scubaguy36
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What kind of tank is this?

Tue Mar 22, 2016 11:45 am

What kind of tank is this? I think it is a scuba tank, but not sure. My lds says that it is a bailout oxygen cylinder for a bomber, and that it can be hydroed but not filled because it has a two piece valve? and an illgeal burst disk? Said its only good for scrap metal.
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Bryan
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Re: What kind of tank is this?

Tue Mar 22, 2016 12:25 pm

Appeared in the USD catalog in 58-60?? Called the Vigo. 38cf cylinder that came with a harness and Aquamatic regulator I think. Marketed to Ladies and Kids. The bushing in the neck is the problem due to corrosion issues. Valve should be no problem and can be updated to a current burst disc.

Others more knowledgeable than I on the subject can fill in the details.
Doing it right should include some common sense, not just blindly following specs and instructions. .Gary D, AWAP on SB

scubaguy36
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Re: What kind of tank is this?

Tue Mar 22, 2016 1:11 pm

So, can it be filled and used or is it scrap? I would like to use it for a bail out/ emergency egress bottle

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Bryan
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Re: What kind of tank is this?

Tue Mar 22, 2016 1:44 pm

scubaguy36 wrote:So, can it be filled and used or is it scrap? I would like to use it for a bail out/ emergency egress bottle
I would wait for others to reply with more information. A few divers who have experience with these cylinders are returning from a diving event this weekend and may not have had a chance to read and or reply to the question.

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Doing it right should include some common sense, not just blindly following specs and instructions. .Gary D, AWAP on SB

kworkman
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Re: What kind of tank is this?

Tue Mar 22, 2016 3:12 pm

Ive seen a few posts on here about guys putting these back in service. You can get replacement bushings but they say getting the old one out is hard. Check posts by Surflung (Eben). He has done one.

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captain
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Re: What kind of tank is this?

Tue Mar 22, 2016 4:55 pm

The reducing bushing will have to be removed before it can be hydro tested. A good tank vise and a long wrench will usually get them out but leaves them unusable. You can get a new 3000 psi rated bushing from McMaster-Carr. com, part number 4443K757.
The bust disc retainer will have to be replaced with the later 3 vent hole style, dive shops should have them. http://www.northeastscubasupply.com/2-2 ... urst-disc/
That said dive shops will probably not fill it because 1, I t is old, 2 they will not remove the valve and bushing to do the visual and 3, they believe incorrectly that the bushing is illegal, it isn't.
Your only option if you don't own a compressor is to tranfill it from another tank or tanks.
In the end it may be easier to just get a modern tank of similar size if wanting to be vintage is not important.
Captain

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Herman
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Re: What kind of tank is this?

Tue Mar 22, 2016 8:34 pm

But DON"T salvage it,. there are plenty of us that would LOVE to have it...
Herman

CrabbyJim
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Re: What kind of tank is this?

Thu Sep 15, 2016 4:48 pm

I have a tank like that with the original plastic harness and the AquaMatic regulator. Is it possible to get parts for the reg?

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Herman
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Re: What kind of tank is this?

Thu Sep 15, 2016 6:35 pm

CrabbyJim wrote:I have a tank like that with the original plastic harness and the AquaMatic regulator. Is it possible to get parts for the reg?
Not for the Aquamatic, they were an odd reg and pretty much everything in it is not a (scuba) standard......including the hose. There are a few rare part around but IMO, not worth the hassle to restore unless it has some special meaning to you.
Herman

CrabbyJim
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Re: What kind of tank is this?

Sat Sep 17, 2016 11:47 am

Nothing special except that is an interesting piece of dive history. The reg goes over the left side and the diaphragm is secured with what looks like electrical tape. I would post a picture if I could figure out how.

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Herman
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Re: What kind of tank is this?

Mon Sep 19, 2016 6:58 am

I don't see a parts breakdown or manual for the Aquamatic but the Voit VR-3 is the same reg. Look at the Voit service manual for a parts breakdown. The "electrical tape" is ...or at least should be a molded rubber collar, no telling what someone may have done in the past.

Just to make sure, do know about the manual and catalog section of the board? If not, look at the very bottom of the page for a link under "Gear info".
Herman

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antique diver
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Re: What kind of tank is this?

Mon Sep 19, 2016 12:15 pm

Herman wrote:I don't see a parts breakdown or manual for the Aquamatic but the Voit VR-3 is the same reg. Look at the Voit service manual for a parts breakdown. The "electrical tape" is ...or at least should be a molded rubber collar, no telling what someone may have done in the past.

Just to make sure, do know about the manual and catalog section of the board? If not, look at the very bottom of the page for a link under "Gear info".
Many of the original stretch-on rubber collars have long since deteriorated. A few wraps of very tightly stretched good electrical tape will contour itself around the edge of the body and join the cover tightly to the diaphragm. I usually add a couple of tightly stretched rubber electrical tape that will bond to itself and ends up looking a lot like the real thing.

The diaphragm is the real problem... I have never seen a good one. Made several at great expense of time, and have retired from that job since I have two nicely working models, and that's enough for me. Love diving the cute, simple little regs... especially the one with the built-in snorkel. I didn't even get stopped from diving from a charter boat in the keys at a shallow water spot after I assured the divemaster I had warning when air was getting low in the form of increasing inhalation effort.
The older I get the better I was.

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SurfLung
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Re: What kind of tank is this?

Wed Sep 21, 2016 3:24 pm

- I have one of the Vigo 18 model US Diver tanks with the bushing. I posted pictures and stuff on this forum under a few different threads. I believe the Vigo 18 and Vigo 38 tanks were actually war surplus oxygen tanks, refurbished for Scuba by US Divers.
* Search for "Little Tanks... My Collection Grows"

- Sea Hunt Jerry posted some info somewhere here on VDH about a 1950s era Minnesota diver and his dive shop that was making Scuba gear out of those aeronautical "diluter" regulators and surplus 38 cf oxygen tanks... This was apparently BEFORE the US Divers AquaLung products became popular. So I think it might have been fairly common to re-purpose these tanks for diving.
* Search for "Bob Travis Keagle"

- I have a set of Twin 38s that were already converted from the surplus oxygen 38s with bushings. I restored them with Hydrotest, Visual, and then bead blasted the exterior and finished with gray Galvalite paint. The insides of these tanks were and are pristine.
* Search for "Even Older Twin 38s"

- About a year ago, I bought two separate 38s like these on Ebay for $100 postpaid... Obviously I couldn't pass them up. These are already re-purposed for Scuba with bushings and K-valves. They have beautifully painted (green) outsides that are corrosion free. The insides had some surface rust but I recently tumbled them and it revealed near perfect insides for hydro and visual service. I recently acquired a like-new Voit twin tank manifold with 1/2" tapered threads from Rob's Scuba Museum. I'm planning to paint over the green finish with glossy white and then assemble these with polished chrome bands, blue harness, bushings and the Voit manifold... What a pretty little set of Voit Twin 38s... finished off with Karls blue Voit tank decals of course!
SurfLung
The Freedom and Simplicity of Vintage Equipment and
Vintage Diving Technique are Why I Got Back Into Diving.

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