For those not inclined to build a rebreather have you built anything else?
Got any pics or hints and tips?
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For those not inclined to build a rebreather have you built anything else?
Got any pics or hints and tips?
I just talked to a machinist friend of mine about making a few little things like first stage holders, stuff like that. If the turn out okay I'll post some pics. Hoping to build a tank tumbler in the near future too.
Anybody know good places on the net (or elsewhere) to get stuff that the dive shop won't sell you? (service kits, o-rings, specialty tools, etc., etc.)
For o-rings you could try the local bearing or hydraulic hose people near you. They usually have bulk lots and every size and type under the sun. Service kits i think there was a place in Germany or Spain doing them. I dont have any more info than that. As for specialty tools, how special are they? Have a look around a good tool shop and you might find most that you need. A lot of them while being special are just generic but not used that often.
Matt
So far I have built a bunch of 21watt HID lights, 10 scooters and a bunch of reels. The RB parts are coming along just fine also.!:cool:
Dago.
Most dive shops will sell you everything with some restrictions on the service kits (depending upon the reg manufacturer) but they can be found if you look hard enough. Orings are rather easy to source, try McMaster-Carr or Air-Oil. For specialty tools, Peterbuilt tools is hard to beat as they have just about everything you need for every make of reg on the market. You would also do well to pick up a copy of the oxyhacker's reg maintenance manual from airspeed press; Peterbuilt offers a similar manual but most agree that oxyhacker's is a bit easier for the average person to follow and understand (both are great references to have on hand.)
Scooter project got out of hand.!
Helps if you have one of these in your garage.!:D
Dago
You must have a big garage.:cool: They look pretty neat do you need anyone to test them?:D
Matt
A CNC in your garage? Now you are living my fantasy.........or at least a part of it. I wish I had the room to set up a little shop. All my modifications are done at work.
I have Vance Harlow's book, it is excellent. Don't have the Peterbuilt one, I'll check into it. Most shops in my neck of the woods aren't to fussy to sell just parts. I work at a shop and still find it hard to get things like service kits except for the regs the shop carries. (That is another story!) Have you purchased from Peterbuilt before? Will they sell to individuals?
I have found Snap-on tools to have excellent spanner wrenches, also their other tools more than stand up to test. They have a line of wrenches called "Flank drive plus" that are GREAT for removing items that have rounded off flats. This is from divers trying to do their own stuff with THE WRONG TOOLS!!! (a pet peeve of mine, from my dive shop days) Their sockets are also very good.
I got the scubapro multi tool from peterbuilt and the oxy hacker and reg books.
All very good purchases. I also have a source for service kits for scubapro in NZ
I have to admit I leave it to the pros, don't want to take any chances just to save a buck. I did buid a drying rack or tree which fits all my gear on it and it's dry in hours.
Hi There
I have built a Cannister light (mark VII me thinketh....:)
I have also modified and converted a Russian IDA-71 to a KISS MCCR.
It is not always about saving a buck ,although in my rebreather case it was some of that...but it is sometimes the challenge of being able to do it, and then finding ways and means to overcome obstcles in the path to perfection.
And it is fun..........
I am looking for ideas on building a DPV / scooter next.
ANybody that can spare some plans and pics
I will appreciate it
Best Regrds
Johan Pretorius
Divingtoors ask WreckDiver in the DPV thread he had pics of ones he made, maybe he's willing to share.
If I can help let me know.
The pics of the tail ends of the scooters and 1 of the machines in my garage is on the first page of this thread.
Dago.
in reference to rebuild kits...i've had the college class on repair and maintenance...just no luck on obtaining oceanic parts. any links for a suplier to obtain parts?
also...new to this site...any DIY video housing plans out there?
dan
pm if you need to
G'day and welcome aboard Dan. How simply or elaborate do you want the housing? If the cam is small and fits you can try an old tank with the neck machined off and an o-ring groove put into it then a disk of perspex or lexan or your choice of clear whatever clipped on the front. Just needs a set of mounting rails to slide the camera in on and to hold it in place. Just hit record put the cam in and clip it shut and go diving. Does make for a lot of editing and flat batteries but also works.
Even cheaper is using pipe in the same fashion but with a tubeless car tyre valve in it. Figure out what depth your going to and pump it up to just over that. Going to 30 metres? Give it 4 bar and a bit extra for safety. Not recommended for deep dives though. Make sure you use pressure rated pipe if you do it as well.
Matt
thanks for the tips, i did find some plans. i'd have to look for the website. never thought about an old tank. i think i have a buddy with one. tire inflator? never even thought about that. makes sense. i thought about some pvc to see if it would stand the pressure (without the camera at first of course!)
dan
My buddy is a machinist and I cajoled him into making a few test pieces:
A first stage holder, a couple of hose protector installers, and a little slotted key for removing tank valve knobs.
I've built everything on the first page of my DIY site. I've also made several more video camera housings that I never posted pictures of. It's free to join if you like and you can see hundreds of pictures and read what others have done with there DIY projects.
So this was what my 20 year old mind could come up with in the "McGyver department" Yes it was 25 years ago; but still, it gets points for originality.
We wanted to smoke pot underwater.
I used an U/W camera case with a second stage attached to the front.
The lp hose went to the 1st stage on the tank.
A mouthpiece was attached to a hole in the the back of the housing.
This was kept plugged until ready for use.
A hole was cut into the bottom of the case and a neoprene glove finger (waterproof, right?) was inserted and glued into the housing.
Your smoke of choice was inserted into a roach clip, (roach clip; remember college?)and a bic lighter, that were glued strategically next to the glove finger.
Once underwater, you put your finger in the glove, flicked the bic, and pushed the button on the second stage, and inhaled.
Woo Hoo!
(Beers with twist off caps were actually much easier.)
Remember kids, don't try this at home!!!
I haven't thought of this for years! Sorta like a flashback!
(Flashback = buy one; get one free!)
I think we were the Dive Pirates of our day.
ASW
Tigerbeach-
I must say that's one of the most innovative DIY's I've ever heard of. You might have some trouble with marketability of the product, though. I just don't see the agencies offering a "Deep Doobie" specialty certification.
Mountain Dog
Do you think ScubaPro would like to manufacture it?
Maybe I could sketch something...
Just get your patent locked in before you send them the sketch.
Mountain Dog
Gee, you think I might get to meet Tommy Chong?
OMG, now that is too funny!
Goes to show you that pot heads really do think. Problem is they think too much. LMAO!
Thats about as crazy as putting vodka in those Apollo regs with the moisture thing on the 1st stage.:cool: Not that many sesible divers would do that anyway:o
Matt
How much vodka could you fit in there? I don't think enough to make you feel it.
Humm.....I wonder if there is a law against drunk diving......YET?
I can't say that quickly and I have not had anything to drink today. It does sound funny though.
So I was thinking of starting D.A.D.D. That is Divers Against Drunk Diving.
Our slogan could be "DUI, You Can't Afford It", boy that may get someone's feathers ruffled. And how true it is.
From memory(Hazy) it was about a shot but its at depth as well. Just use the good stuff.
Matt
Here are some of the things I've made in the past two years.
The lamps are made from condemned cylinders. The neat thing about them is that you turn the valve knob to turn the light on. The white one is a cookie jar. To open the jar you have to turn the valve knob.
The gizmo to the right of the lamp is my attempt at modern art. It's a sphere of sorts. Don't know what it is but everyone that see's it wants one.
Also built a small booster for filling my argon bottle to 3000 psi. No picture though.
The flow bench panel was put together from instrumentation that I got from Peterbuilt.
The collection of odds and end tools are for the regs that I use. The white thing to the left of the scooter video mount is a dummy cap for my canister light. I had a small leak in the cable grommet and needed away to test it in my pressure pot and the regular battery canister would not fit in the pot so I made a short one to allow testing.
I didn't make the pressure pot, just the stand for it to put it at a morecomfortable work height.
I've got several other things but no pictures at this time. Bench top tank vise, pivoting tank cradle for that mounts to a counter for dumping water and tumbling media out and then holds it while rinsing. Tank dryer that was fabricated from a hair dryer and uses air from a scuba tank to dry the cylinder.
The beauty of scuba is that it can keep you occupied above and below the water. Especially if your totally addicted.
Randy
More pictures
Looks like you are hard at work. I definately like what you have made. Please feel free to post more info on how you actually made these things.
Here are pictures of the tank vise and the tank tilting gizmo.
RCS, I used to be a prototype aerospace machinist. I still have a brand new 16"x60" lathe and vertical mill in the garage, both machines with electronic digital readouts on all axis. I just picked up a new mig welder.
Looking at your whimsical gizmos, I think we'd get along just great!
Wanna be my neighbor?