MikeAlan
Lung Diver
Posts: 52
Joined: Sun Nov 22, 2015 7:36 am
First Name: Mike
Location: San Diego CA

Re: My new (to me) compressor

Thu Feb 04, 2016 4:59 pm

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! :D

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... :wink:

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... :wink:
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Bryan
Plank Owner
Posts: 5279
Joined: Fri Jun 24, 2005 11:40 am
First Name: Bryan
Location: Wesley Chapel Florida
Contact: Website

Re: My new (to me) compressor

Thu Feb 04, 2016 5:03 pm

It's a fantastic piece of equipment and diving history. Congratulations and thanks for the positive comments.

Sent from my GT-I9500 using Tapatalk
Doing it right should include some common sense, not just blindly following specs and instructions. .Gary D, AWAP on SB

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captain
Plank Owner
Posts: 1440
Joined: Mon Jul 04, 2005 11:32 am
Location: LaPlace, LA

Re: My new (to me) compressor

Fri Feb 05, 2016 12:22 pm

Just like my Cyclone the Luchard compressors are practically indestructible. I may also own the only running Cyclone.
Captain

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timbo
Lung Diver
Posts: 53
Joined: Fri Apr 02, 2010 1:56 pm
First Name: tim
Location: belgium

Re: My new (to me) compressor

Sat Mar 10, 2018 10:22 am

I have a cyclone project laying around in the attic.
So in the future there could be two.

SeaHuntJerry
Master Diver
Posts: 420
Joined: Sat Jul 02, 2005 12:45 am
Location: Minneapolis

Re: My new (to me) compressor

Wed Mar 14, 2018 12:31 am

Way to Cool Us divers Congrats on this find

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antique diver
Master Diver
Posts: 2210
Joined: Sun Dec 10, 2006 12:50 pm
First Name: Bill
Location: North-Central Texas

Re: My new (to me) compressor

Wed Mar 14, 2018 12:48 am

That's a great job to get one of these old beasts up and running! A nice addition to anyone's vintage equipment collection.:D
The older I get the better I was.

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captain
Plank Owner
Posts: 1440
Joined: Mon Jul 04, 2005 11:32 am
Location: LaPlace, LA

Re: My new (to me) compressor

Thu Mar 15, 2018 9:34 am

timbo wrote:
Sat Mar 10, 2018 10:22 am
I have a cyclone project laying around in the attic.
So in the future there could be two.
If you need a copy of the original manual I can copy mine.
Captain

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timbo
Lung Diver
Posts: 53
Joined: Fri Apr 02, 2010 1:56 pm
First Name: tim
Location: belgium

Re: My new (to me) compressor

Thu Mar 15, 2018 1:22 pm

Yes please,that would be great.

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