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Post by SeaRat on Nov 24, 2020 22:29:52 GMT -8
This is a very early, rare regulator by International Divers of Canada. It was converted from Scuba to surface-supplied, with a custom harness. www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-INTERNATIONAL-DIVERS-CORP-Montreal-Canada-Double-Hose-SCUBA-Regulator/133583082570?hash=item1f1a2c144a:g:6wQAAOSwsbFfuEJEHe wants s a lot, but this one may be worth it (but not for me). It is a DA Aqualung, but with the valve mounted backwards, kinda like the difference between the Dacor R-2 and R-3 "Dial-A-Breath." The orifice is pointed down the intake tube, which I've never seen in a DA Aqualung. He wants just over $900 for it. [Edit: I hope John doesn't mind, but I moved this post from the "Holy-Moly!" thread to here, b/c it shows another variation of the Spaco/Broxton type regulator "made" by International of Canada. This one seems to be the DA Aqualung, mounted 180 degrees around. I would have liked it to be at the end of the thread, but don't know if that can be done.] John
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Post by antique diver on Sept 3, 2021 16:05:48 GMT -8
It has come to my attention that not everyone is familiar with the SPACO AquaLung, so a few quick words... The Spaco was made in Canada by Aqualung in 1948 or 49, and I think Emile Gagnan had moved to Canada by that time with parent company Air Liquide. I suspect he was key to the Canadian production of Aqualungs. It was distributed in small numbers by Spaco Inc. in Vermont. This reg predates the Aqualungs sold by Rene's Sports (soon to be called US DIVERS) in California, which are now commonly called Broxtons, due to address. So Rene was not the first seller of Aqualung devices in this country. Spaco is considered a pretty rare item.
The photo shows the insides of a Broxton on the left, and Spaco on the right. The lack of a spring tension adjustment makes it a little tricky to tweak the Spaco, as the only way to adjust the IP (as far as I can tell) is to remove the retainer, add shim(s) to the spring, and reinstall the retainer. It's a bit difficult to get started into the threads due to spring tension. Yep, I could install the two piece retainer and solve that issue... but then it wouldn't really be a true Spaco. I prefer to use it in as close to original configuration as possible, and live with the limitations.
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Post by antique diver on Sept 3, 2021 16:10:27 GMT -8
John, I appreciate your input. I have an extra horseshoe that I can bend and experiment a bit, and that sounds like a good simple approach. I have no doubt that would be a big help. Thanks!
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Post by SeaRat on Sept 3, 2021 16:55:23 GMT -8
It has come to my attention that not everyone is familiar with the SPACO AquaLung, so a few quick words... The Spaco was made in Canada by Aqualung in 1948 or 49, and I think Emile Gagnan had moved to Canada by that time with parent company Air Liquide. I suspect he was key to the Canadian production of Aqualungs. It was distributed in small numbers by Spaco Inc. in Vermont. This reg predates the Aqualungs sold by Rene's Sports (soon to be called US DIVERS) in California, which are now commonly called Broxtons, due to address. So Rene was not the first seller of Aqualung devices in this country. Spaco is considered a pretty rare item. The photo shows the insides of a Broxton on the left, and Spaco on the right. The lack of a spring tension adjustment makes it a little tricky to tweak the Spaco, as the only way to adjust the IP (as far as I can tell) is to remove the retainer, add shim(s) to the spring, and reinstall the retainer. It's a bit difficult to get started into the threads due to spring tension. Yep, I could install the two piece retainer and solve that issue... but then it wouldn't really be a true Spaco. I prefer to use it in as close to original configuration as possible, and live with the limitations.
I have looked at the Spatco regulator, and see it is missing the pin that goes through the two screws for a pivot on the demand lever. Are there holes in the two screws for the pin, or is this also missing on the Spatco? If so, that could also cause increased breathing resistance, as the pivot then becomes the top of the screws, and could decrease the leverage on the seat by the demand lever. Does this make sense to you? Below you can see the pin that is used as a pivot on the demand horseshoe lever. This is in my Broxton DA Aqualung. DA Aqualung-1 by John Ratliff, on Flickr I just found a photo I took at the Ryan Spence exhibit at the Maritime Museum in Tacoma, Washington of another Spatco regulator (Burlington, Vt): _MG_5123 by John Ratliff, on Flickr John
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Post by antique diver on Sept 3, 2021 18:41:17 GMT -8
John, I was still tinkering with adjusting the position of the screws, and had not replaced that important pin when I made the photo in about 2006. It was definitely in place moments later, and still is.
I am always open to suggestions, corrections, etc., and I appreciate your notice of that!
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Post by vance on Sept 4, 2021 7:25:37 GMT -8
I see no locating tabs in the top box. Can the valve be positioned so the jet is pointing at the intake tube?
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Post by james1979 on Sept 4, 2021 7:29:08 GMT -8
I see no locating tabs in the top box. Can the valve be positioned so the jet is pointing at the intake tube? This style second stage has no "Jet" as it were... just an exposed orifice with the seat coming down on it. So you could turn the body in the can to put the second stage closer to the horn, but that would push the yoke off center of the can and still not achieve a venturi. Respectfully, James
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Post by SeaRat on Sept 4, 2021 7:48:58 GMT -8
I see no locating tabs in the top box. Can the valve be positioned so the jet is pointing at the intake tube? This was actually done by someone, and I have a photo showing it. CG45 mod by John Ratliff, on Flickr You can see the offset this caused too. John
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Post by vance on Sept 4, 2021 8:45:44 GMT -8
Right, that was discussed in the Zoom meeting. It's like the Dacor 2500s with the LP seat on the lever. Positioning the 2nd stage right at the intake horn helped with the Dacor R-3. The R-2 stage was 90 degrees away from the intake horn.
A slight offset isn't terrible, but I understand that Bill wants to keep it real!
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Post by james1979 on Sept 4, 2021 9:07:04 GMT -8
Right, that was discussed in the Zoom meeting. It's like the Dacor 2500s with the LP seat on the lever. Positioning the 2nd stage right at the intake horn helped with the Dacor R-3. The R-2 stage was 90 degrees away from the intake horn. A slight offset isn't terrible, but I understand that Bill wants to keep it real! With the Dacor at least the body/can placement allows for the 2nd stage to be right next to the horn.... I suspect the Broxton offset can opening resulting in the best case placement putting the 2nd stage near the center wouldn't help as much. Dunno.... someone with tab-less cans should try it!
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Post by nikeajax on Sept 4, 2021 10:34:00 GMT -8
Bill, thanks for sharing that with us How wonderfully exciting. I'll have to reread this one as well as PY's threads when my sleep-deprived/dyslexic brain can absorb what you're say. I write historical fiction and the descriptions y'all have provided will add to the realism/accuracy. Anyone can hotrod the crud out of a reg and make it breathe far better than it did new, but it's these old ones that truly bring back the romance of early diving: they force you to think and be aware of what you're doing: otherwise you suffer the consequences JB
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Post by antique diver on Sept 4, 2021 11:30:33 GMT -8
Thanks for all the comments and suggestions! I would like to improve the performance of the Spaco, but of course want to keep it as original as possible. If it was just a poor performer by today's standards (yes), then diving with it in normal configuration is what I want to do in order to be in tune with just what late 40's and early 50's divers experienced. I have plenty of regs that are far better breathing and easier to dive with, but it's pretty special for me to share what diving felt like to those early guys... so I can put up with it. Since there was no original diaphragm in this when I acquired it in the 1980's or early 90's, that's the main item that can't be original in my use. The reg had been serviced some years earlier than that and had been outfitted with a diaphragm like later regs. It may well be that the original diaphragm had longer tabs to actuate the horseshoe demand lever sooner. With that in mind it won't feel so much like cheating to install longer tabs on a diaphragm (instead of bending the levers). So here's my prototype that takes most of the free play out of the demand mechanism. Seems to be helpful, but only a dive will tell for sure.
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Post by vance on Sept 4, 2021 14:26:44 GMT -8
Anyone can hotrod the crud out of a reg and make it breathe far better than it did new.... JB Dear JB, What?? I resemble that remark! It ain't THAT easy! Anyone can do it?? Yours, Dr. Frankenreg
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Post by vance on Sept 4, 2021 15:15:36 GMT -8
I have this interesting USD valve body that Bill T donated to the VTP USD crate. Being ignorant of all things Broxton, I thought it was a Broxton valve, due to the holes. Some of you saw it on the Zoom last Wednesday. Seems like it's a DAAM body that someone drilled into in order to do a retrograde mod, that is, going backwards by converting a DAAM body into a DA Aqualung. Luis noted that the drillings are not well done, and off center. That is true. They aren't positioned exactly. I'm not sure if that matters, but it might. Haven't tried to fit a horseshoe, prolly won't. The fact that there is a volcano orifice in the second stage bore (which a Broxton doesn't have), a Broxton volcano is too small to fit in the bore, and there are 2 holes for the second stage retaining ears says it's not a Broxton. Definitely a DAAM. Bill claims no responsibility or knowledge. Well, poop. I ordered a set of guts for a Broxton, and don't have a valve. However, as luck would have it, someone else offered me an incomplete Broxton which should arrive soon, so now the parts have a home!
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Post by nikeajax on Sept 5, 2021 8:11:16 GMT -8
Dear JB, What?? I resemble that remark! It ain't THAT easy! Anyone can do it?? Yours, Dr. Frankenreg I believe Luis and Herman are pretty much responsible for the parts that I'm talking about: which I almost made a joke to bill about, but didn't. OK, so maybe my cats can't do it, their paws aren't big enough, and they don't have opposable thumbs, but those parts make it dead simple Jus' sayin'... JB
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