Repair station how to get started (baby steps)

[Moonglow]

Scuba Test Equipment and Tools in Valencia, Los Angeles, CA from Scuba Instruments.com

GMC Scuba Testing Equipment

 

[rha600]

I'm looking at doing the same thing. I've got both books on the way, and I'm looking at some tools. What do you all recommend for a torque wrench?

 

[decompression]

I have a small torque wrench I have for my bikes (carbon fiber) which covers most torque ranges, from Fizer.

 

[redacted]

You need to be able to cover a range of 30 inch pounds to 300 inch pounds. That will usually require 2 wrenches although you probably could get away with one 1/4 inch drive wrench and add an extension for torque over 200 inch pounds.

 

[rha600]

I have a small torque wrench I have for my bikes (carbon fiber) which covers most torque ranges, from Fizer.

holy crap, I didn't even think about bikes.

Park Tool Co. » TW-5 : Ratcheting

Over 132in-lb I can probably use my craftsman. I think that goes low enough. If not then park makes a bigger one that goes from 88-500in lbs.

 

[Zung]

I got mines from the 'Bay for less than 20 bucks each, a 1/4" and a 3/8", then I calibrated the small one with a bottle of water. It wasn't too far off.

 

[Luis H]

+1 for the Vance Harlow's book from Airspeed Press

We haven't set the date but at a future Maine-iac Divers meeting we will be having another regulator clinic or primmer. It's not a repair event or class but Luis presents a lot of background of how regulators work along with the care and feeding. Once you now that you should be off to a good start with your experience.

Lining up a source of parts can be the biggest trick depending on your brand.

Pete

Hi Pete,
It is funny that we were just talking about this last night at the club meeting.

At this point it, I am tentatively planning on doing it at the January meeting. The second Thursday in January is the 10th.

 

[mainedvr]

Thanks Pete, I am as we buy new gear to suit our future diving adventures am looking at gear manufactures that are more DIY friendly like DR and HOG as two examples. I will watch for that event. I keep wanting to make a meeting but I teach at SMCC in the evenings and Thursday is my late day so can't make it during the semester, but we will make one yet

+1 for the Vance Harlow's book from Airspeed Press

We haven't set the date but at a future Maine-iac Divers meeting we will be having another regulator clinic or primmer. It's not a repair event or class but Luis presents a lot of background of how regulators work along with the care and feeding. Once you now that you should be off to a good start with your experience.

Lining up a source of parts can be the biggest trick depending on your brand.

Pete

---------- Post Merged at 08:07 AM ---------- Previous Post was at 08:06 AM ----------

Hopefully I will not have a Thursday class or I may just have to give my students a day off of listening to me ramble on about the National Electrical Code and come to that meeting. I can ditch class once.

Hi Pete,
It is funny that we were just talking about this last night at the club meeting.

At this point it, I am tentatively planning on doing it at the January meeting. The second Thursday in January is the 10th.

---------- Post Merged at 08:11 AM ---------- Previous Post was at 08:06 AM ----------

I will have to look at the college and see what they are tossing out, we are currently purging lots of equipment in the electrical engineering department as well as the fluid power department and I may be able to pick up some perfectly good or even new gauges and fixtures and parts and pieces for free. They offer them to us before they toss them

Thanks again everyone

 

[Luis H]

When it comes to DIY there is a trade off.

You could go with new regulators like the HOG or DR that will sell parts or you can go with older regulators like Scubapro Mk-5/109 or US Divers Conshelf that are so wide spread and used all over the world that parts are readily available and easy to find.

For a DIY I would personally recommend a well proven Mk-5/109 or Conshelf over the newer regulators. You can buy several used regulators of the exact same model for the price of a new one. That will give you plenty of examples to play with and get familiar with.

Also the older regulators have metal second stages that in my experience are more durable. They tend to be simpler and the replaceable parts have not change in decades. The internal parts on those two particular regulators are used in several of the newest models in production by those two manufacturers.

The issue of getting parts is a real issue, but with VDH (VintageDoubleHose.com), the internet, and many friendly LDS it is not really that bad. I find that I have a lot easier access to parts for a Conshelf or a Mk-5/109 that I do for some of the newer regulators. There is just many more well established sources.

If you damage an expensive metal part (not normally replaceable, like a piston, etc.); it is not hard to locate a used replacement.

You will get a lot more technical support from this DIY web site (and locally) with one of those regulators. Just look at the number of threads and the number of DIY that use those regulators.

 

[Jim Lapenta]

Scuba Test Equipment and Tools in Valencia, Los Angeles, CA from Scuba Instruments.com

GMC Scuba Testing Equipment

Much of what the first sells is from Scubatools where you can get it for less.

I will not deal with GMC as they don't sell to independents like me.

You have to go through a dealer. Adds another layer of cost to the items. Many items you can make yourself. I need to find the card but there was one company I ran into at DEMA that will sell to anyone over the net. They carry most of what Global does. Soon as I find it I'll post the info.