What are we missing ?

[Bryan]

What is the Vintage Equipment Diving community lacking for in the equipment/parts category now that we have a bunch of new stuff rolling along and coming available very shortly?
Allan is working on some new cool stuff with his harnesses. Karl has some new stickers/labels that he is toying with. Greg is still working diligently on his Voit catalog collection that I hope to have for sale in 07. Rob is pimping T-shirts like they were oranges in Florida. I’m sure there are a few I’ve missed as well…
At this point I have no secret stuff in the works I was planning on doing duckbills and mouthpiece valves in silicone but since my silicone source decided to make his nut off of VDH all in one order I might have to reconsider. I have a ton of ducks on hand right now so I’m in no real hurry anyhow.
Any thoughts or ideas are most welcome….

[duckbill]

Even though I know I'm out of the running, I have one question which might help others in their answers.
Do you want to stay with U.S. Divers, or would you entertain making parts for other brands of regulators?

[1969ivan1]

Just for fun we should make a MOCK catalog of all the new stuff that is out and include it with the PDFs that Allan and Greg are getting. We could title it the VDH and friends 2006 skind dive PARTS BARGE or something. It may be fun if we used Allan's and Dave's photography skills? Of course the t shirts would need to be included also .

[simonbeans]

Great idea. This booklet would provide both information as to what items are available and provide a way to advertise your vintage products. Great Czech mind again, bro.
Allan

[Bryan]

Even though I know I'm out of the running, I have one question which might help others in their answers.
Do you want to stay with U.S. Divers, or would you entertain making parts for other brands of regulators?

Other than USD stuff there has been almost 0 interests in other parts. I have acquired a lot of them, but have ended up practically giving them away just to get rid of them.
I could be missing the boat on something but I just don't know where yet....

[ovalis]

Well, there's always the DA HP seat. Along with the Aqualung and Aquamaster, we can also use them to rebuild our Aqua Div & Hydro lung Supremes.

I know the website is Vintage "Double" Hose, but the old single hoses are really fun to dive with as well. I don't how many buyers there are out their, but there could be some interest in the original Calypso HP seat.
Or possibly tilt valves.

[clevelanddiver]

If you could work with a wetsuit maker to provide you with TRUE vintage style wetsuits I'd be first in line.

I'm talking front zip down the center, 2 metal tab fasteners on the beavertail, sharkskin or smooth skin option, farmer john or long pants, matching hood and gloves, 3, 5 and 7mil (I don't think anyone is making neoprene in 1/4" anymore) sizes, a step in shorty version and maybe even a Phoenix logo on the shoulder.

The stuff I have found usually falls short in one or more of the above criteria and has left me reluctant to order again.

No velcro or plastic connectors for the beavertail. No zippers that veer off to one side at the bottom. No seams that start spread open after a few dives. No huge logos splashed all over the suit (a cool one on the shoulder, or none at all).

The vintage style suits were made for decades, but no one seems to get it 100% right when you ask for one today.

[Bryan]

I had thought of HP DA seats but I think that the Phoenix market will see more DA than RAM conversions. Plus it is very EXPENSIVE to have HP seats made! I need to sell a lot of single stage seats before I go to bat on the DA seats.

I don't plan on doing single hose regulators. In the past I did an O-ring kit for the Calypso and a kit for the Aquarius with a new teflon HP seat and to date I sold 0 Calypso kits and 1 kit for the Aquarius......

Great Ideas though!

[Bryan]

If you could work with a wetsuit maker to provide you with TRUE vintage style wetsuits I'd be first in line.

I'm talking front zip down the center, 2 metal tab fasteners on the beavertail, sharkskin or smooth skin option, farmer john or long pants, matching hood and gloves, 3, 5 and 7mil (I don't think anyone is making neoprene in 1/4" anymore) sizes, a step in shorty version and maybe even a Phoenix logo on the shoulder.

The stuff I have found usually falls short in one or more of the above criteria and has left me reluctant to order again.

No velcro or plastic connectors for the beavertail. No zippers that veer off to one side at the bottom. No seams that start spread open after a few dives. No huge logos splashed all over the suit (a cool one on the shoulder, or none at all).

The vintage style suits were made for decades, but no one seems to get it 100% right when you ask for one today.

The one that Allan Klauda had made is damn close to a tearform suit IMO...If you can get it without the company logo on it I think you have a winner.....

[clevelanddiver]

The one that Allan Klauda had made is damn close to a tearform suit IMO...If you can get it without the company logo on it I think you have a winner.....

Are the fasteners those plastic things people are putting on some beavertail suits these days? I know it seems petty, but it is little details like that bug me. If I pay $300 on a custom made suit, I don't want any compromise on the features.

[Bryan]

I'm sure if you E-mail Allan Klauda AKA Simonbeans he will be glad to E-mail you all the details.....Or you could start another thread about his wetsuit finds?

[duckbill]

I don't plan on doing single hose regulators. In the past I did an O-ring kit for the Calypso and a kit for the Aquarius with a new teflon HP seat and to date I sold 0 Calypso kits and 1 kit for the Aquarius......

Great Ideas though!

I bought one each of the Conshelf and Aquarius rebuild kits and have absolutely no complaints. They are very well made kits, as are all of Bryan's kits. I'm sure there are a lot of Conshelf fans here who just haven't checked the store out thoroughly. Do yourselves the favor.

[standingup]

Just finished going thru the parts available on VDH. What I would really like to see is a rebuild manual written by Bryan. I know the USD manual is available. However after 18 yrs of servicing typewriters I can vouch for the fact that there is the factory method and then there is the real world method of repair. The tricks and techniques Bryan uses would be invaluable. As far as parts are concerned the only avenue I see is-branching into other makes which at this point would probably not cover the costs involved.
IMHO I would like to see present out of stock items reproduced.

[Bryan]

Just finished going thru the parts available on VDH. What I would really like to see is a rebuild manual written by Bryan. I know the USD manual is available. However after 18 yrs of servicing typewriters I can vouch for the fact that there is the factory method and then there is the real world method of repair. The tricks and techniques Bryan uses would be invaluable. As far as parts are concerned the only avenue I see is-branching into other makes which at this point would probably not cover the costs involved.
IMHO I would like to see present out of stock items reproduced.

I did a manual for a few USD regulators a few years back and it did have a lot of updated info in it. It was far supeiror to the USD manual by a mile....My legal council had a good laugh about it......They said it was the worst idea they could think of.....All it said to them was....BRYANS manual said to do it this way, we got water up our nose and now we are going to sue..... They said it was very likely they would win too...... The ONE and ONLY person that is banned from my site told me that he looked forward to getting me in court if he ever hurt himself with any of the parts I sold him. He had also told me that that his family would sue me as well....Those of you who know him know that he almost drowned himself twice with a double hose he rebuilt himself (sob, sob) Great Job AquaBuddy

[standingup]

I see what you mean about the liability problems, however isn't it interesting how one south end of a north bound horse can ruin it for a great many.