Vintage Double Hose

Most of you have seen pictures and some of you have been diving with the Argonaut main body prototypes we have in original style cans. Reviews have been outstanding and we are moving forward as quickly as possible on the project.
Internal parts are being manufactured right now....Luis and I are discussing the final revision of the main cans and reviewing the last prototype that were made.
The main body and 2nd stage orifice work without fail but getting a shop to follow the specified tolerances as closely as we want AND produce an A+ finish has been challenging. We are on our 3rd shop now and are about 30 days from seeing an example of their work. I have my fingers crossed and I'm still hopeful we can get a few up for sale before the end of the year.
I'll post here what I'm able to share as progress happens. I'm keeping a lot of details close to the vest for obvious reason but I think a little mystery only adds to the excitement.

Testing Continues...

- Can drool short out a keyboard?

What Bryan is showing is the newest can design and the second 3D can printing we are evaluating.

I bench tested it and dove it and now it is Bryan's turn. This rapid prototype (3D printing) has a fairly rough surface, but the dimensions are very accurate. The 3D printing is fantastic to check out a design like this. It is not cheap, but it already paid for itself since it let me catch a small dimensional error that would have been very expensive to fix if Bryan would have made a mold with that error.

The actual can design is working great... I am very please with the results.

Just thinking out loud but how about a VDH logo in the tank flat. I know there will be a label on the other side but for some reason a raised or ebossed logo in that flat seems like a good thing. Ooooohhhh, embossed with yellow hose color paint detail, that would look good with yellow hoses.

Herman wrote:Just thinking out loud but how about a VDH logo in the tank flat. I know there will be a label on the other side but for some reason a raised or ebossed logo in that flat seems like a good thing. Ooooohhhh, embossed with yellow hose color paint detail, that would look good with yellow hoses.

You have a NEW Argonaut problem that needs solving en route to you today...

Internals for the Argonaut are finished and I think they turned out great!

At first glance, the IP adjustment screw looks similar to the Conshelf adjustment screw, but there are some very significant differences.

Anyone that has seen a lot of Conshelf first stages would have seen the indentations on the adjustment screw caused by using an undersized screw driver. With the proper tool that would never happen, but it is very tempting to use any available screw driver, and many mechanics do. After all, it does require a very large screw driver or a special tool like the one below from Scubatools (I own one and it works well).
http://www.scubatools.com/p-480-slotted-cap-driver.aspx

For the Argonaut we wanted to avoid as many special tools as possible. I personally think that a good design will allow the user to do essential field repairs with not much more than a “Swiss Army knife” and a small IP gauge if needed. So I wanted to reduce special tools (including the use of hex keys/ Allen wrenches).

In a pinch, this adjustment screw can be turned with a coin (ideally a US quarter, but most currencies will have a usable coin).

The material thickness where the screw driver fits is much thicker than in a Conshelf to provide a much thicker bearing surface (again, to avoid indentation if an improvised improper tool is used).

There is also a 45 degree chamfer on the top edge of the slot so there will be no contact with the outer most edge. The inside edge has much better support from the material above it and in worst case if it gets a small indentation, it will not be visible.



Also, if you notice the slots on the body ring are also oversized. That was also designed intentionally to accept a custom tool (like the one sold by Herman) or in a pinch, a number of improvised tools. More on this subject later.

- Very nice. Those parts look nicely made and beautifully finished.

Bryan wrote:Internals for the Argonaut are finished and I think they turned out great!

Bryan:

Will the HP slotted nut (not sure the true technical term for it)fit the USD Aquamaster 1st stage? I'm making a reg out of "parts" I have. Looks really nice, solid excellent work done by all involved!

uwstlth wrote:
Bryan:

Will the HP slotted nut (not sure the true technical term for it)fit the USD Aquamaster 1st stage? I'm making a reg out of "parts" I have. Looks really nice, solid excellent work done by all involved!

The parts are 100% interchangeable...But I have no plans to sell the Argonaut parts separately. Put a WTB in the for sale section of the forum, I'm sure someone has one they will part with.

I know I have been away from the list for a while (Work - got to dive in OZ last July!, money, Scouts, etc.) but do you have an idea of when the reg will be fully ready.

Pete

Gilldiver wrote:I know I have been away from the list for a while (Work - got to dive in OZ last July!, money, Scouts, etc.) but do you have an idea of when the reg will be fully ready.
Pete

I was hoping to have them done by DEMA this year....But that was wishful thinking.

In November we will have 6 of them in Cozumel for a final shakedown and evaluation.

Allan, Jim Bach and Nemrod are on the trip. All are experienced photo and video divers and will be diving Argonauts. I plan on having them share the first pictures and video of the 100% complete regulator while we are there posting to the forum and VDH Facebook page.

If all goes well on the trip I hope to have the first regulators for sale in Jan/Feb 2014.

Bryan wrote:

Gilldiver wrote:I know I have been away from the list for a while (Work - got to dive in OZ last July!, money, Scouts, etc.) but do you have an idea of when the reg will be fully ready.
Pete

I was hoping to have them done by DEMA this year....But that was wishful thinking.

In November we will have 6 of them in Cozumel for a final shakedown and evaluation.

Allan, Jim Bach and Nemrod are on the trip. All are experienced photo and video divers and will be diving Argonauts. I plan on having them share the first pictures and video of the 100% complete regulator while we are there posting to the forum and VDH Facebook page.

If all goes well on the trip I hope to have the first regulators for sale in Jan/Feb 2014.

Make that 7 if you did not include me.

Herman wrote: Make that 7 if you did not include me.

Sorry about that....Had not heard that you decided to go for sure!