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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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SurfLung
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A Different Snark III

Fri Aug 18, 2017 8:40 am

A Different Snark III
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- My buddy Rich bought this at a garage sale along with a scuba tank and other diving gear. The regulator is marked as a Snark III Silver. But it has only one hose which is connected to a full face mask. Is it for diving? Is it for fire fighters? It does have a high pressure port.
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SurfLung
The Freedom and Simplicity of Vintage Equipment and
Vintage Diving Technique are Why I Got Back Into Diving.

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SurfLung
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Re: A Different Snark III

Fri Aug 18, 2017 3:28 pm

- Okay I'll provide another tidbit. The top can on two hose Snark III regs has some serious depth to it because it houses the exhaust valve. BUT on THIS Snark III, the top can is almost flat because it doesn't have an exhaust valve in the can. The exhaust valve is in the top of the single corrugated hose... Right below where it enters the full face mask.
SurfLung
The Freedom and Simplicity of Vintage Equipment and
Vintage Diving Technique are Why I Got Back Into Diving.

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antique diver
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Re: A Different Snark III

Fri Aug 18, 2017 3:42 pm

Is the lens convex? Doesn't look flat in the photo to me.
The older I get the better I was.

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kgehring
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Re: A Different Snark III

Fri Aug 18, 2017 9:22 pm

Very COOL!!!! Let me know when you get tired of it. lol
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Over 400 vintage regulators in my collection

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Herman
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Re: A Different Snark III

Sat Aug 19, 2017 7:17 am

That is an interesting reg, I also wonder if it was intended to be fire fighting equipment instead for scuba.
From what I understand, the reason for the second hose on a 2 hose reg was to balance it underwater to prevent free flow. Unless there are some considerable restrictions in the exhaust, I would think a FFM would free flow without the second hose for balance.
Herman

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luis
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Re: A Different Snark III

Sat Aug 19, 2017 9:13 am

That system was not designed to be used underwater. Anytime the exhaust is higher (in the water column) than the demand valve, the pressure differential will cause the demand valve to actuate, causing a free flow.

In some position, when the exhaust valve is level with the demand valve diaphragm, this system will work fine, just like we are use to, but the exhaust valve in that system can easily be in a position several inches higher than the demand valve. That pressure differential (in the water column) will easily exceed the cracking effort on the demand valve causing it to open and free-flow.

Drager made an attempt at a single ambient pressure hose with a remote demand valve, but they used that one single hose for both, inhale and exhale. That located the exhaust at the same level as the demand valve.
Luis

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captain
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Re: A Different Snark III

Sat Aug 19, 2017 10:33 am

Agree with Luis SCBA not SCUBA. Plus that curved face plate will screw with your vision underwater.
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swimjim
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Re: A Different Snark III

Sat Aug 19, 2017 4:45 pm

Fire fighting gear was my guess. Of course with a proper exhaust side can and a hose loop you'd be in business. :D

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SurfLung
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Re: A Different Snark III

Mon Aug 21, 2017 10:31 am

- Well, we tried it out in the lake on Saturday. It probably looked pretty funny. We were either face forward or face down so the exhaust valve probably never got above the reg. Anyway we did not have free flow. However, when we exhaled it usually would go out the top of the mask rather than down to the exhaust port. Which makes sense... Easier to exhaust up to lower pressure than down to higher pressure. We could not get the top of the mask tight enough to stop this. It would exhale out the exhaust valve if we held the op of the mask with our hands.
- The face plate is curved and underwater it became a big fisheye lens. Objects 2 feet away looked like 6 feet away.
- Water could get into the reg very easily as there were no one way valves in the hose.
- Conclusion, like any fireman's SCBA, it can be used underwater in a pinch but its definitely not made for it.
- Caution: When testing equipment in lakes, wear a wetsuit to protect you from sunfish that think they are piranhas. Those little suckers drew blood on me. One bit me in the nipple and another bit me twice in the same spot behind my knee. That's when I whipped out my trusty dive knife...

I contacted Enrique Dauner on Facebook and he said converting this fireman's Snark III Silver to a double hose Scuba regulator is easy. You just need to replace the flat front can with a Scuba exhaust can and add a set of diving double hoses. An extra Snark III can may be hard to find. But I'm wondering if (since Mistral diaphragms fit Snark III)... I'm wondering if a Mistral front can with duckbill would work?
SurfLung
The Freedom and Simplicity of Vintage Equipment and
Vintage Diving Technique are Why I Got Back Into Diving.

SnarkIII
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Re: A Different Snark III

Mon Aug 21, 2017 6:35 pm

I have a very early Snark III (hence my screen name) and it has a flat can similar to a USD.

Could this be some type of chemical exposure setup?

The name on the mask appears to say Capri Silver, so I'm guessing it is made by Nemrod not a home conversion

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USdiver
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Re: A Different Snark III

Mon Aug 21, 2017 7:56 pm

What an unusual Nemrod Snark III. I concur with the others, it must be SCBA for smoke eaters. Still very cool.

My Snark III was purchased New in 1986. It has a sliver and black stick on label, but except for the exhaust can looks remarkably similar to the SCBA you have. The intake can and regulator's "3" stage mechanics look identical to mine.
Too DAAM Many double hoses, It's not a hobby, it's an addiction.

crimediver
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Re: A Different Snark III

Tue Aug 22, 2017 12:20 pm

I tie trout flies and occasionally some for sunfish and bass. I am now considering making a nipple fly for sunfish. I am thinking of a spongy neoprene material for top water and a nipple fly with a piercing in it for a sinking fly.

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USdiver
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Re: A Different Snark III

Tue Aug 22, 2017 1:03 pm

SurfLung wrote:-
- Caution: When testing equipment in lakes, wear a wetsuit to protect you from sunfish that think they are piranhas. Those little suckers drew blood on me. One bit me in the nipple and another bit me twice in the same spot behind my knee. That's when I whipped out my trusty dive knife...
The one good use for tupperware pistols

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No more sunfish piranhas to worry 'bout.
Too DAAM Many double hoses, It's not a hobby, it's an addiction.

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