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Post by Broxton Carol on Feb 24, 2006 5:10:25 GMT -8
If you look on EBAY there is a small cornelius compressor from the late 50's. Its a little machine doing only a half cu ft of air a minute. This means it will take 115 minutes to fil your tank. Sure that takes a long time, but this is what the REAL vintage divers used before they knew they were vintage divers. I have a slightly bigger Cornelius, and it fills a tank to 2500 psi in 40 minutes. On those rainy days, you dont want to drive 30 miles over to the dive store for air, it comes in mighty handy. Yesterday, after reading the VSS pages, I poured a cool glass of old hawk, hooked on the CORNELIUS, and then checked ebay for a few minutes. In no time I had a fresh tank of air, Ill save for the vintage dive next month.
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Ron
Regular Diver
Posts: 41
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Post by Ron on Feb 24, 2006 6:22:02 GMT -8
Treasureman Here is a link to the US governments surplus auction site. I see that this company Pro Tec Air Systems has been using pitures from this auction site, I'm sure you can by pass them and save thousands. Those surplus compressors you see on Ebay can be purchased here for $1 if your the lucky bidder keep your eyes open folks and just for example I purchased 4 Bauer Mako Hp compressors last year for $1200 US for the lot thats all four folks, It was awsome deal I flipped them each for $8000 two months later. I've also purchased heavy gear like Superlite diving helmets and 45 gallon drums full of breathing air processing media Note: Some purchases will require the buyer to posses a chemical handlers certificate and some items are not aloud to be shipped outside of the US understandably. Take a look you may find something you like. www.govliquidation.com/Ron
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Post by pearldiver on Feb 27, 2006 11:54:50 GMT -8
Great info and thanks....Here's my dillema.. I have those two steel tanks from 1945. I'll refresh your memory on what's going on. Remember, the Hydro place was owned by an old man. I never had a problem with him hydroing my old tanks. His son now took over and won't even look at these steel tanks. He asked me to take the valves off and bring them there. I did. At least he didn't stamp them rejected and give them back. So I still have a chance. I looked on that site for another place to hydro them. Here is my question. I see a bunch of hydro places that state they are a low pressure facility. Do I need a high pressure facility? What's the difference, because I don't want them to bring my tanks to this geek who won't even look at them.
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Ron
Regular Diver
Posts: 41
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Post by Ron on Feb 27, 2006 12:37:30 GMT -8
Hi
The low pressure facility probably specializes in fire extinguishers only and does not have the proper size of hydro chamber to do scuba tanks. There is no other difference other the chamber size they have. Theres no money in scuba bottles its all in Fire equipment when it comes to hydro station.
Ron
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Post by duckbill on Feb 27, 2006 13:54:54 GMT -8
Check your yellow pages under "Fire Extinguisher" and call around. Even if they only do low pressure, I'd bet they know who could help you. If your cylinders have a plus rating, you could also ask if they'll do the calculations necessary to get that 10% back for you. But, even if they're willing to, they may not do it if the REE number isn't dropped in their lap. Doesn't hurt to ask. I've often wondered- What do those who get their hydros done directly at the hydro facilitiy do when the dive shop wants to see that visual sticker on there before they'll fill it? I have only one dive shop in town here (next one is 40+ minutes away) and it would not sit well with them for me to bypass them come hydro time, and I rely on them for fills. But, I'm still wondering how it is handled, and if divers get grief for doing it that way. (And, by the way, I don't need to hear "Just get you a compressor...blah, blah" because that simply aint an option for me at this time.)
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Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
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Post by Deleted on Feb 27, 2006 14:10:49 GMT -8
Why should it be a problem for one dive shop to vip and someplace else do the hydro?
What kind of people do you have to deal with?
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Post by pearldiver on Feb 27, 2006 14:41:48 GMT -8
The dive shop gets like ten dollars extra a tank here. If I bring my own tanks in, it's the same place the dive shop takes them. The only difference is, the guy who owns the hydro place comes and picks up the tanks at the dive shop. Not a whole lot of divers know they can just take the tank to the hydro place themselves. They think it's some special thing. The hydro place here VIP's the tanks too. At least the old man did. Who knows what his son is doing. I'll call in Beloit WI and see if there is anyone there. Thanks for clarifying that for me.
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Post by ebj on Feb 27, 2006 15:01:06 GMT -8
All the problems you all have with some dive shops, really, I mean really makes me appreciate the shop I deal with! They have no problem with filling my 72's and even have found some for me. Last week they called me about a tank they heard about in a garage sale. I picked it up for $25. I'm up to 7 steel 72's now with the most expensive at $60...hydro and vip included. I'll have to weigh the tanks filled with air next chance I get. Even though they are all galvanized, I can tell a weight difference between a few. I'm sure this affects buoyancy...in fact, on one tank I'll dive it with a few more pounds of weight.
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Post by pearldiver on Feb 27, 2006 15:25:03 GMT -8
My other dive shop owner who passed away around 1985 was the greatest. He sounds like your guy.. He found me all kinds of stuff and gave me my first double hose that I still use. He didn't charge me a cent for it. He is dearly missed, that's for sure. He would have get togethers every friday night and talk diving and we all had a great time. Sure don't have that around here anymore.
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Post by duckbill on Feb 27, 2006 15:45:41 GMT -8
Why should it be a problem for one dive shop to vip and someplace else do the hydro? What kind of people do you have to deal with? It shouldn't be a problem, and, to be fair, I don't know for a fact that it would be a problem. It's just a feeling I have, based on my dealings with them before. Actually, in my situation, their hydro guy is the only one around here that I know of who will do the plus rating, and he is about 45 minutes away. So it is worth it for me to pay the extra for pickup at the local dive shop and still be ahead in gas money and time. I've just never tried having the hydro and visuals done seperately. Pearldiver, visuals are a MANDATORY part of any hydro, but I didn't think hydro shops put SCUBA-industry approved stickers on the cylinders. As far as I know, SCUBA shops only acknowledge annual SCUBA shop visuals. I could be wrong.
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Post by pearldiver on Feb 27, 2006 16:23:42 GMT -8
I just went and have the tank in front of me. It says PSI Professional Scuba Inspectors, Inc. visually inspected to PSI, OSHA, and CGA Standards Suitable for air service Then there is a spot that says Eddy Current Exam and under that With Notation. Now that's on my steel 72 Healthways tank from 1956. The old man did the hydro and the kid wasn't there. When I brought it into Danny's dive shop the first time....I was told it didn't pass and of course I was told my gear was obsolete for the umpteenth time and to buy new stuff. So I brought it to the hydro place myself and it passed with no trouble. Since this board is going,,,,,Ummmmm....Here is something very strange. The stamp of the hydro says 11then the little numbers then an 08 Did that old man make a mistake?? I looked at the numbers stamped in that thing three times. It says 11 08 for sure... ?? Now what? (There is no + sign after about 1980 hydro.)
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Post by duckbill on Feb 27, 2006 17:48:22 GMT -8
First of all, is there even a plus sign after the original factory hydro (would be the oldest on the cylinder)? If not, then the tank can never receive the "plus". Secondly, sounds like the guy used the wrong stamp. You could say that's good because it will give you a couple extra years. However, I think a dive shop would give you a sideways glance rather than a fill after noticing that! You could always wait until 11 08 before you try to get it filled I don't know what you can do, but you should approach your hydro guy and ask him what you are supposed to do with a mis-stamped cylinder. He should restamp it for you, I would think.
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Post by pearldiver on Feb 27, 2006 18:22:54 GMT -8
And that would be the old mans son whom I really don't want to deal with. The original tank date does have the plus sign after it. It was in 1957 instead of 1956. That's fine by the way as I don't really mind because this poor tank has been tumbled probably four times already and on it's last leg. I checked my other steel tank that was hydro'd in 2003 and the 3 is flat on top, this is definately an 8 on this one. I'll leave it be and see what happens. No sense in waking a sleeping dog. Sure is strange though.
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Post by treasureman on Mar 15, 2006 7:53:15 GMT -8
When the tank is stamped after the hydro, they have a unique identifying symbol or number which must also be stamped into the metal.
with the month, identifier and year of hydro stamped in, the hydro station can see they clearly made a mistake. It would do them no good to try and mess about with you on this. You are ppointing out their error, and asked them to fix it, failing which ..golly gee..you would have to let the corect authorities know they are stamping tanks incorrectly. wanna bet he give you what you want.
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Post by william on Mar 15, 2006 11:05:59 GMT -8
I have purchased, like 50 Steel Tanks of All sizes since last June on Ebay and Private Sales. I have agreements to continue purchaseing from private owners still, buying 1/2 Inch Rubber O-Ring Sealed 38 cu ft Tanks for 14 more sets. The Reason is, these old Tanks are amazeing and should be Properly Tested and Preserved for Future use. I have them Tumble Cleaned first ( for shipping,people drain them fast as they can, causeing water to condense inside=Rust) and Then I Hydro them. I just got started and have had about 10 sets done so far. They are really amazeing in taht ALL Passed Hydro with No failures. These old Steel Tanks are really Good. I buy so Many because I am in the process of Saveing Them and makeing them available to other divers in the Future when I decide what I will keep and how many I will sell. It is expensive to Tumble and Hydro but it is best to just Do It. Then you can forget about the danger some. Even my old WW11 Tanks are Passing Hydro with Flying American Colors. The life you save may be Mine,Ha,Ha. Take care. :-*William
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