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Discussion of diving methods and equipment available prior to the development of BCDs beyond the horse collar. This forum is dedicated to the pre-1970 diving.
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Vancetp
Master Diver
Posts: 401
Joined: Tue Oct 04, 2016 7:26 pm
First Name: Phillip
Location: Belmont CA

DivAir repair of ugly broken fiberglass body

Sun Dec 29, 2019 9:59 pm

I picked up a broken DivAir Model F that I fixed, using JBWeld. Here are some pics of the repair.

ImageIMG_5046 by Vancetp, on Flickr

ImageIMG_5047 by Vancetp, on Flickr

This is what all three broken out cover mount holes looked like, although I only show 2.

Here are some pics of the roughly repaired parts:

ImageIMG_5053 by Vancetp, on Flickr

ImageIMG_5057 by Vancetp, on Flickr

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Vancetp
Master Diver
Posts: 401
Joined: Tue Oct 04, 2016 7:26 pm
First Name: Phillip
Location: Belmont CA

Re: DivAir repair of ugly broken fiberglass body

Sun Dec 29, 2019 10:15 pm

I'm not finished yet, but here is the fixed DivAir:


ImageIMG_5058 by Vancetp, on Flickr

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Vancetp
Master Diver
Posts: 401
Joined: Tue Oct 04, 2016 7:26 pm
First Name: Phillip
Location: Belmont CA

Re: DivAir repair of ugly broken fiberglass body

Sun Dec 29, 2019 11:24 pm

I'll clean up the surfaces and paint it flat black. It ought to look great!

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Herman
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Location: Raleigh NC

Re: DivAir repair of ugly broken fiberglass body

Mon Dec 30, 2019 7:04 pm

You have to love JB weld!
If all goes well, I will have an all new reg to unveil shortly. It's unlike any other that I am aware of.
Herman

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SurfLung
Master Diver
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Joined: Sat Jan 01, 2011 2:03 pm
First Name: Eben
Location: Alexandria, MN
Contact: Website

Re: DivAir repair of ugly broken fiberglass body

Tue Dec 31, 2019 3:31 pm

Vancetp wrote:
Sun Dec 29, 2019 11:24 pm
I'll clean up the surfaces and paint it flat black. It ought to look great!
Wow. That's beautiful work Vance.
SurfLung
The Freedom and Simplicity of Vintage Equipment and
Vintage Diving Technique are Why I Got Back Into Diving.

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Vancetp
Master Diver
Posts: 401
Joined: Tue Oct 04, 2016 7:26 pm
First Name: Phillip
Location: Belmont CA

Re: DivAir repair of ugly broken fiberglass body

Tue Dec 31, 2019 9:40 pm

Here's the original damage:

ImageIMG_2423 by Vancetp, on Flickr

And the latest pic. Note the thicker rim at the repair::

ImageIMG_5071 by Vancetp, on Flickr

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Vancetp
Master Diver
Posts: 401
Joined: Tue Oct 04, 2016 7:26 pm
First Name: Phillip
Location: Belmont CA

Re: DivAir repair of ugly broken fiberglass body

Tue Dec 31, 2019 9:41 pm

Herman wrote:
Mon Dec 30, 2019 7:04 pm
You have to love JB weld!
If all goes well, I will have an all new reg to unveil shortly. It's unlike any other that I am aware of.
Can't wait to see this!

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Vancetp
Master Diver
Posts: 401
Joined: Tue Oct 04, 2016 7:26 pm
First Name: Phillip
Location: Belmont CA

Re: DivAir repair of ugly broken fiberglass body

Tue Dec 31, 2019 9:44 pm

SurfLung wrote:
Tue Dec 31, 2019 3:31 pm
Vancetp wrote:
Sun Dec 29, 2019 11:24 pm
I'll clean up the surfaces and paint it flat black. It ought to look great!
Wow. That's beautiful work Vance.
Thanks, Eben!

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Vancetp
Master Diver
Posts: 401
Joined: Tue Oct 04, 2016 7:26 pm
First Name: Phillip
Location: Belmont CA

Re: DivAir repair of ugly broken fiberglass body

Mon Jan 20, 2020 1:02 pm

This DivAir is interesting, not only because of the brutalization it incurred, but that it seems to be a factory upgrade of a model "C", which had an aluminum body. The first models are bronze and the second models aluminum. The service company offered a low cost conversion of the metal DivAirs to fiberglass, due to the corrosion the metal bodies suffered. This one has a serial #C prefix, indicating that the cover was switched at least. The early models had really nice chrome on the covers, but the later ones had really thin coatings that blemish and wear thin very easily.

However, there are several other differences between this DivAir and another one I have which is definitely an original model "F". This one has a model A or C lever, and is missing a second lever adjuster screw.

Here's a pic of the model "F" and a model "C" for comparison the the broken one:

ImageDSCF1945 by Vancetp, on Flickr

ImageDSCF3001 by Vancetp, on Flickr

ImageIMG_5071 by Vancetp, on Flickr

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Vancetp
Master Diver
Posts: 401
Joined: Tue Oct 04, 2016 7:26 pm
First Name: Phillip
Location: Belmont CA

Re: DivAir repair of ugly broken fiberglass body

Mon Jan 20, 2020 10:13 pm

You might have noticed that the later lever, when pulled down by the diaphragm, covers the air channel better and directs air toward the intake horn for a better air flow.

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Vancetp
Master Diver
Posts: 401
Joined: Tue Oct 04, 2016 7:26 pm
First Name: Phillip
Location: Belmont CA

Re: DivAir repair of ugly broken fiberglass body

Sat Sep 05, 2020 12:05 pm

This regulator's cover got donated to a different DivAir, leaving this one w/o. James volunteered his 3D skills to design and attempt to print a viable cover for it.

He did it brilliantly, and it works quite well. I particularly love the label! You can't see it in the picture, but it has "Heathways" and "Vancetp" printed on the top and bottom. Nice touch!

ImageIMG_5408 by Vancetp, on Flickr

The once junk DivAir is now fully functional. It has been pool tested, and breathes like it should.

ImageDivAirDive1 by Vancetp, on Flickr

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