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Post by tomcatpc on Mar 27, 2022 15:18:27 GMT -8
The late 50's Mistral I have is like a hurricane in a hose, great performer!!! Having said that, I hope to have a Healthways "Gold Label" SCUBA one day and see how the two do against each other in the quarter mile!!! Mark
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Post by Jim Perdway on Mar 27, 2022 15:39:29 GMT -8
I always enjoy your videos John, and nice work cleaning up the river like that. I like the narration and all- it's pretty chill, like watching a Sea Hunt Mark, word on the street is that Phil has a real nice one for sale Here is the current Mistral project. I was surprised to see how the original yellow was so well preserved underneath the clamps. I also find it interesting that despite the degraded, clearly unusable condition of all other rubber parts, the mouthpiece is in exceptional condition and certainly still good for diving. I'll probably snag a silicone one anyway while I can, since I don't really know what the lifespan will be on this original one Mistral pre-rebuild by Jim Perdway, on Flickr Mistral disassembly by Jim Perdway, on Flickr
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Post by SeaRat on Mar 27, 2022 18:10:33 GMT -8
Just a note about the silicone mouthpiece for the USD hoses; these are made of more flexible silicone materials, and in heavy current they in the Clackamas River, when I was hanging onto a rock to stay in one place, it tended to bend so much the mouthpiece almost came out of my mouth.
Note that the yellow silicone hoses shown above are just a bit longer than the originals; this, to me, is a plus.
John
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Post by Jim Perdway on Mar 27, 2022 18:25:06 GMT -8
I’m definitely not a good enough diver to handle the currents you do! I like to see it in your videos though. These ones are actually the neoprene repros from Dan. I’m really glad I got them because now he’s out of stock and said he’s not sure when they’ll be available again.
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Post by nikeajax on Mar 28, 2022 16:10:07 GMT -8
Oh jeeze, my heart sank for a moment I thought you'd taken those great old shop stickers off your first Mistral- WHEW! Then I saw it in the background there JB
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Post by Jim Perdway on Mar 29, 2022 6:38:23 GMT -8
Sorry to scare you like that! I hope they hold up fine in the water
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Post by vance on Jul 28, 2022 11:55:11 GMT -8
I made Art C. a lever for his Mistral project. These are scarce as hen's teeth, but not so hard to make a workable lever. I also made a lever carrier a while back. It works fine.
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Post by artc on Jul 28, 2022 20:15:36 GMT -8
Thanks so much Phil, you are truly a wizard when it comes to all things vintage scuba. I hope everyone here on the forum appreciates your knowledge and expertise. And I’ll throw in kindness too. There are a great group of folks on this forum.
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Post by tomcatpc on Jul 29, 2022 8:11:31 GMT -8
Glad to see one more working divable Mistral in the World! Look forward to hearing your first dive log on when this project is done! Mark
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Post by vance on Jul 29, 2022 8:12:00 GMT -8
Thanks for the kind words.
Like others here on the board, I appreciate a challenge. But, anyone who can use a hacksaw, a hammer and vise, and a file can make something like this. One simply has to be willing to spend the time and energy to get it done.
Having a couple pieces of stainless sheet lying around helps, too!
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Post by vance on Jul 31, 2022 14:56:12 GMT -8
These levers don't really need the folded over sides (done for rigidity). Most second stage levers don't have the "spines" and they all work w/o bending. Since these are compound levers, the forces on them are reduced through mechanical advantage.
Even though it isn't that difficult to form the bends, it simplifies the process of making these levers if you omit them. In a pinch, one can make one or a set pretty easily with a hacksaw, a small vise, and files! They might not look the same, but they'd work.
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Post by SeaRat on Jul 31, 2022 16:54:00 GMT -8
These levers don't really need the folded over sides (done for rigidity). Most second stage levers don't have the "spines" and they all work w/o bending. Since these are compound levers, the forces on them are reduced through mechanical advantage. Even though it isn't that difficult to form the bends, it simplifies the process of making these levers if you omit them. In a pinch, one can make one or a set pretty easily with a hacksaw, a small vise, and files! They might not look the same, but they'd work. What I like is the attention to detail on the Mistral levers. The designer (Emile Gagnan???) thought through the process, and came up with a very well-designed single stage regulator which dominated the field for decades. In contrast, the Dacor engineers did not think through the lever system of the R-4 Dacor double diaphragm regulator. If they had, they would not have put that "U" shape in the top lever, and instead gone with the lever system more like the Mistral. (Maybe patent rights kept them from doing that though.) John
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Post by artc on Aug 3, 2022 8:06:01 GMT -8
Thanks to Phil, my Mistral is complete and back together, The regulator is an early West Pico, so I installed the correct new yellow hoses with black mouthpiece, new silicone diaphragm and duckbill. It’s tuned and ready to go back in the water. I’ll give an update on its performance. I think the Mistral has become my favorite DH regulator. Thank you so much Phil, you’re the best.
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Post by nikeajax on Aug 3, 2022 14:24:02 GMT -8
I always love it when someone can fake-it/improvise something To me, that just makes something even more special: I have a J.C. Higgins lantern from the 1950's that someone made their own nut for the top vent, they brazed a washer to a nut, and... I wouldn't change it for the world, it's so, well, he-man and totally boss! You have to be pretty manly to use one, as the generator dumps fuel until it get hot, lots of black smoke and orange flames where they shouldn't be, at the top of the fount! JB
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Post by vance on Aug 3, 2022 19:16:06 GMT -8
My pleasure!
Where the pictures at, Art?
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