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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
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Joined: Tue Oct 04, 2016 7:26 pm
First Name: Phillip
Location: Belmont CA

DivAir Question

Thu Mar 05, 2020 3:27 pm

Bill T and I were wondering how many working DivAirs are there out there? It'd be interesting to know this....Bill has one that will be working soon, and I have 3 working, one awaiting a diaphragm, and another needing a diaphragm and a diaphragm clamp. So 5 will be working, plus I have a fiberglass body with no cover, as well. (Anybody have a loose one out there?)

I have a friend with another working one, and SwimJim has at least one. I believe SeahuntJerry has one? I sold one a few months ago. So, there's 9, maybe 10 I know of. I also know of 2 more that are unrestored and languishing, so 11-12. Out of all these, 5 or 6 are metal bodied ones.


How many of you all own a DivAir, working or not?

Please respond here if you do!

swimjim
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First Name: Jim
Location: Belgium WI

Re: DivAir Question

Thu Mar 05, 2020 4:18 pm

Put me down for one. Mine is the aluminum body. I remember diving at the Legends event back about 2010. There were at least four DivAirs in the water at the same time at that event.

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Greg Barlow
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Location: SW Ohio

Re: DivAir Question

Thu Mar 05, 2020 4:38 pm

I have a plastic bodied one in working condition. Mine was one of the four that Jim mentioned.

Greg
Greg Barlow
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Vancetp
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Re: DivAir Question

Thu Mar 05, 2020 7:18 pm

Thanks for the replies! That reminds me that Rob has one, too. Not sure if his is fiberglass or metal. I also know that Jeff H up in Canada has at least one and his boss, Phil N probably has a few. I know he has a NIB bronze model B. pic below:

ImageIMG_1494 by Vancetp, on Flickr

F'in A. That's gorgeous.

We're approaching 15 or so, so far. Who knows how many CG45 has! He has a model A pictured on his site. Whoa.

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Greg Barlow
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Re: DivAir Question

Fri Mar 06, 2020 8:10 pm

Rob has an aluminum one that was operable ten years ago, when we were making dives with ours in the St. Lawrence, with our close friend, Allan Klauda.

He also owns the rare bronze bodied edition. I’m sure he will chime with, but that was a reg that he desired for many years.

Greg
Greg Barlow
PADI Assistant Instructor
TDI Adv. EAN
TDI Decompression Procedures
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Vancetp
Master Diver
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Joined: Tue Oct 04, 2016 7:26 pm
First Name: Phillip
Location: Belmont CA

Re: DivAir Question

Sat Mar 07, 2020 9:28 pm

Hey, Alan!
Is yours an A or B?

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Vancetp
Master Diver
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First Name: Phillip
Location: Belmont CA

Re: DivAir Question

Sat Mar 07, 2020 9:33 pm

I've had to make repairs on a couple of my plastic DivAir bodies. JBWeld works great on these. It seems to stick really well and to make strong repairs. See my "Poor Broken DivAir" post for major repairs to a brutalized plastic DivAir body. I recently did a very minor repair on another body, and the result was fantastic!

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simonbeans
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Joined: Sat Jun 25, 2005 2:00 pm
First Name: Allan
Location: Rochester NY

Re: DivAir Question

Sat Mar 07, 2020 10:41 pm

Vancetp wrote:
Sat Mar 07, 2020 9:28 pm
Hey, Alan!
Is yours an A or B?
Greg didn’t say that I had one, he said I took photos. If I did, I would not advertise what regulator I have or don’t have on a public forum. Might just invite some undesirable attention.
Check out my website: www.vintagescubastuff.com

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

Re: DivAir Question

Mon Mar 09, 2020 9:26 pm

Well, maybe he said Rob has one... Are you kidding?? What kind of undesirable attention? What could anyone possibly do with the knowledge you had a regulator worth less than $500? I'd really like to understand what you're talking about....

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simonbeans
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First Name: Allan
Location: Rochester NY

Re: DivAir Question

Mon Mar 09, 2020 10:02 pm

Think about it and I am sure you can figure it out.
Check out my website: www.vintagescubastuff.com

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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 Question

Tue Mar 10, 2020 9:55 pm

I did not mean to offend anyone by asking this question, or by any other question/assertion/statement following it about these regs. I will be more careful about posting questions about other people's stuff. I had permission to post pics of Phil N's regs, and I suppose asking anyone who wants to post about their own is ok....

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1969ivan1
Plank Owner
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Joined: Sat Jun 25, 2005 12:15 pm
First Name: rob
Location: CINCINNATI, OHIO

Re: DivAir Question

Sat Mar 14, 2020 11:26 pm

Yes I have one that I dive occasionally. We were pretty pleased with ourselves at Portage that year when we had 4 all in the water at one time. :D I have not had mine out for a long time hmmmmmm. I still would like to get the bronze one in the water some day as well.

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TeamDoug2015
Vintage Diver
Posts: 80
Joined: Mon Nov 02, 2015 10:25 pm
First Name: Doug
Location: Singapore

Re: DivAir Question

Mon May 04, 2020 12:22 pm

I managed to cobble together a working E model with a Hope-Paige mouthpiece by cannibalizing parts from a second. Not my favorite, but it makes you appreciate how rapid the innovation was in the beginning.

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ScubaLawyer
Master Diver
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First Name: Mark
Location: Laguna Beach, CA

Re: DivAir Question

Wed Aug 19, 2020 12:15 pm

I finished my rebuild of my 1956 Bill Arpin designed DivAir Model F. Very simple upstream one-stage design that is different enough from the Voit Sportsman or a USD StreamAir to avoid any patent infringement problems. No venturi assist, but the air is directed right down the intake horn without much spillage into the rest of the can. As with all upstream regs I tuned it on a 300-500 psi tank. It has a, for want of a better description, a macro main lever height adjustment screw and a micro adjustment screw (both locking) that permits very fine tuning. Cracking pressure at 300 psi is .5" H20 and cracking pressure at 2250 psi is just a hair over 1.5" H20.

Gonna take this puppy out for a test dive next week! Can’t wait! :)

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"The diver who collects specimens of underwater life has fun and becomes a keen underwater observer. .. seek slow-moving or attached organisms such as corals, starfish, or shelled creatures." (Golden Guide to Scuba Diving, 1968) :D

swimjim
Master Diver
Posts: 1694
Joined: Thu Mar 23, 2006 12:28 am
First Name: Jim
Location: Belgium WI

Re: DivAir Question

Wed Aug 19, 2020 2:55 pm

Sweet reg and nice job. I have found that my model C performs better underwater than it does on the bench. It's one of my all time favorite regs.

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