Post by rikdog7 on Sept 25, 2020 6:57:43 GMT -8
Hello,
I local guy had some stuff listed for sale so I went to check it out. He has tubs of old vintage gear with horse collars and regs and some old AL 80's. I was looking for two steel tanks to make my first twinset. He ended up giving me this rig to see what I could do with it. I had no idea what it was when I took it.
The neck is stamped ICC 3A 1800 and I read a few threads here about those cylinders. These say GOVT so I don't know where they were put in service at.
It has a WK & CO stamp so I looked it up and my list shows Walter Kiddee. The confusing part is it doesn't have a circle with a K it has a shield with what looks like an H.
The manufacturer date stamp is 43.
The latest hydro date is 72.
I didn't inspect it very well in the previous owners garage because I was digging through the other bins of treasure to decide if I wanted to become a vintage diver at a beginning price point of $300 cash and knowing there is no ceiling on that kind of hobby. To quote my wife when I got home, "More stuff?" But I digress.
I did notice the surface rust and the rusted bushing in the neck, so I knew it was a gamble, that is why he gave it to me.
I have no idea what it looks like under the cool green paint.
There was basically ambient pressure in the tank, a slight hiss when valve opened. I live in the desert so winter ambient air heated to garage temp of 105F will give you pressure. The good thing is it is a dry heat so it doesn't mean they are rusted on the inside.
I tried pulling the valves and using a backing wrench I just do not have the umph anymore. I am trying to decide if I want to take it to my LDS or not.
I have read several of your threads about putting old tanks in service and I fully understand the risk. I used to work at a Uranium plant and we filled 14 ton cylinders with liquid Uranium. So I have a working knowledge of hydro dates, manufacture codes, valve defects, and what it is like to have equipment failure. Uranium running down a leaking packing gland actually looks very similar in color to these tanks. A kind of phosphorescent green. Another rabbit, sorry.
As far as the valve assembly I have know idea what it is. By the teflon looking gasket and mating surface I wondered if maybe it was for a double hose regulator. Which the original owner has one stuck on a shelf that he didn't want to sell, he wants to give to another diver in the area. So if the manifold is for a double hose, I may dig some more cash out of the back yard and buy the whole lot. There are 6 cylinders and 4 of them have old vintage valves I have never seen before.
Okay, that was a mouthful and I need to get to my day job.
Here are some pictures. I appreciate any and all info and or advice. I'm pretty set with my modern gear and I love restoring, tinkering, fabricating what I can, so I am pretty tempted to get into this area of diving.
Have a great day.
Rick
Twin Set by Richard Downing, on Flickr
www.flickr.com/photos/190354091@N07/50382846902/in/dateposted-public/
Last Hydro by Richard Downing, on Flickr
www.flickr.com/photos/190354091@N07/50382846902/in/dateposted-public/
Cylinder Code by Richard Downing, on Flickr
www.flickr.com/photos/190354091@N07/50382847257/in/dateposted-public/
Manifold Closeup by Richard Downing, on Flickr
www.flickr.com/photos/190354091@N07/50382847497/in/dateposted-public/
Manifold together by Richard Downing, on Flickr
www.flickr.com/photos/190354091@N07/50382847682/in/dateposted-public/
Backplate by Richard Downing, on Flickr
www.flickr.com/photos/190354091@N07/50382847902/in/dateposted-public/
Manufacture Code by Richard Downing, on Flickr
www.flickr.com/photos/190354091@N07/50381967893/in/dateposted-public/
I local guy had some stuff listed for sale so I went to check it out. He has tubs of old vintage gear with horse collars and regs and some old AL 80's. I was looking for two steel tanks to make my first twinset. He ended up giving me this rig to see what I could do with it. I had no idea what it was when I took it.
The neck is stamped ICC 3A 1800 and I read a few threads here about those cylinders. These say GOVT so I don't know where they were put in service at.
It has a WK & CO stamp so I looked it up and my list shows Walter Kiddee. The confusing part is it doesn't have a circle with a K it has a shield with what looks like an H.
The manufacturer date stamp is 43.
The latest hydro date is 72.
I didn't inspect it very well in the previous owners garage because I was digging through the other bins of treasure to decide if I wanted to become a vintage diver at a beginning price point of $300 cash and knowing there is no ceiling on that kind of hobby. To quote my wife when I got home, "More stuff?" But I digress.
I did notice the surface rust and the rusted bushing in the neck, so I knew it was a gamble, that is why he gave it to me.
I have no idea what it looks like under the cool green paint.
There was basically ambient pressure in the tank, a slight hiss when valve opened. I live in the desert so winter ambient air heated to garage temp of 105F will give you pressure. The good thing is it is a dry heat so it doesn't mean they are rusted on the inside.
I tried pulling the valves and using a backing wrench I just do not have the umph anymore. I am trying to decide if I want to take it to my LDS or not.
I have read several of your threads about putting old tanks in service and I fully understand the risk. I used to work at a Uranium plant and we filled 14 ton cylinders with liquid Uranium. So I have a working knowledge of hydro dates, manufacture codes, valve defects, and what it is like to have equipment failure. Uranium running down a leaking packing gland actually looks very similar in color to these tanks. A kind of phosphorescent green. Another rabbit, sorry.
As far as the valve assembly I have know idea what it is. By the teflon looking gasket and mating surface I wondered if maybe it was for a double hose regulator. Which the original owner has one stuck on a shelf that he didn't want to sell, he wants to give to another diver in the area. So if the manifold is for a double hose, I may dig some more cash out of the back yard and buy the whole lot. There are 6 cylinders and 4 of them have old vintage valves I have never seen before.
Okay, that was a mouthful and I need to get to my day job.
Here are some pictures. I appreciate any and all info and or advice. I'm pretty set with my modern gear and I love restoring, tinkering, fabricating what I can, so I am pretty tempted to get into this area of diving.
Have a great day.
Rick
Twin Set by Richard Downing, on Flickr
www.flickr.com/photos/190354091@N07/50382846902/in/dateposted-public/
Last Hydro by Richard Downing, on Flickr
www.flickr.com/photos/190354091@N07/50382846902/in/dateposted-public/
Cylinder Code by Richard Downing, on Flickr
www.flickr.com/photos/190354091@N07/50382847257/in/dateposted-public/
Manifold Closeup by Richard Downing, on Flickr
www.flickr.com/photos/190354091@N07/50382847497/in/dateposted-public/
Manifold together by Richard Downing, on Flickr
www.flickr.com/photos/190354091@N07/50382847682/in/dateposted-public/
Backplate by Richard Downing, on Flickr
www.flickr.com/photos/190354091@N07/50382847902/in/dateposted-public/
Manufacture Code by Richard Downing, on Flickr
www.flickr.com/photos/190354091@N07/50381967893/in/dateposted-public/