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Post by sitkadiver on Aug 24, 2014 8:02:04 GMT -8
I've got a couple of regulators on the shelf that I can rebuild this winter, so I thought I'd get this thing in diving shape. Since it's a Royal with a long yoke, I will leave it fairly original. I will put a band clamp on it thought, they're just way easier to deal with. One of the cool things I found when I took the reg apart was the rectangular label imprint on the round label can: The story I've heard was that USD never threw anything away and would reuse practically everything. Including the cans. Obviously, this one had been around during the transition and then got restamped for a round label. I know this reg came from Florida via the mid west. At some point in it's life, it was stored away with out having been rinsed very well. There is lots of corrosion. The first stage did not want to come apart. I had to coax it out gently and then push the crown block out with the pin. One a good note, all the original parts seem to be there. All the phenolic gaskets were still in place and the duckbill came out in one large piece. I'm also not seeing a ton of scratching on the cans where the c-clips had been removed. My guess is, that if I'm not the first to crack this reg open, I'm at least in a small club.
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Post by duckbill on Aug 24, 2014 14:09:20 GMT -8
Ah, projects! They usually come apart much more easily when soaked in water for a while first. You can add a little white vinegar to help break up the corrosion, but I'm not sure how that would affect the rubber parts (and paint on the square labels).
Also, you'll be pleased to know that round labels didn't get clips from the factory. If clips were on it, then they were likely put on by someone else. That band clamp will be right on this one.
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Post by scubadiverbob on Aug 24, 2014 20:15:16 GMT -8
Looks like at one time, saltwater got into the HP parts ....
What I'd do, if you can find the parts, is replace the HP seat with a Teflon seat and get a high pressure yoke for it. About the only difference in the RAM's and the 3500psi RAM's.
A duckbill replacement they had on VDH might be a great addition. If I didn't have a Hydrotwin II that would've been the next item my DA would've got.
Robert
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Post by SeaRat on Nov 15, 2014 21:23:20 GMT -8
Talking about a Royal Aquamaster Rebuild, my brother Don gave me his Royal Aquamaster a couple of weeks ago. I have had it apart, and it simply needed a new duckbill that I got from Dan and a new intake non-return valve in the mouthpiece. I lubed the diaphragm, and the O-rings in the first stage. It's back together now, awaiting its first use in water in years. Don took very good care of it, and it is a pleasure to get it serviced and back to use. It breaths very nicely too. Donald E. Ratliff, Jr., my brother (Dad's namesake) has just this year retired as a fisheries biologist for Portland General Electric. He used this regulator to make fish counts earlier in his career. He helped establish that the Dolly Varden (now called bull trout, Salvelinus confluentus)was endangered in the Deschutes River, and Don helped bring this fish back from the brink of extinction. Don put together a very good presentation on the recovery efforts he championed. He wrote an article titled Trophy Bull Trout Prowl Lake Billy Chinook. He also was the principal author of a paper titled Distribution, Life History, Abundance, and Limiting Factors of Bull Trout in the Metolius River and Lake Billy Chinook, Oregon, 1983-1994. I am proud to now have his Royal Aquamaster, and put it back into use. John
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Post by surflung on Nov 18, 2014 11:08:22 GMT -8
- The closest I've got to owning a Royal Aqua Master is a DA Aqua Master I rebuilt into a Cyclone HPR with the VDH Cyclone balanced first stage and HPR adjustable 2nd stage. The Cyclone nozzle is supposed to be better than the original Royal nozzle... I think mostly because of modern parts availability. I didn't really notice a big difference in breathing ease between the original non-balanced nozzle and the Cyclone. But I did see a big improvement with the HPR second stage after I set it to block one of the secondary Venturi ports. - This regulator started out a wreck with broken and bent internal parts and alot of deep pitted corrosion. There was nothing of collectible quality so I didn't worry about saving anything and just upgraded the heck out of it. It is replated with electroless nickel and re-built with new springs, seals, diaphragm, duck bill eliminator, etc. After the Cyclone HPR upgrade, it has become my favorite regulator... And I consider it my Royal . - Congratulations on your Royal Aqua Master acquisition... I just bet you will love diving it! Below is a video of me diving my "Royal" Cyclone HPR in freezing conditions...
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Post by sitkadiver on Nov 19, 2014 10:23:10 GMT -8
Great Video Surflung! I'll bet you get a lot of curious divers wondering what that is, especially with the green hoses, hooka port and different first stage.
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Post by sitkadiver on Nov 19, 2014 10:27:07 GMT -8
I am proud to now have his Royal Aquamaster, and put it back into use. John That is something to be proud of. Your brother is happy, knowing his regulator is well taken care of providing you with a wonderful story. My assistant helped me finish my RAM project, so the only thing left for me to do is take it for a dive. I'm hoping to be in the water this weekend. Here are the final touches:
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Post by nikeajax on Nov 19, 2014 14:02:28 GMT -8
Dave, I hope you're paying him a good wage I wish I could say that I was in your neck of the woods, but seeing as Sitka is nowhere close to Fairbanks... I was joking with my wife that your state motto should be, "You can't get there from here..." But, we got to see the Aurora Borealis: I grew my beard out for our pirate party and decided to keep it for our trip, which is why I'm lookin' like an "old sourdough" in my image, I wanted to keep my face warm! I've never had a frosted beard until Saturday morning while trying to de-ice the windshield at 3-degrees--BRRRRRR! Jaybird
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Post by sitkadiver on Nov 19, 2014 17:27:53 GMT -8
Last time I was in Fairbanks was January of 2009. It was about -10 or so and I was out and about with my older son you see in the above photo(he's was 9 months old then). We had him in a snow suit that barely allowed him to move. I didn't mind the cold too much until the wind started to blow. Anytime it's windy and below freezing the cold just gets everywhere! Blows in around your hood and it just plain, well - "blows".
Anyway, looks like you're having fun getting out and shooting the Aurora. Did you make it to Chena Hot Springs? The drive is a bear since it's a two lane road, but once you're there, the hot springs are phenomenal. I really enjoyed swimming under the northern lights. There is also an ice hotel there where you can get the coldest martini in the world - or so they say.
Another nice watering hole is Silver Gulch Brewing. Some of there stuff is a bit stiff, so you may want to get a growler to go. But the food an atmosphere are nice.
If you get time, post some of your photos. I haven't seen the lights yet this winter as we've been getting quite a bit of rain.
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Post by SeaRat on Nov 19, 2014 17:56:13 GMT -8
Dave,
You're getting our rain, and we got a cold spell here in Oregon.
Jaybird,
That is one great photo. You had to plan that one out, and stay still for a while.
John
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Post by nikeajax on Nov 20, 2014 15:31:14 GMT -8
My wife was there on work, so she asked me if I wanted to meet up with her. Here ya go: I'm going to have to do a painting of these lights... Jaybird
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Post by duckbill on Nov 20, 2014 21:04:21 GMT -8
Wow! Those are AWESOME photographs, Jay!
Sitkadiver. He looks truly interested. Start him young and he may be quite the mechanical engineer.
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Post by sitkadiver on Nov 23, 2014 11:32:29 GMT -8
Very nice photos Jay, makes me long for those days gone by when I was working up North at a buying station. Nearest town was 90 miles away, so no light polution. Duckbill, Zeke is quite the builder: Everything form Lego's to tree forts. He helps maintain out boat and helps with oil changes in the vehicles. I dove my Royal Aqua Master yesterday, and it worked perfectly. I used a banjo fitting so I had a computer and SPG. My inflator hose was hooked to the hooka port adaptor, so I also had a drysuit! Overall, it was a great dive, My dive time was over an hour, so the Royal definitely got a good trial by water. Here is an advantage to having a long yoke. We used to know a large Wolf Eel on the breakwater named Cuddles. I haven't seen him in a couple years, so I'm wondering if this young lady is perhaps, his daughter. My buddy Dave Sulser took this shot of me striding off the boat:
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Post by surflung on Nov 23, 2014 11:50:54 GMT -8
- That third picture could win a photography contest. Wow. Your Royal is no slouch either... Congratulations on your successful re-build!
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Post by nikeajax on Nov 23, 2014 11:53:12 GMT -8
Looks good buddy!
I'm glad that your kids are a part of your life, as opposed your just being their Father: kids need to know they can trust their parents, and that trust is gained by parents respecting them, and ISN'T an obligation of theirs! All too often I see parents really demeaning their kids, and saddened when I see their responses...
Jaybird
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