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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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stefeyme
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Looking for an intermediate pressure gauge tool

Sun Dec 04, 2016 9:15 am

Hey there!
I have purchased a paire of Broxton - one is green label :-) - I will need a intermediate pressure gauge tool to finely tune them and eventually dive them - I usually clamp my medium pressure gauge on the hookah port of my DAAM but this time is a no go....
My question is , could anyone tell me where can I find the tool to plug in the place of the second stage seat to be able to monitor the interminable pressure while adjusting the pressure screw?
Many thanks for your help
Cheers!
Stephane

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ScubaLawyer
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First Name: Mark
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Re: Looking for an intermediate pressure gauge tool

Sun Dec 04, 2016 11:02 am

http://vintagedoublehose.com/store/#!/D ... ry=2784066


Mark

Edited.....Herman can make the tool for you. Click the link above.....Bryan
"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

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Herman
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Re: Looking for an intermediate pressure gauge tool

Sun Dec 04, 2016 12:42 pm

I don't make that tool at this point, I use to but frankly it was a huge pain to make and very few were sold. Here are the issues with making one. I can make a simple adapter to work with most any other IP gauge but there are 2 problems doing so. First, you need some way of venting the gauge, most IP gauges rely on a second stage to do that but since there is no place for a second stage, that will not work with a Navy reg. The next issue and the one that worries me most is the gauge must have some kind of relief valve, again, the second stage usually performs that function, otherwise when and I do mean when, you have a run away IP something has to give, either the hose or the gauge. If you have ever had a LP hose blow due to high pressure, you will understand why it concerns me, It's as loud as a big bore handgun going off with pieces of shrapnel flying everywhere....been there, done that, don't want to do it again.

Thinking about it for a minute, I could do one that requires the use of a second stage and hose....what do you guys think?
Herman

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Bryan
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Re: Looking for an intermediate pressure gauge tool

Sun Dec 04, 2016 1:19 pm

Setting the IP on a two stage without a hookah port works great by simply following the Traditional Method

Herman, if you can make an inexpensive tool as you are describing but still make it worth your while I'd say go for it. You have yet to lead us wrong.
Doing it right should include some common sense, not just blindly following specs and instructions. .Gary D, AWAP on SB

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stefeyme
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First Name: Stephane
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Re: Looking for an intermediate pressure gauge tool

Sun Dec 04, 2016 5:03 pm

Hi Herman, Bryan, thanks for your quick answer,

As you said, this tool must have an overpressure escape valve if intermediate pressure is increasing - first stage seat doesn't seal- as well as a purge valve - because there his no other way to purge it (except emptying your tank... of course...)
These 2 constraints convert this tool into something far more complicated than just an intermediate pressure gauge that you clamp the hookah port and therefor probably not worth to manufacture for a small market.
On the other hand, reading the Traditional Method (thanks Bryan for the link!! - I'm French and blond.... would never have found that myself... :-)) it looks quite straight forward to finely tune the intermediate pressure and get a correct result.

So many thanks guys - as always - for your much appreciate help, and even if I would have loved to check the intermediate pressure of my DH, I will use the traditional way to tweak them.

Nice Sunday evening to you all.

Cheers

Stéphane

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captain
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Re: Looking for an intermediate pressure gauge tool

Sun Dec 04, 2016 5:18 pm

I built one from a welding hose adapter and a 1/4"tee pipe fittings with a bleed valve , no over pressure valve. If the first stage is proven to be leak free there is almost zero chance of an over pressure event. You can also vent it by simply unscrewing it. I don't think the original USD tool had an over pressure device. In any event the burdon tube in a 200 psi gauge would burst long before anything else and considering the small size of the orfice in the gauge the bang would't be much more than an spg gauge failing.


Western Enterprises #32 Right Hand thread B-size oxygen adapter
Captain

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rhwestfall
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Re: Looking for an intermediate pressure gauge tool

Mon Dec 05, 2016 8:40 am

I can't get into the catalog right now, but I wonder if there is a way to have a tee fitting in it, and use a first stage OPV (some are adjustable/can be rebuilt).
Bob

No Longer Awaiting my Kraken.....

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captain
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Re: Looking for an intermediate pressure gauge tool

Mon Dec 05, 2016 10:54 am

B oxygen adapter available at local Ace hardware store. Matter of fact everything you need is probably at Ace.
Cut about 1/8" off the end of the adapter that screws into the body to remove the sharp edge and provide a flat surface to seal on the O ring.

1/4" pipe tee

OPV, cheap 1/4" opv, http://www.homedepot.com/p/Powermate-15 ... lsrc=aw.ds

To bleed simply pull the ring on the opv.

300Psi gauge, http://www.homedepot.com/p/Husky-1-4-in ... /205331889

You need a -012 O ring to fit in the body.

Don't over think this.
I have more pic but for what ever reason I could only post 3.

Modified adapter

[imghttp://i49.photobucket.com/albums/f267/buttanic/IMG_25971.jpg][/img]

Image

Image

Image

[img][http://i49.photobucket.com/albums/f267/ ... 51.jpg/img]
Captain

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captain
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Location: LaPlace, LA

Re: Looking for an intermediate pressure gauge tool

Mon Dec 05, 2016 12:46 pm

I quickly thew this together and the only gaugeI had was 0 to 30 psi

Image


Un-modified adapter

Image

[imghttp://i49.photobucket.com/albums/f267/buttanic/IMG_25961.jpg][/img]
Captain

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stefeyme
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Re: Looking for an intermediate pressure gauge tool

Mon Dec 05, 2016 2:12 pm

Thanks Captain,
I'll try to build the way you mention, viewed that way it does not sound too complicated...
I guess the tricky part will be to find in Europe the adapter (imperial vs. metric) though I don't want to be too pessimistic before giving it a try, and I can surely find the rest of parts here.
I have a couple of folks around here that can probably help me with that.
This said, Could I ask you to send me the mesures of the adaptor (the part that screws into the DH body) is it standard ?
Many thanks for your appreciated help
Cheers!!
Stephane

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captain
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Re: Looking for an intermediate pressure gauge tool

Mon Dec 05, 2016 2:24 pm

The adapter thread is 1/4' NPT on one end and 9/16" X 18 NF on the other.
Captain

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stefeyme
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Re: Looking for an intermediate pressure gauge tool

Mon Jan 09, 2017 4:19 pm

I'm almost there, just waiting for the adapter to arrive...
Thanks for the help!!

Cheers
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stefeyme
Lung Diver
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Joined: Sat Jul 18, 2015 3:52 am
First Name: Stephane
Location: Valencia Spain
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Re: Looking for an intermediate pressure gauge tool

Sun Jan 29, 2017 11:18 am

The pressure gauge tool works perfectly well!!!

Thanks very much Herman for putting this together, makes a great difference when fine tuning this Broxton!!

BTW, the Navy / Trademark adaptor for the body wrench you sent me works particularly well and very smoothly with the ring nut tool, I guess it would have been impossible to disassemble this Blue Label without using them.

Thanks a lot

Cheers!
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