Don't Look Allan

[Nemrod]

I know, it is not correct, I cannot help myself though . My poor DA had been having issues and then I took it apart for my initial test mule for the Phoenix nozzle that now resides permenantly on my number two RAM. The DA had been my grab and go regulator up until then. Since then it has been languishing away on my workbench. Well, look here, I now have an extra RAM nozzle and look there, since my RAMs now all have Bryan's silicone diaphrams I have a couple of excellent super soft NOS diaphrams. Oh, and look there, a set of gray hoses from VSS and over there, why, it is a USN mouthpiece from Master Sam (21) and hidden there a set of silicone cage valves from VSS and a NOS duckbill. Hmmmmmmm, why, looky there a bag of the latest Titan/Conshelf innards from VDH . Well, a quick go through and clean up and assembly. Set the IP at 140ish, tweak, tweak and since it is raining outside a trip to the pool is in order to try out my new harness from Allan, a basket style original design. I must report my newly assembled DA whatever it might be performs super great. Going head to head against my formidable square label RAM (with all the good stuff and silicone diaphram) it put in a good showing.

Speaking of diaphrams, the silicone diaphrams from Bryan are the ultimate but if you just happen to have a few of the NOS thin type---not those stupid chunky military ones--- and if you treat them to a silicone bath they are very soft and supple and breath quite good as most of us knew all along. The square label with the silicone came out winner because it is just more responsive with the silicone main diaphram and as soon as I can afford another I will supply one to my "grab and go" DA but in the meantime, this is a sweet performer .



Oh, and the basket harness from Allan, wow, if that ain't the real SeaHunt rig then it should have been, way cool.

Nemrod

[simonbeans]

Blush, Blush, Blush. Golly, you embarass me. Thanks James.

[BSea]

That is a good looking setup. I'm thinking of putting blue hoses (when they are available) with a yellow mouthpiece for the reg I'll be using when I get a Phoenix.

Since the phoenix is a new creation, I figure the color combination can be anything we want.

My buddy just got his harness a few weeks ago, and put it on a steel 72. When he took it to his LDS to get filled, they just looked at it. Finally they asked what all the straps were for. He said it was his pony and the straps were what he used to sling it. Half the fun of vintage diving is the looks and comments we get from EXPERIENCED divers.

[simonbeans]

You are so correct on the looks. However, if you get to the St. Lawrence, Alexandria Bay, in particular, you have to dive with Mo Hunt. He runs a dive store and a dive charter. During the summers of 2005 and 2006 he saw Chucko, Rob, Susafish and I so many times with vintage gear that he is tickled pink when we show up. He started by making his own regulator with a canvas diaphram covered with rubber cement. So the gear we use brings back great memories. He gets a chuckle and a few $$$ when the modern "christmas trees" divers show up. They "look like moving dive stores" as he laughs all the way to the bank.
Allan

[Nemrod]

The Oct. SportDiver has a decent artical on the Thousand Island area. I would love to dive there sometime before the zebras die off and the viz goes back to zero. Maybe next summer, it is a long haul for me up there. This coming summer I am taking my parents fishing in Destin for two weeks. We have a condo lined up with a slip for the boat right beside it. Of course I will do some diving and I am not afraid to go out onto the sea unlike the local dive shops--weather depending. Perhaps the summer after I can get the boat up there to the Thousand Islands.

So, I thought for sure you would chastise me for the Voit gray hoses on a DA. I would really like to get it powder coated graphite black and paint the label black, faux Navy,maybe even have the horsehoe and ring gold plated by a local shop.

Maybe someday I will break down and out bid Karl on a Voit so I will have something for the silicone gray hoses looming over the horizon.

Nemrod

[YankDownUnder]

Small small world......Voit and Mo Hunt!

I just put one of Karl's Voit stickers on a repainted steel 72 tank. I too am restoring a Voit with one of Alan's harnesses. In 1976 I was the TDY airfield commander at Ft Drum, near Watertown, NY. I started diving before there was certification and although I had instructed here in Australia, I did not have a C card of any type. I went to Mo's shop. He said that if I would teach a group he was too busy to deal with, he would test them and I would get a a YMCA card. So I did. We also dived together from his amphibious vehicle.

I was standing in line at DEMA 2002 waiting to enter, when I noticed only one business card on the bulletin board. It was Mo's. I had to tell someone of this and the lady standing next to the board had to listen to my nostagia. She said Mo was her dad and called him over. Small world.

[JES]

... Maybe someday I will break down and out bid Karl on a Voit so I will have something for the silicone gray hoses looming over the horizon.

Nemrod

You'll need to take out a second mortgage in order to outbid Karl on a Voit if he really wants it.

[BSea]

Blush, Blush, Blush. Golly, you embarass me. Thanks James.

I 2nd what James said. Are you offering this version of the harness? I've been watching a 72 at my LDS, and that style looks great for that tank. And it does look like the style used in the early sea Hunt episodes.

[YankDownUnder]

Early Sea Hunt tanks.........

A trick you might already know. If you buy a galvanized steel 72 tank, you can restore it's new appearance with Naval Jelly. The pink jelly is found at Home Depot and other chain hardware stores. It is intended to remove rust, but will make your zinc coated tanks look new again. You need to coat them with something to keep them from going back to dark grey. I used a lubricant, but that washed off and the aging began again. A clear coat of acrylic or clear enamal might do. Put the new tank label over the clear coat.

Use rubber gloves. If you don't and you notice a slimy feeling, it's your skin disolving.

[BSea]

I just bought a quart of ZRC Galvilite. It's a galvanizing paint that is supposed to look like hot dipped galvanize when its applied. Here's the link.

http://www.zincrich.com/p_galvilite.asp

I've got a set of doubles that I'm going to try it on, but a quart should do several tanks. I'll let you know the results when I get them finished. I probably won't refinish them till Jan or Feb.

[1969ivan1]

TOM uses that paint and it wears really tough and looks great. Really expensive though.