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Post by SeaRat on Aug 8, 2020 7:32:11 GMT -8
My LDS, Pacific Watersports, Inc., had a set of twin 72s come in with a unique Scubapro valve. That valve has two posts, one center, and one on a cylinder. The one on the cylinder is the only one which was working, as the center post was frozen. They asked if I wanted them, and I was uncommittal for a while (twin 72s are really heavy, and I'm 74 years old now). But I could not turn them down. Yesterday, I went to the shop and tore the set down. The valve was easy to disassemble, and the bands (without backpack) came apart easily too. The cylinders showed some rust, but not pitting, and rang well when hammered with a rubber mallet. So, they are now out for hydro, the first since the 1980s. And, I'm going to put them back into service. I have two Scubapro backpacks which will work with the unit if I drill out the two center holes. I really don't need these (I also took my twin 45s in for hydro), but I cannot let this go without putting it back into service. I don't know whether I'll keep or sell them, but I cannot let this unique set be sent to the dump, or become bells. Photos to follow as I get them into shape.
John
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Post by SeaRat on Aug 8, 2020 17:26:06 GMT -8
Well, I forgot in my enthusiasm to break down this set of double 72s to take a photo of it. Now, with the cylinders headed for hydro, it's too late. But here is a photo I took today of that unique manifold. fullsizeoutput_2849 by John Ratliff, on Flickr This is what I was after from this set. Now, I'm having ideas about how to put this all together. John
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Post by scubalawyer on Aug 8, 2020 17:50:32 GMT -8
I never realized ScubaPro made a dual outlet o-ring sealed twin manifold. Kinda cool!
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Post by scubalawyer on Aug 8, 2020 18:39:40 GMT -8
Twin 72's are just plain heavy. I keep walking by a rack of 72's in my dive locker thinking about doubling them up then I remember how gawdawful heavy they were when I was 20. These days I wouldn't get very far on land with them on.
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Post by duckbill on Aug 9, 2020 0:11:04 GMT -8
Twin 72's are just plain heavy. I keep walking by a rack of 72's in my dive locker thinking about doubling them up then I remember how gawdawful heavy they were when I was 20. These days I wouldn't get very far on land with them on. That's why twin 72s serve best for boat dives. Does you boat have a hoist......yet?
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Post by scubalawyer on Aug 9, 2020 5:44:00 GMT -8
It's called "my arms and back." Still have to get them filled, in and out of vehicle, in and out of house.... No, my twin 72's days are over. Although I still back-mount twin 80's when cave diving in Mexico, I now hire a guy to schlep them from car to cenote and back. My cave buddies are always trying to move me to side-mount but I haven't gone that direction yet.
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Post by cnotthoff on Aug 9, 2020 8:11:24 GMT -8
Very cool find. Take this opportunity to swap out those plastic dip tubes for metal. All manufacturers who used plastic replaced them with metal (usually brass) when it was found that the aging plastic breaks easily and that the plastic would melt and clog the airway when heated in a fire. That meant that the burst disk couldn't release the increasing pressure causing a big boom. I've often had the plastic break during removal, requiring judicious extraction techniques to get the remaining chunks out. Good Dives, Charlie DipTube by Charlie will, on Flickr
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Post by Michel on Aug 9, 2020 10:14:58 GMT -8
Just my quick two cents but I think that ScubaPro trick twin valve is a 'keeper'! The tank posted valve could be used co-jointly open with a safe second single hose with SPG and the center valve to properly position a double hose! This would eliminate the need to use a banjo for those wanting to monitor psi (especially without a j valve). Also for those complaining about 72's weight you could set up some AL40's for a slick twin rig for shallow diving and weight saving. Michel.
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Post by snark3 on Aug 9, 2020 12:01:53 GMT -8
As I read more on this site I've come to realize ScubaPro made some really cool unique stuff. I have a cylinder with a ScubaPro valve and sticker dated 1970, its 6.9 diameter and about 3 inches shorter than my Voit 50's. The 1970 ScubaPro catalogue lists a High Pressure 40, in those days HP was 2250, which this is. I'd love to find a second one.
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Post by SeaRat on Aug 10, 2020 19:50:52 GMT -8
Charlie, I took off the two plastic tubes, and one came off easily. The other broke just as you predicted, and I'm still trying to pull plastic out of the threads. I'm using both a jeweller's very small screwdriver and dempntal picks.
I have another Scubapro J-valve for a sopingle tank, but it has a grass tube that is not threaded. I could use two of those tubes (Scubapro A156). If you can get them, please PM me about it.
John
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Post by cnotthoff on Aug 21, 2020 19:43:30 GMT -8
John,
I'll check next time I'm at the store. Since no-one is travelling, the services of an old scuba tech are not in high demand right now. I spent this week prepping for then cleaning up after raising a 40 foot sailboat that sank in Noyo Harbor Fort Bragg.
Good Dives, Charlie
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Post by SeaRat on Sept 3, 2020 15:44:31 GMT -8
Okay, I have the tanks back, and instead of putting the two-post valve back in (it's not been completely serviced yet), I put two Sherwood valves into it. Here's what it looks like right now: IMG_1629 by John Ratliff, on Flickr Looking at its back. IMG_1630 by John Ratliff, on Flickr Here's the new backpack on it, still a Scubapro backpack. IMG_1631 by John Ratliff, on Flickr The first and second hydro stamps. IMG_1632 by John Ratliff, on Flickr The 1980 inspection tag, and the name, "Joel Schwarzkopf" (sp?). IMG_1633 by John Ratliff, on Flickr IMG_1634 by John Ratliff, on Flickr IMG_1635 by John Ratliff, on Flickr And the new hydro stamp, along with the older one in the other cylinder. The valve is now apart, and I know why the center post had frozen, but that's for another post. John
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Post by SeaRat on Sept 19, 2020 22:16:26 GMT -8
Update: this twin 72 set has yet to see water. We have been pretty much confined to the house because of hazardous air from all the smoke the Oregon fires had released into the air. So I have not been wet in well over a month, except for showers. But the good news is the weather has changed, with some heavy rains which have cleaned the air and started dousing the fires. We hope that the fires will soon be lined, and we will get more rains to put them out. Now, the problem could be mud slides in these areas. Roads are still shut down, but some areas are reopening.
The valve is now sitting in my laundry room in pieces. Everything is clean, corrosion has been removed. And the manifold looks great. I still don't have the valve dip tubes, and need to get to my LDS to get all New O-rings. That should happen within the next week. Then I can start putting the manifold back together.
John
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Post by cnotthoff on Sept 20, 2020 8:39:57 GMT -8
John,
I'm sorry I didn't get back to you sooner. I haven't been in the shop much.
I checked the dip tubes from Trident against early Scubapro valve dip tubes. They do not have the same threads. Trident's fit more recent Scubapro valves. The older valves have very fine threads. Maybe one of our more talented machinists could make something?
Good Dives, Charlie
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Post by vance on Sept 20, 2020 11:13:46 GMT -8
Does anyone know the size and pitch? I might have a die that is correct if it's not a completely off the wall thread.
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