and you think your tank's old

[Hank658]

Many cylinders ended up here after the war. Can't say for certain it is a genuine mark, but it matches style and location for others I have seen. Added later, most probably. Not too unusual to fid that mark on some rather strange items that were either claimed or used by the nazis.

 

[superstar]

Interesting is that it was not originally + rated yet later in its life it became + rated. Cool cylinder.

The story I was told from my local welding sypply was that during WWII it was decided to increase the pressure of the gas cylinders by 10% thus increasing the total gas storage by 10% without having to make any new cylinders.

 

[captain]

The story I was told from my local welding sypply was that during WWII it was decided to increase the pressure of the gas cylinders by 10% thus increasing the total gas storage by 10% without having to make any new cylinders.

That is correct, plus more gas could be shipped to the front lines in the same number of cylinders and more steel was available to make weapons.

 

[duckbill]

The story I was told from my local welding sypply was that during WWII it was decided to increase the pressure of the gas cylinders by 10% thus increasing the total gas storage by 10% without having to make any new cylinders.

And REALLY interesting that the first date with a plus (1947) bears this out.

Well, you have me beat. My earliest tanks are a pair of Navy 38s from 1942 (obviously not originally made for SCUBA).

 

[Eric Sedletzky]

They will be posting pictures 50 years from now saying "Hey look at this old steel 72 I have, it's stamped 1959!"
and that will be in 2061.
I'm sure there are still many steel cylinders of various types still in service that are over 100 years old.

 

[superstar]

And REALLY interesting that the first date with a plus (1947) bears this out.

Well, you have me beat. My earliest tanks are a pair of Navy 38s from 1942 (obviously not originally made for SCUBA).

The Navy 38s?? what were the cylinders originally made for and what type of valve do they have? I would love to get an old 38 cylinder for diving.

 

[Scared Silly]

Navy 38s were used for O2 in airplanes.

 

[superstar]

Navy 38s were used for O2 in airplanes.

something like this Zep Aero Oxygen Tank - eBay (item 320753261422 end time Sep-08-11 12:28:41 PDT)

 

[captain]

something like this Zep Aero Oxygen Tank - eBay (item 320753261422 end time Sep-08-11 12:28:41 PDT)

No, the 38's had round bottoms. Most had USN and SPUN stamped on them. Some were used for breathing oxygen and some were used for CO2 life raft inflation. They have 1" taper pipe threaded necks and need adapters to use scuba valves. Unless you can fill them yourself most if not all dive shops will not touch them.

 

[Eric Sedletzky]

I have a set of 38 CF Oxygen tanks as a set of sea hunt era doubles that someone gave me. One is from 1942 and the other is from 1943.
I just had them hydroed and am in the process of putting them together.
They had very minimal galvinizing on them and were painted with a very thin coat of grey paint, probably lacquer.
They were not produced to last a long time. The main objective was to make them fast and cheap for the war effort so all they had to do was make it through the war and their job was done.
It just so happens that divers found out about them afterwards when scuba was in it's infancy and there was not a lot of ligitimate gear around to be had, specifically cylinders designed for scuba and to last with thick coatings of zinc and the proper threading for valves.

I already know I will have to get a trans fill whip to fill them.

I hear they are real floaters. I hope I don't have to add a whole bunch of weight. Maybe someone can help me narrow it down as to how much more weight I will need as opposed to using a steel 72 as a reference?