OP
There's one spot left on Round #2, but it may well be that Round #3 will be an alternative format for a couple of European participants. But weekday evenings may be Round #4.
Regulator Service Technician Training - Unrestricted
- Thread starter rsingler
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OP
Scubatools.com has come through for our seminar! While it may be too late for Round #1, those following this thread who don't yet own any specialty regulator repair tools can now go to ScubaTools and find a special spot designed just for us!
There, once you order the required basic kit, you can quickly add any of 18 additional tools without laboriously searching their site, adding one item, and then searching again and again. While we're not yet a large enough seminar program to get a discount from this small-margin custom quality tool business, the convenience factor is huge!
On the scubatools.com website, open the Menu, and
- Click Shop All
- Click Kits
- Click Technical Seminar
- Click the NapaScuba Regulator Tool Kit link! It was designed just for us!
Alternatively, just click this link:
Scuba Tools - NapaScuba Regulator Tool Kit
Thank you, ScubaTools!
For the list of tools in the Basic Kit, there is a new Post #4 on page 1 of this thread with a bit more detail...
There, once you order the required basic kit, you can quickly add any of 18 additional tools without laboriously searching their site, adding one item, and then searching again and again. While we're not yet a large enough seminar program to get a discount from this small-margin custom quality tool business, the convenience factor is huge!
On the scubatools.com website, open the Menu, and
- Click Shop All
- Click Kits
- Click Technical Seminar
- Click the NapaScuba Regulator Tool Kit link! It was designed just for us!
Alternatively, just click this link:
Scuba Tools - NapaScuba Regulator Tool Kit
Thank you, ScubaTools!
For the list of tools in the Basic Kit, there is a new Post #4 on page 1 of this thread with a bit more detail...
OP
Well, I'll depend upon all our ScubaBoard members to tell the truth about it. If it's worth all their preparation, time commitment and cost...great! If it turns out to be less than folks had hoped for, I expect them to tell that too. It'll succeed or fail on its merits.
FNQ_Mick
Registered
Please count me in for a future round - with lots of warning to book some days off work ( I'm 18hrs ahead of you )
runsongas
Contributor
the scubapro multitool is a good idea for those that own multiple scubapro first stages imo rather than getting face/pin spanners
Round 1 ended a few hours ago and I have a few thoughts.
First I want to thank @rsingler. He did a great job as an instructor in the course. He was knowledgeable, communicated well, and was incredibly patient. The Zoom format actually wasn't the problem I thought it would be, mostly because of Robert's setup which including a magnifier cam and over workbench cam. Robert's pre-class preparation went far beyond this. I was really impressed by the amount of effort he put in before the class trying to get each of us squared away with the right tools, info and even borrowed regs.
Second. OMG there's a lot of info presented. It's not easy to keep up, but it is possible. I went into this as someone who was comfortable with basic stuff like swapping hoses, replacing mouthpieces, and using an IP gauge to check if my first stage was working well. But I'd never opened a reg before. By the end of the class I'd rebuilt ScubaPro Mk 5 and Mares 32 firsts and Mares Proton Ice and (borrowed) Beuchat seconds. And not only do they all work, they all worked the first time I put them under pressure. I still can't quite believe I got the first stages together in one go.
Now for some suggestions.
Suggestion for @rsingler:
To keep the class time realistic and better match the schedule to what we ended up actually doing, I think it would better if most students stuck with a single type of first stage, either piston or diaphragm. And then assign the classes by that preference. Then after the opening remarks you could go right into discussing and disassembling the preferred type. Once everyone is caught up with the disassembly (maybe after the lunch break?) you could do the other type as a straight lecture/demo. This would still be followed by the balanced second discussion and disassembly.
This would avoid the issue we had of going well overtime the the first day and most attendees having to sit through a hour or two of questions on a type of reg that they were not working on. Of course, more advanced students and those willing to put in some time after class could still do both types.
Also, at some point please record each section of the course as separate videos and put them up somewhere. There is far too much info to retain everything. I tried taking notes, but there's not really time for it and much of the info is visual anyway.
Suggestions for future attendees
This pretty much comes down to preparation. Again, there is a lot of info being covered and you won't be able to do much other than watch, work on the regs and refer to info you already have at hand. so:
- buy and read Reg Savvy (at least to page 102, and preferably to page 149). This is not an absolute requirement as the info you need from the book is covered in the course, but it's going to make your life a lot easier if you already have the basic theory down and so are able to concentrate on the practice during the course.
- print out your schematics and service manuals (if available). I had everything on my computer, but it was very tricky to switch back and forth between viewing the pdfs, viewing the class, and working on the regs. I'd also open up your service kit and match up the O-rings to the schematic. If I were to do the course again, I'd put the schematic in a tray and physically place the new o-rings on their spot in the schematic.
- consider restricting yourself to one type of first stage. Most of our class just had one and were probably happier for it. I did both and I ended up staying up pretty late working on the second type. You'll also likely end up saving quite a bit of money in specialty tools and the service kit.
- for the second stage, If you use a balanced (barrel) type, e.g., ScubaPro, Apeks, Atomic, Hog, Deep6, Zeagle, that's definitely enough. If you are like me and normally use a downstream or unbalanced or other oddball second, e.g. Mares and Poseidon, you should get a balanced type as well since that's what most people have and where the majority of second stage instruction time is spent.
- make sure you can get into the regs before the class starts. Not fully disassembled, just getting the yoke/DIN and diaphragm locking nuts at least started on firsts and face plates on seconds. Robert might disagree with this point. But while the class includes tips on getting stuck yoke nuts and the like undone, a few of us wasted a lot of time on this and a couple of us were simply unable to use our planned regs because we couldn't get them open. If you haven't opened up your regs before, you might need to ask Robert for help before the class starts.
- don't waste your money on steel O-ring pics or the add-on IP gauge if you get the Scubatools inline adjustment tool (which is awesome if you can afford it). You also don't have to worry about a fancy camera setup. Most of us used our laptop webcams and just held up the part if we had a question. You can do a second sign in on your phone if you want to show something that's not easily viewable on the laptop camera.
- once the course begins, don't forget to take pictures of your disassembled regs. Not only will it help you verify O-rings and other small parts (many parts kits contain extra parts because they cover more than one reg and both yoke and DIN), but you'll be able to impress your friends and family with the before and after photos
First I want to thank @rsingler. He did a great job as an instructor in the course. He was knowledgeable, communicated well, and was incredibly patient. The Zoom format actually wasn't the problem I thought it would be, mostly because of Robert's setup which including a magnifier cam and over workbench cam. Robert's pre-class preparation went far beyond this. I was really impressed by the amount of effort he put in before the class trying to get each of us squared away with the right tools, info and even borrowed regs.
Second. OMG there's a lot of info presented. It's not easy to keep up, but it is possible. I went into this as someone who was comfortable with basic stuff like swapping hoses, replacing mouthpieces, and using an IP gauge to check if my first stage was working well. But I'd never opened a reg before. By the end of the class I'd rebuilt ScubaPro Mk 5 and Mares 32 firsts and Mares Proton Ice and (borrowed) Beuchat seconds. And not only do they all work, they all worked the first time I put them under pressure. I still can't quite believe I got the first stages together in one go.
Now for some suggestions.
Suggestion for @rsingler:
To keep the class time realistic and better match the schedule to what we ended up actually doing, I think it would better if most students stuck with a single type of first stage, either piston or diaphragm. And then assign the classes by that preference. Then after the opening remarks you could go right into discussing and disassembling the preferred type. Once everyone is caught up with the disassembly (maybe after the lunch break?) you could do the other type as a straight lecture/demo. This would still be followed by the balanced second discussion and disassembly.
This would avoid the issue we had of going well overtime the the first day and most attendees having to sit through a hour or two of questions on a type of reg that they were not working on. Of course, more advanced students and those willing to put in some time after class could still do both types.
Also, at some point please record each section of the course as separate videos and put them up somewhere. There is far too much info to retain everything. I tried taking notes, but there's not really time for it and much of the info is visual anyway.
Suggestions for future attendees
This pretty much comes down to preparation. Again, there is a lot of info being covered and you won't be able to do much other than watch, work on the regs and refer to info you already have at hand. so:
- buy and read Reg Savvy (at least to page 102, and preferably to page 149). This is not an absolute requirement as the info you need from the book is covered in the course, but it's going to make your life a lot easier if you already have the basic theory down and so are able to concentrate on the practice during the course.
- print out your schematics and service manuals (if available). I had everything on my computer, but it was very tricky to switch back and forth between viewing the pdfs, viewing the class, and working on the regs. I'd also open up your service kit and match up the O-rings to the schematic. If I were to do the course again, I'd put the schematic in a tray and physically place the new o-rings on their spot in the schematic.
- consider restricting yourself to one type of first stage. Most of our class just had one and were probably happier for it. I did both and I ended up staying up pretty late working on the second type. You'll also likely end up saving quite a bit of money in specialty tools and the service kit.
- for the second stage, If you use a balanced (barrel) type, e.g., ScubaPro, Apeks, Atomic, Hog, Deep6, Zeagle, that's definitely enough. If you are like me and normally use a downstream or unbalanced or other oddball second, e.g. Mares and Poseidon, you should get a balanced type as well since that's what most people have and where the majority of second stage instruction time is spent.
- make sure you can get into the regs before the class starts. Not fully disassembled, just getting the yoke/DIN and diaphragm locking nuts at least started on firsts and face plates on seconds. Robert might disagree with this point. But while the class includes tips on getting stuck yoke nuts and the like undone, a few of us wasted a lot of time on this and a couple of us were simply unable to use our planned regs because we couldn't get them open. If you haven't opened up your regs before, you might need to ask Robert for help before the class starts.
- don't waste your money on steel O-ring pics or the add-on IP gauge if you get the Scubatools inline adjustment tool (which is awesome if you can afford it). You also don't have to worry about a fancy camera setup. Most of us used our laptop webcams and just held up the part if we had a question. You can do a second sign in on your phone if you want to show something that's not easily viewable on the laptop camera.
- once the course begins, don't forget to take pictures of your disassembled regs. Not only will it help you verify O-rings and other small parts (many parts kits contain extra parts because they cover more than one reg and both yoke and DIN), but you'll be able to impress your friends and family with the before and after photos
stiebs
Contributor
Damn, I can't believe I missed this.
Congratulations to rsingler for making the effort. Is there any plan to do this again?
I kept trying to learn on my own bit by bit but it's so much better when someone who knows what they're doing actually takes the time to teach you.
Congratulations to rsingler for making the effort. Is there any plan to do this again?
I kept trying to learn on my own bit by bit but it's so much better when someone who knows what they're doing actually takes the time to teach you.
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