Older equipment

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The Hog stuff is fine, but you'd be better off going with the Deep6 regs. Includes the first service and kit. They even provide the manual so you can service yourself if you want. The company is the guy that used to be Hog. They're an upgrade from the Hog D3's.

Also, $550 CAD is $410 US. You're converting the wrong way. Dunno if that puts it in a different perspective for you. (It would be 550 US = 737 CAD, not the other way around)
Oops. Late night brain made me convert the wrong way.
 
Just thinking about the age is all. I know they're probably a lot better than what I have right now, and I may still buy them to use as a singles setup and have a spare first stage kicking around also.

My cave regs are all older than these, some of them by decades. Quality regs last a lifetime if they're treated well. I would not worry about the age at all.
 
I would pass on the ATX-200s. As mentioned, the hose routing is not all that great and you need to deal with that obnoxious 1/2" port. Other than that they are fine regs. For just a bit more I would look at the DGX Deep6 setup or the DRIS Illusion setup. The first stages have turrets and 5 ports. If you have a UK connection then you can get the original.
 
I would go with the hogs sell the xtx50 you wont regret the hogs plus they have been around awhile and you can service them youself
 
Are the rebuild kits easy to buy for Hogs? How about Apeks? Looks like Deep Six's are pretty easy to buy. DGX has the kits just sitting there waiting.

That brings me to my next point. What tools should I buy if I'm going to start servicing my own stuff? I know they can get expensive, but when I can spend $60 to buy a kit for myself and spend a few hours working on my own gear I'd rather do that than take it to a shop and pay $400 after two weeks of waiting for something that may have sat on a shelf the entire time. (I've heard stories about the one LDS I used to go to and I probably should have taken everything apart after the last time I went there because there's a good chance nothing at all was replaced.)
 
Hog rebuild kits are readily available from people like Pirahna Dive Manufacturing. Deep6 Signature Series rebuild kits can be purchased directly from Deep6. It is possible to source OEM Apeks kits but is probably easier to just buy the aftermarket kits put together by Northeast Scuba, The Deep6 service manual is available on the Deep6 website while the Apeks ones can be found online at Frogkick. Unless you take the course the Hog one can be hard to find but they are very similar to the Apeks although the torque specs are somewhat different and a couple of procedures should be changed to protect the seat during assembly.
 
As for tools many are just shop tools that you may already have but here is a list of some. This list if for Hog, Apeks and Deep6

Intermediate pressure gauge - This is a must have but can be purchased for less than $20.00
Magnahelic - Nice to have but you can substitute a homemade manometer.
Correct size wrenches - Good quality adjustable in a pinch but correct size wrenches preferred
Handle that screws into one of the ports to hold the first stage
A vise is nice but no absolutely necessary
Brass picks
Allen keys
Pin spanner, size depending on make of reg - This is a must have and some will require 2
Lubricant - O2 safe if using Nitrox and best to only have one on hand if so in order for no mix-ups
Torque wrench in inch pounds with appropriate sockets and crows feet..
Clean surface to work on.
Ultrasonic cleaner is great to have but careful cleaning can be done without. A lot of people are happy with the lower cost units available from places like Harbor Freight.
Cleaning solution - Simple Crystal Green is popular. I use Dawn dish washing detergent myself.

I have probably forgotten a couple of thing but I am sure other will chime in with what I have missed.
 
Side note: I've purchased the bible and intend to service my own regs from now on. Maybe this makes a difference, maybe not. What say you?

This is the only question you asked so let me address that.

The difference in skill level between myself -- someone who can find the one hammer I have in the house after searching for a while -- and an actual carpenter -- who sleeps with his/her hammer under their pillow -- is tremendous. In terms of speed, in terms of lower levels of mistakes and in terms of the quality of the end result.

I bought the same book I suspect you have and managed to service my own regs a few times before it occurred to me that I'm never going to be as good at it as someone who has done 20,000 of them. I find all the arguments about a 3rd party not being as invested in your safety as you are, to be entirely unconvincing. Servicing a regulator is a skill and skills are perfected by repetition.

R..
 
As for the Apeks ATX 200. It's a perfectly good regulator, provided that it has been well maintained. Being "older" does not necessarily make something "worse". This particular regulator was top-shelf in its day and will still suffice for any application you can think of.... .again, provided it has been taken care of.

R..
 
This is the only question you asked so let me address that.

The difference in skill level between myself -- someone who can find the one hammer I have in the house after searching for a while -- and an actual carpenter -- who sleeps with his/her hammer under their pillow -- is tremendous. In terms of speed, in terms of lower levels of mistakes and in terms of the quality of the end result.

I bought the same book I suspect you have and managed to service my own regs a few times before it occurred to me that I'm never going to be as good at it as someone who has done 20,000 of them. I find all the arguments about a 3rd party not being as invested in your safety as you are, to be entirely unconvincing. Servicing a regulator is a skill and skills are perfected by repetition.

R..
No question that in theory that should be the way it is. Unfortunately that is not always the case. When getting my tanks filled at a local LDS some years ago I witnessed a regulator being serviced on a dirty piece of carpet on a dirty workbench. The technician then set the cracking effort using a bucket of water. Yes, you can adjust the cracking effort that way but probably not exactly to factory specifications. Nitrox regs were also probably serviced on that same piece of dirty carpet as it was the only workstation. Having had one of my regs serviced there and finding a piece of carpet pile in my first stage preventing one of the hoses from sealing I started servicing my own regs.
 
https://www.shearwater.com/products/teric/

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