Hog Regulator Combo or get something better ???

[The Chairman]

Again why do car dealers sell parts?

There was a time when they didn't. Again, I don't speak for Scubapro or any other manufacturer. At least one has listened, and even THEY require that you get certified before you buy. If you want the parts, you can find them. I do.

 

[freeclimbmtb]

...using a systematic approach and how the using the right tool (not the back end of a flashlight) will make all the difference.

Aw...I'm pretty sure that was for me. :depressed:

you may (or may not) be happy to know I DO have all the CORRECT tools. (now)

And if I remember right, to take the HOG class dont you need a minimum of an intro to tech cert? (going back to your statement that some people should be tech diving OR rebuilding regs...but at least they make an effort to offer the class to a more advanced crowd..right?)

 

[bbarnett51]

I can't believe this thread is still going! Bump

 

[chrpai]

I have a $100 if someone wants to point me in the direction of all the right tools.

I was watching a video of a D1 1st stage dissasembly. What's the name of the curved wrench with the pin to take the cap off?

(Edit: figured it out.... hook spanner )

 

[Jim Lapenta]

It's called a pin spanner. #6 pin spanner to be exact if ordering from Scubatools.

 

[Thalassamania]

My lawyers won't let me is the last defense of the scoundrels. The reality is that it is part of their marketing program, coral the sheep and drive them into the LDS.

 

[The Chairman]

Aw...I'm pretty sure that was for me. :depressed:

Just having some fun... I do hope you got to read THIS post:

From the Percussive Maintenance Handbook:

If'n it don' werk: smack it!
If'n it still don' werk: smack it wit sumthin bigger and preferbly harder!
If'n it don't fit: force it!
If'n ya can't force it: use a phreakin' hammer.
If'n a hammer don werk: use a bigger phreakin' hammer.
If'n it breaks durin' these here pro-cesses: it was probly jus' junk, ennyways.

 

[GROBIOG]

NetDoc has made some great points, and I'll add to it if I may... people would be servicing their gear at what? One year intervals? How much practice is that?

Even if you have 5 regs, which most people don't use that many on their dives, that's a set of doubles + 3 stages,(how many people are doing that kind of diving?), and even if you space out the service intervals, that's still only 5 regs a year, a slow tech is easily doing 5 regs a week, which reg do you think will have been better serviced? Be honest to yourself and don't get carried away by the pros making comments and thinking you're going to be the next reg service master.

Then some says, "well, it's about the ability to be able to service your gear in case it has a failure in the field"
Well, that's pretty easy to solve, buy reliable gear that is not prone to failure, simple.
Not saying Hog isn't reliable, but sorry, that's not a valid point.

Like the comments on packing an extra 1st stage and an extra 2nd, that's pretty funny. But hey, I did it too, I had a full reg set living in my car for about 4 years, never once it came out of the regulator bag, then I went, WTF, what am I carrying this for?
Anyone wanna buy a reg set?

And finally a sober response to my question, and few others, thanks for posting this elan.

Now... can someone post a response equivalent to this about a Hog reg?
Again, not trying to challenge Hog's quality, just trying to acquire solid info.

I have found the DA's post and here it is in quotes
"The noticeable difference is the size of the air passages and the size of the working range of the valve in the Mk 17. It uses a thin diaphragm as well as a pair of washers that serve to increase the distance that the seat can lift off the orifice. It also has a separate bleed hole to the balance sized of the seat carrier so gas can move back and forth very efficiently in response to pressure changes. Finally, the high pressure orifice, seat and carrier are designed to maximize air flow. The orifice has a radius sunder the seating edge and the seat and carrier are designed to allow higher gas flow than in traditional designs.

The end result of the combination of the flexible diaphragm, better seat carrier balancing and better flow past the seat/orifice due to both streamlining and greater working range is very fast response time and high flow rates that were not previously found in diaphragm first stages.

The Mk 17 made me a convert to diaphragm regs and I replaced my Mk 20s and 25s with them shortly after the Mk 17 came out."

 

[freeclimbmtb]

Just having some fun... I do hope you got to read THIS post:

Haha, yes yes I did!

 

[The Chairman]

which reg do you think will have been better serviced?

The one that is serviced by the person who cares the most about doing it right. I learned how to rebuild my regs because I was way overcharged on a reg service (no courtesy of an estimate) and then the reg failed on the second dive because they didn't replace a diaphragm that was distorted. When they got the $10 diaphragm in, they did not want me to even install that myself because I wasn't "factory trained". O rly? Why did the factory trained rep put that distorted diaphragm back in my reg? They lost my trust and I demanded that they sell me the diaphragm, which they did (if I remember it right). I've recounted this in a few threads here on ScubaBoard over the years.

While I might start sounding like a broken record, let me reiterate: Rebuilding regulators takes certain commitments. Time to learn, time to do it correctly, money for tools and kits and the desire to do it right are all resources that you should commit to before you go down that road. My neighbor gave me a sign when I was twelve: Don't start vast projects with half vast ideas. Anyone who knows me can see how this concept has impacted my life over the years. I just don't do things half way. Pardon the pun, but I go whole Hog or no Hog at all.

Let me clarify further: depending on your mechanical expertise, you may not need a class to service your regs. However, if you are going to legitimately acquire parts, you need to make this commitment. Most manufacturers give yearly classes at DEMA and some do this periodically nationwide for shops who can't or won't travel. I paid to learn about Poseidon regs ($150.00 ???) and a shop allowed me to sit in their Atomics Reg class. Somewhere in there, I squeezed in a Zeagle class at DEMA. A couple of these classes were GREAT. At least one wasn't even worth the time I devoted to it. All of them indicate that I have made a commitment to servicing my regs. Here's a picture of the portion of my workbench that I have committed to reg servicing:

Here is the jig I made out of brass to hold regs while I test/service them. The two holes in front of the valve are threaded for both low pressure and high pressure ports to facilitate working on the rig with ScubaTool's first stage handle. Of course, I have a vise right next to it which is a bit more convenient.

No, not everyone needs to make this kind of commitment to the craft in order to rebuild your own regulators, but you do need to make some. No, I don't do regs for anyone else but Elena and me. Yes, I do teach the Hog reg class and so this is for my students as well as me.