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Post by SeaRat on Nov 28, 2004 17:59:10 GMT -8
Well, today in Portland is a "dark and gloomy day." It is also cold, at a high of about 39 degrees, and foggy. My wife and I slept too long for me to go to the pool this morning, so I took a bicycle ride and almost froze my fingers (they were a bit numb). So what to do on a "dark and gloomy day"?
One thing is to start a thread on my second regulator, the Healthways Scuba Star. I bought it while a teenager in about 1962. It was my first single hose regulator. I did not keep it long, as it was not a high performing regulator and moved on to a better rig (AMF Voit V-11 Viking 40 regulator and an 80 cubic foot steel tank).
But when I saw one recently going on E-bay for almost nothing, I bought it. A few days ago, I received it, and before trying it out, tore it apart to see whether it was worth reconditioning. Well, it was not new, but the corrosion was minimal and all parts were well-kept. The tilt valve worked, the piston had only a little corrosion, and I was able to bring it back to life. The O-rings are now replaced, it has a new exhaust valve, the corrosion is gone, and the regulator is functioning the same as when it was new.
It breaths a bit harder than my other regulators, but its not a terrible breather. It locks up nicely, no leaks at all, and is now ready for another 42 years.
So I now have a bit of my personal diving history back in the form of my second-ever regulator. I had used it on a 38 cubic foot tank in my teen years, but I'm not looking to get another tank. It's not ready to go to 1000 feet, like my AMF Voit (the USD version, the Calypso) did, or even to 100 feet. But I may take it into the pool for ol' times sake.
It was a "dark and gloomy day," made a bit nicer by a old memory.
What do you do when it's winter, it's dark and gloomy outside, and you cannot even get into a pool? What is your coping mechanism?
John
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Post by seakrakken on Nov 29, 2004 0:49:09 GMT -8
You need a more ambitious Winter Project to keep you occupied, Mate. Gloomy Days in Northern Latitudes are dangerous. Keep combing Ebay for something that strikes your interest to restore. Start a DIY Project for use in the Spring or Summer, Build a Scooter if you havn't already or even worse yet, start down the road to ruin with me and start building on a Homemade Closed Circuit Pure O2 Death Machine (Rebreather). This futile project has kept me preoccupied mentally, physically and monetarily for a couple of years now. Put lots of impossible rules on your project like everthing must "come off the shelf" but, not be from an actual purpose built Underwater Rebreather. Nothing may be made on a Lathe or Mill. Nothing in the project is allowed to be custom fabricated by an outside Pro. I assure you, you'd be wise to stick to restoring beautifull pieces of Scuba Engineering saved from Ebay.
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Post by cstmwrks on Nov 29, 2004 7:55:10 GMT -8
Aaaah Dearest and most lovable Seakrakken!! The fond memories of building a rebreather from off the shelf parts found at the local plumbing shop! I do hope that you allow your own hand fabrication and the use of a drill? I hope I'm not killing the fun but I'll drop some hints on stuff that I have done in the area of building with limited tool abilities. The lowest budget method of a manual add valve that I ever came up with was using the helium balloon inflator threaded to the regulator body. Worked like a charm.. may even have an image of one laying about. One quik tilt in any direction and you has gas. I do have a small lathe now. I make my own manual ad valves from a brass tire stem silver soldered to the regulator adapter and then nickle plated. The push button is delrin and the "boot" at the base of the valve is a dip formed rubber part. Cheapest mouth piece ever: 2" of 3/4 pvc pipe. Takes some time with a file or mototool but you grind a groove 1/2 wide at one end ( basicly your making a lip for the rubber mouth piece ) then heat it with a hair drier and form one end to fit. The other end works perfect in the small end of a two hose regulator hose. I make my own DSV from a PVC TEE and delrin at this point. 1/4 turn ball valves have worked and can be converted without a lathe. They just look ugly. Lowest cost lungs on the face of the planet, think LATEX. Buy a yard or two from McMaster Carr and get a can of plain old office cement ( Carters, in the red jar ).. Possabilities are just about endless for shape and design. The method of glueing a seam requires it to be buffed ( just like tire patching ) on both parts. Cement spread on both parts and allowd to dry for 5 minutes, then again with a coat of cement and dry for 10 minutes. Press them togeather ( sorry, skill and practice may be required ) and in about 24 hours the seam will be about as strong as the sheat itself. At this point I use a former and make my own chest mount lung. Its called the MR101.. some where out ther on the web there are images of it. And as a parting thought.. the rebreather is NOT the death machine.. that is the wrong and fatal addatude to have. No matter what kind of crap pile your home built is, the death machine is the diver and his combination of skill and knowledge, or lack of. Lot of people who dive commercial rebreathers have died.. even on $30,000.00 units designed to make all kinds of system falures "survivable". So far I know of no documented case of any deaths on a home built. I recall a rumor over a year ago but never got confirmation of it. A well thought out 02 rebreather can be built for under $100.00 including a NEW 02 tank. No lathe needed.
Bill
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Post by seakrakken on Nov 30, 2004 1:52:44 GMT -8
You are my kind of people Cstmwrks! I've read about your work on several other sites and you have my sincerest admiration for the excellent work you've done. For those who are not aware of your work please allow me to direct them to one site which still has a copy of the MR101. www.therebreathersite.nl/william_sewell_mr101.htmI for one find your solutions to the challenges of homemade diving to be eloquent. I have striven not to plagerize anyone else's work though. I'm perfectly happy to borrow from everyone but, I don't want to be a copycat. When I fiinish my project I'll take a few pics and post them for everyone's entertainment. Salute! #nosmileys
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Post by Deleted on Nov 30, 2004 9:44:57 GMT -8
I also am in nitrogen withdrawal. I use this time to repair and build gear, remembering a time when you either made it or did without! I also am doing some repairs and upgrades to my boat. Recently I got an unusual weight belt on ebay with round weights held on by a screw. There were only 4 so I am building a mould to make some more. I also use the winter to hit my personal fitness program harder as diving constitutes most of my exercise in the summer. Good to be a member of the forum. John
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Post by cstmwrks on Nov 30, 2004 15:16:28 GMT -8
Thanks for the kind words. I'll not spoil your fun with suggestions on rebreather building. Dumb trivia question: any one know what the "M" "R" of MR101 stands for?
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Post by seakrakken on Nov 30, 2004 17:12:28 GMT -8
I'll bite. Does it stand for Manual Rebreather? As far as spoiling my fun by making suggestions goes, I love talking about rebreathers and DIY Projects of all sorts. I know I said I was trying to avoid plagerism but, what I meant was I was just trying to not make an outright copy of someones elses work. I gues it would be hard not to emulate an existing operating principle like Draeger's LAR V or maybe Dr. Bob's FEOR. I tried to copy Draeger's DSV and I think I came pretty close. I'll try to score a digital camera soon and put some pics up later. I'm going to take your suggestion for making counterlungs from Latex. I've been playing with Polyethylene with lame results. I've also been contemplating getting a local fabricator to set up tooling to make a new down stream single stage two hose regulator. I've just got to wait awhile to move toward that because, I just bought a new house and money is tight right now.
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Post by Deleted on Nov 30, 2004 20:06:32 GMT -8
I had a copy of "Shallow Water Diving and Spearfishing" in high school(42 yrs ago) and built a rebreather from plans in the book. I believe I am alive today because I never used it! About that time I discovered SCUBA. Probably saved my life. I do however want to build and use a shallow water helmet from a water heater tank. Sort of as a spoof, just to be doing something in the shop. John
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Post by seakrakken on Nov 30, 2004 22:12:55 GMT -8
Welcome to the forum FrogFoot. I'd love to see those plans. I'd also love to see your helmet once you've made it. I love seeing great DIY's
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Post by Deleted on Dec 1, 2004 8:44:50 GMT -8
Plans for rebreather are in copies of the book "Shallow Water Diving" They are frequently on ebay and I think one is on there now. Recently a water tank or milk churn helmet went for over $500 on ebay. I just have to do one! Will keep the board advised. Its good to be on the forum. I was on a Yahoo group, but the spam got too much!! I got most of my mould finished last night for round, screw on weights. Need a way to coat them in plastic. Anyone have any ideas?? I am getting a pretty good collection of old fins and interesting doubles if anyone wants to get a discussion going on those. Also would like to know how Dan plans to use those Nemrod triples he beat me out of on ebay last month!!!
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Post by BLT on Dec 1, 2004 11:47:11 GMT -8
I got most of my mould finished last night for round, screw on weights. Need a way to coat them in plastic. Anyone have any ideas?? Would Plasti-dip tool coating work? It is a liquid that you can dip your tool handles in to give them a soft plastic coating. I think it is available at Home Depot, Lowes and probably your local hardware store...
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Post by Bryan on Dec 1, 2004 12:56:06 GMT -8
It works pretty good but I have found that the brush on stuff works much better and if you apply several coats one right after the other it will make 1 solid thick coat. Kinda like working with black neoprene cement.
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Post by Deleted on Dec 1, 2004 13:03:20 GMT -8
I worked with some sort of dip I got at ACE but it was slow to dry and had some grit in it to keep it from slipping. Will look for Plasti stuff. The original weights were coated and had a pattern like little bulls eyes. I need a way to screw 1/4" screws into the back to hold them on but feel if I tapped the lead it would eventually strip out. Found some thread inserts for wood but not sure they will screw in. Thread inserts for metal are steel but will rust. Guess I could Heli Coil them. The buckle is a "Rusco". I think Dan has one on his museum site as being sort of rare. John
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Post by BLT on Dec 1, 2004 13:17:03 GMT -8
I don't know if the "liquid electrical tape" stuff these guys sell is what Bryan was talking about, but here is a link to the plasti-dip stuff I was thinking about. It may also be the stuff you used, since they also sell one with non-skid stuff in it (according to the website) Hope this helps- www.plastidip.com/consumer/index.html
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Post by Gomez' echo on Dec 1, 2004 14:02:24 GMT -8
The plastidip stuff works good, just dip the weight into the material. You will need a larger container so that the weight is entirely submerged. I have a cannon ball mold (yes, for 2 1/4" cannon balls, from another hobby) that I make weights for my dive flag float, etc. When the lead is still molten I insert a stainless steel eye screw. You can also pour around it if you have enough room. Anyway, the screw or bolt is cast into the weight. You might even drill a hole in the screw and put a small brad at 90 degrees to the screw shaft. Insert this into the mold and then pour your lead. The screw will not come out. Again something to do in the gloom of winter.
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