USD-Luchard-ALIZE-1.JPG
Well, with the help of the very good people on this forum, I am proud to be the only guy in the world* who has a complete, properly functioning ALIZE compressor, made by Luchard in France, paired with a U.S. made Clinton engine, and sold by U.S.Divers from 1958 to 1965!
Let me emphasize "
with the help of the very good people on this forum".
I had done some of the restoration myself, rebuilding the engine and the compressor, but without Bill and Tom, and Bryan, this wouldn't be both running AND pumping air!
Yes, it's old school, and it's slow as hell. There's better technology in the engineering of every facet of modern compressors.
But this thing is so cool...I love it. At 65 pounds, I can pick it up and haul it by myself. The exhaust is routed up high, on a 4 foot vertical pipe, to keep nasty exhaust away from the compressor intake. There's barely any muffling, like my old mini-bikes and go-karts. There's no "safety guard" around the flywheel/fan, and it would be easy to get hurt...I'm glad I grew up in a time when you were expected to KNOW not to stick your hand into a moving blade...
Captain, was the one who pointed out the missing o-ring in the relief valve, and without that information, I could have never figured out that thing.
Antique Diver, sent me an assortment of tiny o-rings that I could sort through, and has offered help with valve rebuilding and generously sends parts out at no charge, just because he's a darn good guy.
Bryan, obviously has the VDH website, where all this came together, and has all the parts a vintage diving enthusiast could normally need.
The amount of information accumulated here; the combined knowledge of the members here, and the willingness to share that, is just amazing. I cannot think of a single thing I've wanted or needed to know that I can't (eventually) find the answer to somewhere within these pages.
Thanks to the entire VDH community!
* That I know of...
You do not have the required permissions to view the files attached to this post.