Craigslist find of the week (vintage gear!)

[KGNickl]

Just picked up a bunch of vintage scuba equipment that appears to be in great shape!

I found it all on a craigslist add. So the story is the guy selling it was the family member of the original owner. The family member (aka. uncle) just moved away and gave it to his nephew to sell or trash. He posted it on craigslist and I picked it all up! So when buying it the mom came out and told a short story saying her brother dove in his 20's and bought all the stuff brand new. He used it for a while and since then it has been sitting in the basement for the last 30-40 years collecting dust! Based on the condition and lack of rust I'm guessing it only been used in fresh water and taken great care of!!!! Even came with all the original manuals!!! The manuals actually have exploded parts diagrams of the tank valves, regulator, etc.... along with funny stuff like original prices and options.

Have not really researched the stuff much yet, but took some pictures and posting them below. Let me know what you think and what you know about this stuff! Tanks are under pressure and filled, but looks to have been painted over the galvanized coating. Also last hydro was sometime in the 1970s. Hopefully I can clean them up and they pass visual hydro. The regulator looks amazing. I think its a good find, expecially for Missouri!
http://s281.photobucket.com/albums/...ba Equipment/?action=view&current=manuals.jpg







http://s281.photobucket.com/albums/...quipment/?action=view&current=tanks_front.jpg
http://s281.photobucket.com/albums/...quipment/?action=view&current=regulator_3.jpg
http://s281.photobucket.com/albums/...quipment/?action=view&current=regulator_2.jpg
http://s281.photobucket.com/albums/...quipment/?action=view&current=regulator_1.jpg
http://s281.photobucket.com/albums/...quipment/?action=view&current=regulator_1.jpg

 

[theskull]

That's a beautiful reg!

Take care with the pressurized tanks until you can have them checked out. I would drain them, at least down to a couple hundred psi until you take them for hydro.

theskull

 

[KGNickl]

That's a beautiful reg!

Take care with the pressurized tanks until you can have them checked out. I would drain them, at least down to a couple hundred psi until you take them for hydro.

theskull

I think I'm going to hook up a modern regulator later today or tommorow w/ a pressure guage and drain them down to 200-500 PSI then strip the paint, then have them hydro/inspected if I don't see any rust. I'm also going to remove the boots and cross my finger they drained properly over the year and don't have rust at the boot area of the tanks. Since they have the junk boots on them that only have a small drain hole that can potentially trap water.....

 

[james croft]

Good find. Healthways made some nice gear back in the day. Having the manuals is great. Hope the tanks check out OK. Having air in them means it will probably be in good shape inside. Those doubles will dive nicely.

 

[David Wilson]

Great find! Do the accompanying guides have any illustrations or details of Healthways diving suits such as the Carib, Aqua King and Aqua Flite? I'm always on the lookout for historical sources to update what I know about 1950s and early 1960s gear.

Incidentally, the Skin Diving History History site at

Early Mfg. & Retailers - Healthways

has some interesting period Healthways advertisements.

 

[John C. Ratliff]

KGNickl,

You have the best single stage, double hose regulator that Healthway produced. The Gold Label SCUBA has a better HP seat system than the USD Mistral, and a mushroom exhalation valve in the case (which you can get at any LDS). New silicone mouthpiece exhalation valves are available at Vintage Scuba Supply. My suggestion though would be to replace the hose/mouthpiece system with a US Divers hose/mouthpiece system, as it will breath easier. The Healthways system has too much restriction in the exhalation valve and cages. An alternative, which I used in the pool this morning, is to take the inhalation valve and grind away the cage, so that only a smooth interior is left. This gives unrestricted air flow from the regulator to the diver, but will allow water under some circumstances (such as a doff and don) to enter the regulator. If you are not familiar with clearing the entire regulator of water, then I would not do the latter procedure.

SeaRat

 

[ScubaTeen]

I love that reg! I wish I had one or could at least find one like that. =(
Anyway, great! Looks good.