|
Post by SeaRat on Jul 13, 2022 12:43:55 GMT -8
For those who don’t know, the buckle shown is only half the buckle. Also, this is the weight belt buckle, as the La Spiro system did not have a waist strap. John
|
|
|
Post by Aquala1 on Jul 18, 2022 5:58:07 GMT -8
For those who don’t know, the buckle shown is only half the buckle. Also, this is the weight belt buckle, as the La Spiro system did not have a waist strap. John So is it easy to unclip the crotch strap from the weight belt if the diver needs to ditch weight?
|
|
|
Post by SeaRat on Jul 18, 2022 9:11:20 GMT -8
For those who don’t know, the buckle shown is only half the buckle. Also, this is the weight belt buckle, as the La Spiro system did not have a waist strap. John So is it easy to unclip the crotch strap from the weight belt if the diver needs to ditch weight? Yes, it simply falls away. You can see that there is a metal loop that fits into the "J" on the buckle. In this photo from World Without Sun, you can see the buckle with the crotch strap attached, and no waist strap. 0617ABC6-1BD6-46B2-A933-AF654A2C8DD2 by John Ratliff, on Flickr If you want to see this buckle is use, watch Cousteau's World Without Sun. Here is a photo from the book of the same name. La Spiro W.B. Buckle001 by John Ratliff, on Flickr John
|
|
|
Post by james1979 on Oct 1, 2022 14:15:09 GMT -8
Working on a printed 2nd stage body to use factory DAAM/RAM poppet and a modified 1085 lever. Spring is one I ordered for something else a while back... I'll dig out the packaging to get the specs. Version 4 is printing, if I get a clean print pictures will follow. There are main jets 180 out from each other, and both have set screws so they can be closed/adjusted for tuning (that's the idea anyway). The prints are ugly, but should be functional.
|
|
|
Post by vance on Oct 1, 2022 14:34:47 GMT -8
That's pretty slick. The possibilities are endless, eh? I wonder what the lateral movement of the poppet shaft will do to the plastic bearing surface over time. When I made delrin second stages, I added a brass "top hat" to it as a spring seat and poppet shaft bearing, even though delrin is pretty hard. Maybe a bit of brass tubing would keep it from wearing? I know, I know. I gotta add metal to everything! It's my nature as a metal head... What will the lever look like? I did this to a single stage lever. It works, but I don't like the interference with the IP adjuster. It limits throw quite a bit:
|
|
|
Post by james1979 on Oct 1, 2022 14:52:16 GMT -8
|
|
|
Post by vance on Oct 1, 2022 16:07:35 GMT -8
Yes, I see. My concern is that when the lever pulls the poppet up, it is pulled forward as well. A washer would keep this from making a groove in the bearing hole if the washer can't move in the bore. I'd use a fairly thick one to increase the bearing surface and make sure it fits pretty tight.
Your lever appears to be bent to sit really high. Does it fit under the diaphragm on your Trieste, as is?
I think it'd need to be lower to work in a set of FX or USD metal boxes, which will limit throw quite a bit. I made my single hose lever mod with a double bend foot like the Trieste lever. This raises the rear end of the lever a bit in the box so the bend doesn't have to be as high. I'm not happy with the IP adjuster interference with this kind of lever, no matter what I do.
A split lever is preferable, I think. Hopefully, your tests of this kind of lever will prove me wrong! It sure is easier to mod one of these than cut out and bend a Trieste style lever!
|
|
|
Post by james1979 on Oct 2, 2022 9:27:56 GMT -8
Yes, I see. My concern is that when the lever pulls the poppet up, it is pulled forward as well. A washer would keep this from making a groove in the bearing hole if the washer can't move in the bore. I'd use a fairly thick one to increase the bearing surface and make sure it fits pretty tight. Your lever appears to be bent to sit really high. Does it fit under the diaphragm on your Trieste, as is? I think it'd need to be lower to work in a set of FX or USD metal boxes, which will limit throw quite a bit. I made my single hose lever mod with a double bend foot like the Trieste lever. This raises the rear end of the lever a bit in the box so the bend doesn't have to be as high. I'm not happy with the IP adjuster interference with this kind of lever, no matter what I do. A split lever is preferable, I think. Hopefully, your tests of this kind of lever will prove me wrong! It sure is easier to mod one of these than cut out and bend a Trieste style lever! My hope is that their will be negligible wear in the bore of the body... of course time will tell.. The washer is fairly snug, so that should help. No room for a thicker washer though, due to the short stem on factory DA second stages. I just adjusted the lever to sit a bit lower (you were right about how high it's sitting. If all goes well I'll eventually make a jig for checking proper angle. The S-bend results in the first interference point being the tip of the lever hitting the adjuster... so I think that's going to work out. I agree that a split lever "should" work better, but so far in dry testing this is doing just fine. Speaking of dry testing, I need either a stronger spring, or to shim this one (or adjust the internal design of the body). When I pressurized it, it freeflowed.... so I did the DA trick of just lowering IP til it quit freeflowing. I need to put a gauge to it and see where the IP ended up, but for now it works and I'm going to try it in the pool shortly. If all goes well, I'll make any corrections needed and it will be ready for a beta tester (maybe Aquala1 wants to take that on?). More updates to follow. Respectfully, James
|
|
|
Post by vance on Oct 2, 2022 9:43:44 GMT -8
I would be interested to know just how far a lever has to lift the poppet to get sufficient air flow. They might not need to be lifted very much...
|
|
|
Post by james1979 on Oct 2, 2022 10:55:10 GMT -8
I would be interested to know just how far a lever has to lift the poppet to get sufficient air flow. They might not need to be lifted very much... I would suspect it doesn't take much, just from looking at how short of travel is on the purge button of many single hose regs. Update: I just took it to a whopping depth of 8 FFW (pool out back) for a few minutes, and it delivered all the air I needed (including intentional hard inhales). The venturi was OK, but not anywhere close to a free-flow (suspected cause after pics). It was better than Most of A Scuba, and not as good of a breather as my Cyclone/HPR DAAM.... but I also rushed tuning and didn't really try to optimize it. Pics: Reg assembled (with a Hope-Page clone): Lever Height: Lever at full throw: Suspected cause of weak venturi: Yep, IP was at 80 psi.... Either a different spring, or some reconfiguring of the body internal geometry is in order. I didn't check the IP until after I test dove it.... all told I'm impressed it did that well at that low of an IP. As an aside, if you plan on messing with these old regs with the 3/8 HP ports I highly recommend an IP gauge with a built in OPV. Ask me why I mention it now! Respectfully, James
|
|
|
Post by luis on Oct 2, 2022 12:31:33 GMT -8
Hi James,
If I may suggest, make the castle guiding the lever much taller. You do not want the lever to ever climb on the castles walls, and it will if they are not tall enough (Murphy's law).
Then the lever will pop-out. I have heard that makes for a bad day when you are diving. I have seen it happen on a production second stage (single hose) that the lever pop-off.
In the 3rd picture (the one with the lever fully depressed) the lever edge looks like it is about to climb off on top of the castle... That could be a problem.
Good luck and have fun.
|
|
|
Post by james1979 on Oct 2, 2022 13:50:42 GMT -8
IP is set at 100, venturi is adjustable up to runaway levels via setscrews, and castellation are taller to preclude lever climb-out (per Luis's astute suggestion).
I think I have a usable second stage... Now to get someone to do the dirty work of diving it to give me second opinions!
|
|
|
Post by nikeajax on Oct 2, 2022 14:23:02 GMT -8
If I may suggest, make the castle guiding the lever much taller... I'm surprised it's not called "crenulation": "A pattern along the top of a parapet (fortified wall), most often in the form of multiple, regular, rectangular spaces in the top of the wall, through which arrows or other weaponry may be shot, especially as used in medieval European architecture."
but I remember working on my car and the "castle headed nut" and cotter-pin were what keeps the wheels on: perhaps castles are just easier to remember that my two bit word? JB
|
|
|
Post by vance on Oct 2, 2022 16:11:35 GMT -8
Crennalated, castle, or castellated nut would be the correct term for a ringed-top nut with gaps for a cotter pin. In automotive terms the nuts that accept a cotter pin are called castellated. Crenulation would refer to the making of a crennalated object, and crennulations would be the bits that make it so. I love the English language. There are so many words...
An interesting observation has been made by Luis. I have never had a lever pop out of the retaining ring, but I am now aware it could happen. I always take Luis's warnings seriously. I make mine at least as tall as an HPR, so I hope that's sufficient.
However, I don't think the double bend ears will climb out like a single bend lever as Luis suggests they can, but I need to think about that.
|
|
|
Post by luis on Oct 3, 2022 5:50:41 GMT -8
The probability of an issue with the lever popping-out is low, actually extremely low, but the consequences are very high (risk table inputs). A solution is very easy. Therefore, IMO, the solution becomes a no-brainier... I am just saying... I have only seen it happen once in the wild (real life), but I have been able to simulate it in a semi-artificial condition. Yes, I designed the HPR with this (and many other) considerations.
YMMV
|
|