antique diver wrote: ↑Wed Sep 07, 2022 9:17 amluis wrote: ↑Tue Sep 06, 2022 10:00 pmWith 21% if it has any rust it should be light.
How do they sound when you hit them with any type of metal object, a hammer will do. That is called a hammer test and it should be done on steel cylinders before filling. Just a light tap. A steel cylinder should sound clear as a bell. Any substantial rust will make a cylinder sound dull.
If they sound clear as a bell and with 21%, you should go dive them before you empty them. The 1980 air is much better air than you will find now-a-days. That is unless it was filled with a poorly maintained gasoline compressor or something like that, but that is unlikely.
I would dive them.
BTW, You should replace that burst or at least removed them (if you are not going to use the valve). Those lead plugs just scare the heck of me. I have seen of them go. They can do some damage, like a bullet.
Good luck.
If you are testing for a clear ring tone I think it is best done with the bands off to get a true idea of condition. They can damper the tone. Of course that would be best done with empty tanks to eliminate danger of stressing the manifold. Attempting this with full pressure will require a lot of caution and stabilizing the tank positions where that couldn't vary from the banded positioning.
Luis, your thoughts on this subject?
That is a very good point about the bands.
So Mark, how did it sound, when you hit the speed bumps? with the sledge hammer?