Vintage Double Hose

Sadly, no photos, but here's the story;

Got an over-pressure several years back that has sat on my dresser just to be admired, but in getting ready for upcoming trip I thought that I might see how bad it was and if not too bad, fix up and bring.

Well, it didn't have the internal green hose or the original mouthpiece, so I just figured it was a converted mistral and that would be easy...

First surprise was that i put it on a tank and it breathed fine.... not even a freeflow... and I was amazed... The hoses had a wicked set to them like a bird's nest and the mouth piece was borderline dried out, so I figured I'd swap those with some extras I had on hand. Removed the exhaust horn and with a tiny coax the duckbill slid right out looking fine. Inspected the diaphragm and it looked great... but it has the original evil box clips that after finding it breathing so well I did NOT want to fool with, so, with a flashlight I thought I'd take a peak in and see if it had the short or long mistral nozzle, and here's what I didn't expect... instead of seeing the hexagonal valve body and the compound mistral lever in there... what I saw looked a heck of a lot like a really wide horseshoe lever with a spring under each arm, and a brass colored first=stage looking chunk like an aquamaster.... granted, I was just looking down the horn, but I've done several mistrals now, and it looked nothing like one...

So what do I have in there???

looked at some overpressure internal photos on an old thread, and that was what I was expecting, but not what I saw. Sure I could just open it up, but like I said, for the moment it's breathing good and I don't want to foul it up or have to fight the clips.

Any thoughts would be appreciated!

BTW, it has a great sticker on the can from that "professional scuba" place we were talking about recently in another thread.

Sounds like someone put an Overpressure front can on a 2 stage regulator. The repair shop probably had plenty of extra parts to put together a hybrid like that.

The "evil clips" aren't really so bad with a couple of modified common tools. If you want to open it up in Florida I can bring the two modified Vise Grips that I use.

Does it have a single stage or two stage body ? Sounds like it has an early Trademark/Broxton lever in it and as Bill said, it's a two stage regulator with a single stage can on it.

Does the body have a hookah port (DA AM 1958 - and onward), an uncut hookah nib (DA- 1957) or just a door stop like bump (DA Navy Type, Navy Approved or Broxton Ave.). Is the body cast (early Broxton) or forged (late Broxton - DA)?

OK, so here's a photo of the body and hookah stub. Saw a drawing today of a broxton horseshoe lever and springs and it looked a lot like what i saw down the horn.... so is that what it is???

From what I can tell from the picture I'd say late thumb screw, early cast yoke, late forged body from a blue label Broxton or DA Navy Approved. Heinz 57

Sent from my SM-T810 using Tapatalk

8dust wrote:Sadly, no photos, but here's the story;

Got an over-pressure several years back that has sat on my dresser just to be admired, but in getting ready for upcoming trip I thought that I might see how bad it was and if not too bad, fix up and bring.

Well, it didn't have the internal green hose or the original mouthpiece, so I just figured it was a converted mistral and that would be easy...

First surprise was that i put it on a tank and it breathed fine.... not even a freeflow... and I was amazed... The hoses had a wicked set to them like a bird's nest and the mouth piece was borderline dried out, so I figured I'd swap those with some extras I had on hand. Removed the exhaust horn and with a tiny coax the duckbill slid right out looking fine. Inspected the diaphragm and it looked great... but it has the original evil box clips that after finding it breathing so well I did NOT want to fool with, so, with a flashlight I thought I'd take a peak in and see if it had the short or long mistral nozzle, and here's what I didn't expect... instead of seeing the hexagonal valve body and the compound mistral lever in there... what I saw looked a heck of a lot like a really wide horseshoe lever with a spring under each arm, and a brass colored first=stage looking chunk like an aquamaster.... granted, I was just looking down the horn, but I've done several mistrals now, and it looked nothing like one...

So what do I have in there???

looked at some overpressure internal photos on an old thread, and that was what I was expecting, but not what I saw. Sure I could just open it up, but like I said, for the moment it's breathing good and I don't want to foul it up or have to fight the clips.

Any thoughts would be appreciated!

BTW, it has a great sticker on the can from that "professional scuba" place we were talking about recently in another thread.

Did the internals look like this? This, believe it or not, will be my first Broxton rebuild. Serial # 20865. I am guessing it is a Blue label Broxton, but I can't tell due to no paint left on the reg. label.

Russ,

20865 would be a late model BLUE label Broxton. It should have the ridged horns, forged body and cast yoke. Although there is no exact cut off number for the horns, forged body and yoke change over, as USD never threw anything away they would use up outdated parts until done, and if more inventory was found, use them again.
It is definitely a Blue label though, as changeover occurred around 12,000 from the Green label, so you are approximately 8,000 units in from the last of the Greenies.

oiy, how long has that been under water? Looks like a project alright!

close, but I don't remember the body retaining ring looking like that, which looks like the standard on the other two-stagers I've been in, or the first stage in the center having the larger nut on it... Maybe I'm wrong, but it seemed simpler. May have to take the hose off again but it has Tinnerman clamps in good shape and I don't want to overwork them.

If you want it opened up, bring it to SeaHunt with you. I will bring my C clip tools.

USdiver wrote:Russ,

20865 would be a late model BLUE label Broxton. It should have the ridged horns, forged body and cast yoke. Although there is no exact cut off number for the horns, forged body and yoke change over, as USD never threw anything away they would use up outdated parts until done, and if more inventory was found, use them again.
It is definitely a Blue label though, as changeover occurred around 12,000 from the Green label, so you are approximately 8,000 units in from the last of the Greenies.

Thanks US D for the intel. 8dust is correct that the reg looks like it has been under water (light to medium verdigris and such) but it is actually not too bad. You can definitely see how the main diaphragm seal had either failed or more likely the mushroom valves in the mouthpiece had allowed water to enter the inner chamber. I am guessing that it was made around 1954-55??? maybe???

Okay Folks,

Now that I am back on the Red Sea side (drum roll and tah-dah), how the hell do you check IP on a Broxton or a DA Navy for that matter. Come on oh Nabobs of the DH world and give me your secrets!!! I am thinking specialty tool for main body 2nd stage cavity........maybe?!?

ALL THAT SAID, WHAT WAS 8DUSTs mystery reg? I need closure

I do it Tom's way as far as setting IP. I just put the reg on a tank with 3-400 PSI, then tighten the first stage adjustment nut until I hear air leak out of the second stage. Then, I back it off 1/8 of a turn back from where it stops hissing. That should get you on target. I have a special fitting and gauge that screws into the second stage thread in order to actually display IP, but doing it Tom's way gets you the same thing.

slonda828 wrote:I do it Tom's way as far as setting IP. I just put the reg on a tank with 3-400 PSI, then tighten the first stage adjustment nut until I hear air leak out of the second stage. Then, I back it off 1/8 of a turn back from where it stops hissing. That should get you on target. I have a special fitting and gauge that screws into the second stage thread in order to actually display IP, but doing it Tom's way gets you the same thing.

Straight forward and cool common sense. Thanks man. That said WHAT WAS 8DUST'S REG??????????

You can make up an IP gauge using an oxygen welding regulator to hose adapter, a 1/4" pipe coupling and a 0-200 psi gauge. Everything can usually be found at a welding supply store or Ace hardware store. The 9/16 x 18 end of the adapter is the same thread as the volcano orifice. Use a -012 O ring to seal it in the regulator

http://www.mcmaster.com/#79215a1/=12sj9vh