Fortune Pond July 19th - 20th

[swimjim]

Just an FYI, the Lake Shore motel is full. I'll be staying at the Chicaugon. http://www.chicaugonlakeinn.com/ It's outside of Iron River and a little more expensive then the Lake Shore, but it's a nice place. See you at Fortune Pond!

[SurfLung]

I've got reservations at Lakeshore... Good thing I called it in a week ago. Ron made his reservation while he was up there last time. It's getting to be a popular place!

[SheriffDiver]

I'll be there Thursday night already. Ready to dive right away Friday morning.

[SurfLung]

50,001 Questions Rich is coming. And last night Ron said Drew is coming with his Dad and brother.

Ron wants to have a Twin 38s theme dive... SwimJim with his new set, Ron with his new set(s), and me with my "Bless-ed" 38s. Rich will probably join us with his Twin50s!

[swimjim]

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The culmination of a couple year project. Long story. They look pretty sweet. I'm looking forward to breaking them in at Fortune Pond!

[ScubaLawyer]

The culmination of a couple year project. Long story. They look pretty sweet. I'm looking forward to breaking them in at Fortune Pond!

Ok, spill it, what's the backstory - what, how, etc... looks great!

[swimjim]

I got these tanks from Rob a couple years back for the price of shipping. The first order of business was to get the bushings out. I tried everything in my arsenal. I broke my half inch breaker bar in the attempt. I was talking to Eben about these and he was willing to give it a shot. So, the next Fortune Pond run I brought the tanks along. They went to Minnesota with Eben and he got them out. So, he shipped the tanks and now removed bushings back to me. They had a little rust in them, nothing serious, so I rolled them and spent a good amount of time cleaning the "legs" of the tanks with a wire brush on the end of a rod mounted in my 1/2" drill. Great, now the tanks are nice and clean, so I took them to my hydro place. I got a phone call a little later from the secretary. The Hydro guy won't touch them. Too old, yada yada. Hmmm. So last winter Eben starts talking about this hydro place in Rice Lake Minnesota. This guy actually get's it. So, when I loaded up for Sea Hunt, the tanks went to Florida with me. Eben got them once again and took them to Rice lake where they both passed hydro with flying colors. Awesome! So I'm home free right? Wrong. I got out a half inch tapered manifold that I was hanging on to just for this project. I started taking it apart and all was going well until I got to the part that encloses the reserve. No amount of force or heat would allow me to get that thing loose. Scratch head........ Hmmmm.. So, I contacted Bill Tucker. I figured he might have something laying around. He said he would look and sure enough, he came up with a really sweet Sportsways manifold. He sent it to me and I tried to spin it into the bushing. Hmmm, my USD manifold threaded in almost too deep. The Sportsways only about two threads. I was wondering if these were one of the straight threaded manifolds. I called Bill and he assured me it was tapered. He suggested I take a tap to the bushings to clean the threads up some. He even offered to send me one to use. I had one laying around from a previous project. So I did as Bill suggested. The manifold fit perfect.
I then painted the tanks and put everything together. After all the trials and tribulations of this project, the scuba gods smiled upon me and everything went together nice AND sealed on the first shot! I owe Eben and Bill a giant thank you! Without their help, this project would have resulted in matching bells if you know what I mean. I'm really looking forward to diving them!

[ScubaLawyer]

I figgured there must be a cool story there. Bill and Eben are great people. It's amazing the lengths and time we spend on achieving our vintage goals.

I'm currently trying to get reducer bushings out of a pair of USN 38's. Got a 1 3/8" 3/4-drive socket and will be using a longer breaker bar. Those things can be a PITA. My first time working with them so I'll have plenty of questions. Anyway, great job on the tanks (what paint and process did you use?) M

[swimjim]

I just went over the tanks with 400 grit sand paper to give it a "tooth" and hit it with hardware store rattle can yellow. Nothing fancy there. I got the stickers from Bryan many moons ago and have saved them for a project which I deemed worthy. This one is it in spades!

[SheriffDiver]

Those tanks look sweet SwimJim!! I'm gonna try and bring 3 sets of twin 38's and 5 sets of twin 72's. It will be a colorful weekend with white Voit tanks, black Voit tanks, orange Sportsways, yellow US Divers, and bare steel US Divers tanks. I would think we'll have enough twin 38 tanks there to do a 38 theme dive with everyone wearing a set. We could even do a Thunderball scene and use both sets of my Voit tanks and the red and black wetsuits...

I am planning on rigging up a double hose regular to my UDS-1 unit and I've almost completed the striped wetsuit look now with hood, gloves, jacket, pants, boots and fins that are striped.

Will also be trying out a new video camera like Kevin was using at Sea Hunt....

Should be a fun weekend. Will need a compressor to keep up with 4 divers. I plan on bringing some food too. Sloppy Joes or Turkey Supreme??

[swimjim]

I think it's more of a bratwurst / hot dog kind of a weekend. Sloppy Joe / chili season will be back before you know it. Boo. Maybe I'll bring the grill up.

[antique diver]

Swimjim, that set of "elephant-foot" tanks are real beauties! I'm glad that manifold worked out well for you project. Good job, now remember to take a pad to stand those on so the toes don't get scratched up.

[SurfLung]

- I believe we are about 3 days away from participating in the Largest Vintage Diving get together of the entire summer... Ron's bringing every item of equipment from every vintage era and from every movie and TV show having to do with scuba diving! Everything of mine except wet suit and zoop are vintage or repro vintage. Similar for SwimJim except for dry suit and computer. (BTW SwimJim... Are you bringing some cascade/transfer whip and tanks so you can re-fill and dive your 38s more than once?) Rich will be probably 50% vintage. And Ron will also be outfitting Drew and family with vintage from DH regs and tanks to total vintage wetsuits!

[SheriffDiver]

Yes Surflung, gear from Sea Hunt, Jacques Cousteau, Jaws, Thunderball will make their appearance. I have a couple of special items that will make their way into Fortune Pond too! I should have my fill whip along too if SwimJim needs to bank fill.

[SurfLung]

Refreshing Enthusiasm Abounds!
- I've been monitoring the text messages going back and forth between the divers going to Fortune Pond this weekend. Which special tanks they're bringing. Which regulators. SwimJims new Twin 38 Dimple Bottoms will be there. I'm bringing a transfer whip so he can refill and dive them more than once. Ron's got TEN sets of double tanks he's bringing. SwimJim's bringing the Divair. Rich is bringing the Snark-a-Master and Jack the Frogman tank. I've got my Kawasaki and "Bill's 38s"... and on and on. Great enthusiasm for this trip. Wish you could come with us. - Eben
- Here's a photo Ron sent me of his truck...