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Post by admin on Dec 17, 2006 19:13:47 GMT -8
There has been a few threads on the non-magnetic AquaMaster already but I wanted to touch on the gold plated parts. The regulator was used by US Navy UDT teams to disarm magnetic mines and so the regulator had to have very low magnetism. Since chromium has some magnetism, they did not use chrome plating on this regulator but they did need corrosion protection since it was used mostly in salt water. They chose to gold plate many of the parts including the nozzle (1012-12), the HP seat (1010-65), the spring block (1000-23), the LP seat holder (1010-04). and the LP seat retainer (1010-07). These gold plated parts are clearly marked as to distinguish them from the standard unplated brass parts. They all have a circular grove around the part to show it is non-magnetic and gold plated (see photo below). I also have a filter (1000-38) that looks like it is gold plated but it has no distinguishing marks. Also, as many already know, all non-mag regulators had an unmachined hook-ah port on the regulator body and the entire regulator had a black oxide anti glare and corrosion resistant finish. I have seen many examples of these regulators and most have had many parts switched in them over the years. Many of them that you find today will have some chrome parts and will have many brass parts instead of the original gold plated ones. Dan
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Post by duckbill on Dec 18, 2006 0:29:35 GMT -8
Thankyou Dan. That is a great write-up.
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Post by crimediver on Dec 18, 2006 17:22:03 GMT -8
I recently picked up a NOS anti-mag Conshelf 6. I haven't touched it as it has never been wet, but am curious if the same parts are gold plated ?
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Post by admin on Dec 18, 2006 19:19:20 GMT -8
I don't really know. I only have one of the Conshelf's and mine might not be original. If you have one that hasn't been used, you could tell us what was gold plated. Just remove the circlip and look at the first stage parts. And it's easy enough to remove the 2nd stage clamp and look inside. Dan
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Post by SeaRat on Dec 19, 2006 14:18:15 GMT -8
Here is what the anti-magnetic DA Aquamaster looked like in use in 1967 (with the US Navy twin 90 cubic foot doubles). What I thought has turned out to be true, that the parts inside were gold-plated. John
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Post by duckbill on Dec 19, 2006 21:20:20 GMT -8
Did any of those parts also have a low-mu stamp?
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Post by admin on Dec 20, 2006 13:49:22 GMT -8
John- is that you in the photo? Thanks for adding that- it's very informative. The bright orange paint on the top of the tanks kind of defeats the purpose of an anti-glare black regulator. It also looks like the diver has an international orange life preserver and so I guess it wasn't taken in a combat zone. As far as I know (and I'm certainly no expert), the individual parts were never stamped with the low mu sign- the regulator was checked as a complete unit and stamped on the body. Dan
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Post by duckbill on Dec 20, 2006 15:40:21 GMT -8
Thankyou Dan. On the right hex flat on the nozzle in the photo it looked like there was an indentation. I thought it might be a low mu stamp. Thanks for claifying that.
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Post by SeaRat on Dec 20, 2006 18:53:48 GMT -8
John- is that you in the photo? Thanks for adding that- it's very informative. The bright orange paint on the top of the tanks kind of defeats the purpose of an anti-glare black regulator. It also looks like the diver has an international orange life preserver and so I guess it wasn't taken in a combat zone. As far as I know (and I'm certainly no expert), the individual parts were never stamped with the low mu sign- the regulator was checked as a complete unit and stamped on the body. Dan Dan, No, that is not me, but is one of the other USAF PJs that went the the U.S. Naval School for Underwater Swimmers, U.S. Naval Station, Key West, Floride. We graduated on May 26th, 1967. It is probably Beyerly, Curry or Cassidy, as they were in the same group as we went down in the harbor with that bag of parts to put them together. That was the point of the exercise. I'll include a few other photos here of the exercise, which was in the last week, as I recall, of the three-week course. Here the divers (David Beyerly, Bob Casssidy, and David Cobb, I think) are waiting their turn to get wet. Here one diver is exiting after completing the assignment. Tthis photo shows two pictures, one which is the combination of the two above from which I took those photes, and the other is o my dive buddy, Robert Means, on a compass course swim, which was another different test. We had three underwater swims (and another three on the surface) using the compass to come in to a target on the beach. Means and I came in first on the long (1500 yard) underwater swim, surfacing under the feet of the instructor on the shore. Divers emerging from the water after the underwater compass course swim. Closeup of the divers exiting on the beach (actually enlarged from the above photo, which is why it is a bit blurry). The tanks are the U.S. Navy double 90 cubic foot aluminum, of the old style with a plug in the bottom of them. They are no longer in service, and should not be used now, as they were not made to be hydroed. The orange painting on their tops was to ensure that the Navy Instructors could see us on the surface. We also were required to use surface buoys on a thirty-foot tether, so the instructors could track us when we were underwater. Some of the student buddy pairs actually had to be pulled out of the water when they headed toward Cuba, rather than the shore. The orange life vests were used, along with some black ones, and was the luck of the draw. Being in training, they opted for visibility rather than stealth. A few of the photos are of the Non-Magnetic DA Aquamaster regulator in use. (All photos are Copyright 2006, John C. Ratliff, but reproduceable for non-commercial purposes). I am not in any of them, as I took the photos. John
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Post by SeaRat on Dec 20, 2006 19:43:01 GMT -8
Here's some more photos from the U.S. Navy School for Underwater Swimmers in 1967. The Non-Magnetic DA Aquamaster can be seen in use, or in the ship's scuba bins, in these photos. The chaos on board for the deep, 130 foot qualification dive. The dive's descent (note the Non-Magnetic DA Aquamaster the diver on the right is using). On the back of this photo, I wrote in 1967, "Surfacing from t he 130' dive, my swim buddy (Bob Means) approaches the Mikeboat's ladder." Here's a closer look at the boat's deck after the dives. Finally, this is a closer look at the scuba bins on the Mikeboat, showing at least two Non-Magnetic DA Aquamaster regulators attached to the double 90 tanks. The photos are Copyright 2006, John C. Ratliff, but again are available for non-commercial use. I'm happy to share them, as they have been in my scrapbook too long. They were taken using a Nikonos I, 35mm lens and natural light on Ectachrome slide film, I believe. Enjoy, John
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Post by ductapeman on Dec 20, 2006 20:24:12 GMT -8
Phenomenal photos-- thank you for sharing them with us! Other than the non-magnetic DA's, were the other regulators also the DA Aquamasters? (Knowing the Navy, there could have been some old Broxtons in the mix too--)
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Post by nemrod on Dec 21, 2006 1:36:34 GMT -8
What was the black coating. I know e keep hearing it called "black oxide" but oxide is used only on ferrous metals and is not suitable for brass or at least that is what I have learned. Was there chrome under the black coating? Just curious about it.
Great pics by the way!
James
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Post by SeaRat on Dec 21, 2006 8:52:23 GMT -8
To answer a few questions, Ductapeman, we used the DA Aquamaster exclusively in the U.S. Navy School for Underwater Swimmers in 1967. There were no DA Aqualungs (Broxtons) at the Underwater Swimmers School when I went through. Nemrod, I don't know what the coating was on the Non-Magnetic DA Aquamaster. I do have a top and bottom box for that regulator, and upon examination the coating appears to have been applied with an air gun, almost like a paint of some sort. It does adhere pretty well, but the inside does seem to oxidize, so I don't know. I may be able to get some photos for you a bit later.
John
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Post by duckbill on Dec 21, 2006 10:36:35 GMT -8
I have no idea what the coatings really were. I've never even held a non-mag regulator. But, regarding black oxide finishes:
I remember doing black oxide finishes on brass and copper, as well as on steel and ,yes, stainless steel. Of course the solution formulations were different, and it couldn't have been called black iron oxide on anything other than on ferrous base metals. Black oxide on steel isn't really all that corrosion proof- more like corrosion resistant as long as it is kept oiled.
What I do find funny is constant reference to "Parkerizing" of non-ferrous metals, like aluminum (as in M-16 receivers) and copper. True Parkerizing is a zinc or manganese phosphate finish which is a crystaline structure and which only forms on ferrous metals. It is the crystaline structure which makes it so good at holding oils which aid in it's anti-corrosion properties. Even without oiling, Parkerizing is very effective at resisting corrosion to the base metal. The government loved it as a finish because it was easy, cheap, very corrosion resistant, a great base for paint, AND somewhat effective as camouflage even when left in it's original, unpainted state.
Just an aside. ----------------------------------------
As far as what might have been on the non-mags:
James, chrome under the black finish would completely defeat the purpose of non-magnetism. Any "non-mag" having chrome under the black is probably a fake, IMO. Nickel plating is also magnetic.
Black on brass: paint powder-coating (but I don't think that was a choice in the 1950s-60s) black oxide black chrome (magnetic) black nickel (magnetic)
Maybe Navy regulators which didn't need non-magnetic properties may have been black paint over chrome for camouflage. Question: Were there any non-"non-magnetic" regulators in the Navy's inventory? Seems that would be a whole different subject. True non-magnetic vs. subdued finish only?
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Post by SeaRat on Dec 21, 2006 11:40:40 GMT -8
I actually have my notes from the U.S. Navy School for Underwater Swimmers, about 5 pages. I have only one, very intrigueing entry on the non-magnetic regulator:
I have no idea what "lobo" means at this point in time. But I thought you would like to read about that entry.
John
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