|
Post by antique diver on Sept 11, 2021 3:14:05 GMT -8
Be sure that, when you put the duckbill into the extension on the exhaust horn, that it’s end extends about 1/2 inch beyond the center of the diaphrogm. With a breaking resistance of 1/2 inch, if you don’t do that, the exhaust will leak a bit when in a vertical position. By the way, that is an excellent result! John Thanks John. That's a good measurement to know, and actually I have just been guessing at that in the past. The duckbill has been on for several years, but I'll check that measurement since the cracking effort has come down. BTW, it's tied on like the originals were done.
|
|
|
Post by SeaRat on Sept 11, 2021 16:38:41 GMT -8
Be sure that, when you put the duckbill into the extension on the exhaust horn, that it’s end extends about 1/2 inch beyond the center of the diaphrogm. With a breaking resistance of 1/2 inch, if you don’t do that, the exhaust will leak a bit when in a vertical position. By the way, that is an excellent result! John Thanks John. That's a good measurement to know, and actually I have just been guessing at that in the past. The duckbill has been on for several years, but I'll check that measurement since the cracking effort has come down. BTW, it's tied on like the originals were done. If you've got the original tied on, leave it be after measuring it. You may find that the duckbill isn't affected. But if it leaks air a bit, you'll know why. I have a Snark III with it's large mushroom exhaust which leaks in this manner when vertical, but it is not a problem. By the way, this way of mounting the duckbill is superior to the later U.S. Divers Company method of placing it inside the horn. The removable horn, with the duckbill tied to the outside, made it last much longer than the subsequent cost-cutting method. Also, the duckbill is a very easy breathing exhalation valve in this configuration. I used my DA Aqualung bottom box on my Mistral for years, because I feel it is the superior method of having a duckbill exhaust. John
|
|
|
Post by antique diver on Sept 11, 2021 18:05:01 GMT -8
By the way, this way of mounting the duckbill is superior to the later U.S. Divers Company method of placing it inside the horn. The removable horn, with the duckbill tied to the outside, made it last much longer than the subsequent cost-cutting method. Also, the duckbill is a very easy breathing exhalation valve in this configuration. I used my DA Aqualung bottom box on my Mistral for years, because I feel it is the superior method of having a duckbill exhaust. John [/quote] After wrestling with gooey duckbills for many years I often thought they should never have given up the removable horn. I thought about slipping the DA bottom box on a RAM like you did with your Mistral, but didn't have an extra and didn't want to disable the Spaco or Broxton just for that. I may have an extra now, but not sure what kind of condition. Hoping I didn't sell all those parts to friend Phil! BT
|
|
|
Post by vance on Sept 17, 2021 13:13:02 GMT -8
I got the partial Broxton from Jason yesterday and cleaned it up, put the needed parts on, and fired 'er up. It doesn't leak, but the IP is probably very low. I have to make an adapter for the gauge that screws into the second stage bore.
|
|
|
Post by nikeajax on Sept 17, 2021 14:35:52 GMT -8
PY, it looks like it has a service date scratched inside there too JB
|
|
|
Post by vance on Sept 17, 2021 14:59:05 GMT -8
Yup, 9/60.
For as cruddy as it was inside the top, the bottom box is great, the HP soft seat perfect, the sintered filter clean although a bit corroded, and the nozzle is in great shape except for the hex having been somewhat brutalized by a "technician" with a crescent wrench adjusted too loose.
It doesn't have a label, so it could be one of a couple different models. It isn't a Spaco b/c of the two piece IP adjuster (unless they came with one at some point) and the only Spacos I've seen had shiny chrome. Is there any way to ID it?
I have the same problem Bill described with using a DA diaphragm. The ears are too short to engage the lever properly, and leave a 1/4" space that has to be sucked down.
The HP seat spring on this is massive. Has anyone tried a smaller (DAAM) spring in these?
|
|
|
Post by vance on Sept 17, 2021 15:01:47 GMT -8
I have the tiny rivets that held labels on. Does anyone know how to apply them the way the OEMs did?
|
|
|
Post by nikeajax on Sept 17, 2021 15:48:20 GMT -8
PY, you can make a punch for that: it should have a conical nipple to spread the walls/sides(?) of the rivets, very much like the tool used to put grommets in... No, not that Grommet! JB
|
|
|
Post by vance on Sept 17, 2021 16:37:10 GMT -8
These are the wrong trousers!!
(Wallace and Grommit reference.)
|
|
|
Post by vance on Sept 17, 2021 16:39:51 GMT -8
I will be making an ss clamp for the DB on this. I wish I knew how to do the string thing, but it takes tiny monkey fingers (or some other voodoo) which I do not have.
EDIT: Nope. No way to make a clamp that will fit. I tried small zip ties, but they make it impossible to get the horn in or out. That's why they used string, I guess!
|
|
|
Post by herman on Sept 17, 2021 17:52:42 GMT -8
FYI, the threads on the LP nozzle are 9/16-18. The best way to make an adapter is to remove the LP seat and use the threads to attache the adapter. Use an oring (5/8 od??, I forget off hand) to seal the adapter.
|
|
|
Post by vance on Sept 17, 2021 18:23:55 GMT -8
Thanks, Herman! That saves me a bit of fussing.
|
|
|
Post by SeaRat on Sept 17, 2021 18:37:04 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! Now, looking at this, I'm wondering whether someone took the DA Aqualung innards and put them onto a DA Aquamaster top box? The reason I'm saying this is that the top box doesn't look like a DA Aqualung, with the horn usually sticking into the opening a bit more. John
|
|
|
Post by vance on Sept 18, 2021 8:17:38 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! Now, looking at this, I'm wondering whether someone took the DA Aqualung innards and put them onto a DA Aquamaster top box? The reason I'm saying this is that the top box doesn't look like a DA Aqualung, with the horn usually sticking into the opening a bit more. John As discussed above, this is a DA valve modified with holes next to the spring bores for some unknown reason. However, the top box must be a DAAM box b/c the tabs are intact and position the valve body so the second stage is in line with the intake horn opening. An AquaLung box would have the tabs that orient the second stage 180 degrees away from the intake opening. This photo shows a DAAM box (right) and an earlier model box that have opposite tabs. I'm not sure when or with which model USD began making the boxes with locating tabs, but the earliest models had none.
|
|
|
Post by antique diver on Sept 25, 2021 10:04:27 GMT -8
I went diving on Thursday planning to test out the Spaco with longer tabs on the diaphragm, but ran into a Snafu that prevented testing it. I know some will wonder why I even bothered to post this report, but it's a reminder to be sure the yoke on your old regs will fit onto the tank valves you plan to use! Do that before you leave home. Both the tanks I took with me had Scubapro J-valves because I like the little built in stem gauges that allow at a glance (before diving) the almost-nearly-somewhat-approximate air pressure without having to slip on a test gauge (and I would be diving without gauges on my regs). I just forgot about those valves being slightly too large for the old Spaco yoke. My test dive will have to wait for at least a couple of weeks. Fortunately I had taken other regulators with me so I was still able to enjoy a couple of dives with an un-certified diving friend, who now has several dives under his weight belt. I had him in modern but simple gear, including a gauge and back BC. It was a great day anyway.
|
|