First stage clone chart

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The TUSA swivel retainer screw is larger than the MK-5 swivel retainer screw.

I am sure you all recall the issue with the swivel retainer on the MK-5 breaking. I tried finding a stainless steel replacement (or making replacements), but the TUSA equivalent part I much bigger.

I don’t have with me the different thread sizes, but I can look them up at home. The size of the TUSA “MK-5 clone” is probably similar to the larger swivel screws used on the newer Scubapro regulators.

Any idea how they compare to the Oceanic Mk5 clone?
 
Any idea how they compare to the Oceanic Mk5 clone?

No, I haven’t looked into that one yet. I will look more into it later…when I can make some time. Do you know the Oceanic first stage model number?

I have shifted most of my single hose first stages to AL Titan and Conshelf since they share all the internal parts with the Royal Aqua Master DH, so the MK-5 first stages get little use.
 
Tell you what Luis. If you PM me your email address I'll email you the service manual for it, and you can tell me. I've got one of the Oceanic ones, and want to make sure I can find parts.
 
Well, I really think that there are five different terms that describe what goes on in the scuba regulator manufacturing business. I will attempt to give you MY take on these five terms and please understand that there terms my technically mean something different in different industries.

Manufacturer Built Regulators. These are regulators that are completely built and assembled by the manufacturer whose name appears on the front of the regulator. These regulator may still included some outside sourced parts, but by and large, the manufacturing is done in house. I remind you that these same manufacturers may ALSO make regulators for others as the OEM manufacturer.

OEM Regulator Manufacturers. These are regulator manufacturers who make regulators based upon another companies design and technical specifications. In this situation, everything about the design, appearance, and styling of the regulator is that of the company that designs and intends to market the regulator.

OEM Re-Design Manufacturers. These are regulator manufacturers who own and advertise (only in the wholesale market) certain first and second stage house designs. These manufacturers accept contracts from other scuba companies that make certain alterations to the basic house design, presenting a regulator that LOOKS much like the house design, but could have only minor or real major differences internally or externally. Ocean Divers Taiwan is a classic ( and very high quality) example of such a manufacturer.

Rebranded Regulators. These are regulators that come from one source and don't differ at all from the original, except for maybe the addition of a new name or trade mark on the front cover.

Clones. Personally, I have never seen what I think of as a clone. I think of a clone as being an identical "copy" of manufacturer A's regulator by manufacturer B. The reason you don't see this is that it doesn't make any economic sense. There might be some merit in cloning a Rolex watch, where there is some potential volume. It makes no sense to clone a scuba regulator. If you sell lots of them, you still haven't sold much. IF you already have the manufacturing capability to "clone" someone elses regulator, you might as well just start from scratch and design your own. After all, regulators are a simple design task when compared to other things that are designed every day.

In all of the cases stated above, you will see some of the parts that make up the whole being manufactured by specialists in that particular area. If you disassemble MANY of the balanced second stages on the market that employ full air tubes, you will see that the poppett assembly and balance chambers appear identical. It may be because they are! They may simply be purchased assemblies bought by a regulator manufacturer. In all of the five instances above, you will see a lot of cross-pollenation of parts. This is an economic necessity in an industry so small.

Phil Ellis
 
The original Tekna first stage was a Mark V clone, I have about 10 of those, some brand new in wrapping (no--not for sale). Later I got my wife an Oceanic Omega II and the first stage for it is identical to the Tekna Mark V clone. Then when Tabata (gag-TUSA) showed up in force low and behold that theirs was the same as well. Whoever is the OEM, it is the same for these three.

BTW, those are very good first stages, reliable, consistent, solid, good performance at depth, compact, versitle, low maintenance, just very sweet little units.

I do see minor parts changes over the years I bought these,flat seats vs convex etc but it seems the basic dimensions are the same and therefore retrofitable.

N
 
They are all indirect or direct copy's of the beloved mk5.
When Oceanics copy hit the store I asked the repair rep doing the clinic " is this a mk5 copy?" his reply "why reinvent the wheel" same as their diaphram model at the time was a copy of a USD model he said the same thing but they used some different parts (shims if I remember).
 
Not sure about the initial post on this thread, just looking at the regulators the DiveRite, Hurricane and jetstream 1st stages look much more like the Beuchat VR200 than the ODS RG-1009, and the 3000 looks exactly like the Beuchat V10.??
 
I think the regulators in the shop get together at night and interbreed. You can find similarities between any first stage and anyone else's if you look hard enough. Same goes for second stages.

Lemme see--a Genesis first stage is a Sherwood on steroids, the Genesis second stage is virtually identical to some Oceanics I've seen, and their first stages are practically identical to Aeris (same company), but Aeris' second stages are not all identical to Oceanic's. Zeagle's older regs are identical to Apeks' older models; Zeagle's newer first stages inside are just like Dive Rite's, etc, etc, etc, and etc. I really do believe we have some after-hours socializing going on at the regulator rack...
 
I wonder how much it would cost me to have my own reg with my name as the manufacture? Think how much fun you could have. Now to think of a name to call it . . .
 

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