printing it, let me know and I'll probably take a crack at it. I generally open source things to Thingiverse, unless they are truly safety critical (yay, litigious society!)... but even those I'll sometimes send to people of like mind (know they are tinkering and taking their life in their own hands!). Respectfully, James
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Post by scubalawyer on Jun 25, 2020 6:25:52 GMT -8
Well James, now that you have put your 3D skill set out there.... Can you make a workable HW exhaust diaphragm? See photo below. Many of us have been working on an analog nylon-impregnated silicone version with limited success. If you could come up with a 3D printable version that would be fantastic. Feel free to contact me by email or PM and I'll give you my phone number so we can talk. Thanks, Mark. P.S. I'm also over on VDH.
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Post by james1979 on Jun 25, 2020 7:01:01 GMT -8
Mark, Guess I need to throw out some disclaimers/expectation management! I can print in ABS plastic, PLA plastic, and TPU (which is a duro 95 Urethane). For that job, the best I could do for you would be printing molds that could be used to cast the diaphragms in a more suitable material. For Scuba applications, I generally am making parts in ABS. Only TPU parts I've done are SP 108/109 Diaphragm covers, and I've done a first stage to body gasket on a DAAM that works, but is more sensitive to overtorque than the VDH nylon ones (I tried it because I was to lazy/impatient to wait for shipping on VDH gaskets)! Respectfully, James
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Post by scubalawyer on Jun 25, 2020 7:10:30 GMT -8
Mark, Guess I need to throw out some disclaimers/expectation management! I can print in ABS plastic, PLA plastic, and TPU (which is a duro 95 Urethane). For that job, the best I could do for you would be printing molds that could be used to cast the diaphragms in a more suitable material. For Scuba applications, I generally am making parts in ABS. Only TPU parts I've done are SP 108/109 Diaphragm covers, and I've done a first stage to body gasket on a DAAM that works, but is more sensitive to overtorque than the VDH nylon ones (I tried it because I was to lazy/impatient to wait for shipping on VDH gaskets)! Respectfully, James
Actually, the only thing the HW exhaust diaphragm needs to do is hold back the ocean from entering the can and be strong enough for a clamp not to cut into it. There is a duckbill in the exhaust hose anyway so a solid piece should work fine. Willing to explore possibilities? Mark
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Post by james1979 on Jun 25, 2020 7:32:00 GMT -8
Absolutely, just wanted to throw out the limitations of the materials and process. I'll find the thread where you are working on this already and jump in there.
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Post by nikeajax on Jun 25, 2020 9:43:00 GMT -8
So, James, where you at mate? My wife and I live in the San Francisco Bay Area JB
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Post by james1979 on Jun 25, 2020 17:44:28 GMT -8
Sorry, I'm down in Lower Alabama, just north of the Florida panhandle... my wife dives rarely (definition of a warm water tourist diver), my 14 y.o. son dives more often, but doesn't like cold water and has no interest in double hose, and my 10 y.o. will dive til he's cold (he has no fat, so it doesn't take long in the springs) but has already claimed a DAAM as his! Respectfully,
James
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Post by nikeajax on Jun 25, 2020 18:03:41 GMT -8
James, how wonderful is that You have to get him a Scuba model-C, or Goldie! JB
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Post by james1979 on Jun 26, 2020 3:50:26 GMT -8
Well, for DH regs, I only have USD stuff.... and my wife would murder me if I bought more right now. I did tell Phil that at this rate, I need a Healthways if nothing else to have a source of measurements on hand for projects! I dig the trunk... now that is way to display classics that are still in use! This fall we will be picking up a 65 GMC pickup that has been in my wife's family since new... when I get that running right, one of my goals is to drive it to the dive site to dive my W. Dehli DAAM on a 1963 1/2 NPS neck steel 72. That or on one of the early 1940s bushing 38's that I'm getting set up for Ryan (my 10 y.o.).
James
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Post by nikeajax on Jun 26, 2020 8:48:19 GMT -8
James, here's my first car I bought when I was 19, and restored myself, a 1956 Buick Century: this is taken at our last house: JB
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Post by tomcatpc on Jun 27, 2020 3:31:03 GMT -8
Welcome aboard! Mark
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