junebug
Registered
This is a post I made on the introductions forum as a newcomer. The pics of the equipment are on my profile, I'm still learning to post pics to the web, so please bare with me on that. Thanks!
OK, so first of all, I have to say that I am not yet a certified diver but hope to become one very soon. I have been toying with the idea for a while and have been doing allot of free-diving with my scooter in the interim....(what a blast!)
So, as I prepare to begin exploring my new found interest in diving I couldn't help but to do some browsing through ebay and c.list to see just how much I was looking at spending on a decent set of gear.
As I searched through the overwhelming array of stuff available, I stumbled upon an ad for an estate sale which was offering some scuba fill equipment.........well, the date was for the previous weekend, and I thought that surely it would be nothing more than a minute spent to call the number and ask if any merchandise was left over, and particularly the fill equipment.
As the lady on the other end explained to me, there was a "pump and a bunch of other parts and stuff" left and to call her husband for details...I reached him only a few minutes later to learn that none of it had sold and I could come right over to have a look.
OK, as I said, I'm NOT a diver.....
I recalled briefly seeing an ad on ebay for something similar in used condition selling for $2000 & up......so I just wanted to see what they had, and of course, what was being asked for it.
After driving for an hour on a mission to potentially purchase a piece of equipment that I know virtually nothing about, I finally arrived at "Uncle Walter's" house.It seems Uncle Walter was a chemical, electrical, mechanical engineer.
There were lathes, drill presses, milling machines.....& a whole plethora of shop equipment to make any man envious!
Enough suspense?
OK, so we get to the shop and he shows me to a bench with a small rig that I could see was an air compressor, but unlike any I had seen before. Above it on the wall was a panel that the output hose was connected to.
He began to explain that they really didn't know how it all worked, but that he was using it to fill tanks well after his dive career ended.
We looked it all over, and speculated as to the function of the cylinders, and valve set-ups on it and both just said "Ole Uncle Walter was a crafty S.O.B. wasn't he?!!"
He went on to explain that Walter was a personal friend and dive companion to none other than J. Cousteau in the 60's and went on to help in the design of some of the gear of that era....
This was all very cool stuff, and I was very interested in hearing it all, but I couldn't stop thinking about the burning question as to how much $ for the stuff.
As we wrapped up our chat we began to discuss my interest in the compressor, and what would be a fair price. I had absolutely no clue as to what to offer, as it was all covered in dust and a few years of cobwebs aside from my general ignorance pertaining to advanced scuba gear.
After looking around at it all he said that he would let me have it all for "around" $300.00! I didn't REALLY have the cash to drop on something I couldn't currently use, but I AM a man of opportunity.
I agreed to give him ALL of $300.00, and was greatfull to have made the drive!
After loading the pump, and un-bolting the panel from the wall, I began to load it in my truck. When I took the pump out to the truck he told me there was some other things around that seemed to go with this unit as well......(huh? MORE?)
I came back in to get the panel loaded, and he was pulling out another panel of sorts.....smaller, but very much like the first. I looked at it and saw that the pressure guage was different than the first, but figured it was just used for filling tanks rated for different pressures....... WRONG!
After loading it along with the rest of the stuff, he comes to me saying he needs my help with the last part........ANOTHER SCUBA COMPRESSOR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
This one was gas driven!! It seems Uncle Walter had rigged himself for home AND field fills!!!! I simply could not believe what was happening.
I felt terrible about getting all of this stuff for almost nothing, but it was all going to go to an auction clearing house in another few days if I didn't.
I told him I knew I was getting much more than I had paid for and didn't want to be the guy that he will always remember as the one that stole the pumps from him!! He said not to worry, they don't dive and would rather see it go to me than to let it go to the auctioneer.........SWEET!
I know it's all been hard to believe, but it gets BETTER!
The next day I got a call from the folks that sold mee the pumps. They were calling to say they had found another spare part for me to come by and pick up if I was interested. HMMM....after what had just happened the day before.......I couldn't be stopped from going to see what it was.
As it turns out, it was another compressor pump which had not been fitted with a pulley, flywheel, or intercooling lines yet!! OMG!!!
I have posted some pics of the two units and panels, I'm going to clean them up and try to find some data plates or casting number for reffence, but will need some time to get them shining again.
I would appreciate any info anyone may have as to just what make/model these might be and where I may look for parts, oil, filters, ect.....
Thanks, Chuck.
OK, so first of all, I have to say that I am not yet a certified diver but hope to become one very soon. I have been toying with the idea for a while and have been doing allot of free-diving with my scooter in the interim....(what a blast!)
So, as I prepare to begin exploring my new found interest in diving I couldn't help but to do some browsing through ebay and c.list to see just how much I was looking at spending on a decent set of gear.
As I searched through the overwhelming array of stuff available, I stumbled upon an ad for an estate sale which was offering some scuba fill equipment.........well, the date was for the previous weekend, and I thought that surely it would be nothing more than a minute spent to call the number and ask if any merchandise was left over, and particularly the fill equipment.
As the lady on the other end explained to me, there was a "pump and a bunch of other parts and stuff" left and to call her husband for details...I reached him only a few minutes later to learn that none of it had sold and I could come right over to have a look.
OK, as I said, I'm NOT a diver.....
I recalled briefly seeing an ad on ebay for something similar in used condition selling for $2000 & up......so I just wanted to see what they had, and of course, what was being asked for it.
After driving for an hour on a mission to potentially purchase a piece of equipment that I know virtually nothing about, I finally arrived at "Uncle Walter's" house.It seems Uncle Walter was a chemical, electrical, mechanical engineer.
There were lathes, drill presses, milling machines.....& a whole plethora of shop equipment to make any man envious!
Enough suspense?
OK, so we get to the shop and he shows me to a bench with a small rig that I could see was an air compressor, but unlike any I had seen before. Above it on the wall was a panel that the output hose was connected to.
He began to explain that they really didn't know how it all worked, but that he was using it to fill tanks well after his dive career ended.
We looked it all over, and speculated as to the function of the cylinders, and valve set-ups on it and both just said "Ole Uncle Walter was a crafty S.O.B. wasn't he?!!"
He went on to explain that Walter was a personal friend and dive companion to none other than J. Cousteau in the 60's and went on to help in the design of some of the gear of that era....
This was all very cool stuff, and I was very interested in hearing it all, but I couldn't stop thinking about the burning question as to how much $ for the stuff.
As we wrapped up our chat we began to discuss my interest in the compressor, and what would be a fair price. I had absolutely no clue as to what to offer, as it was all covered in dust and a few years of cobwebs aside from my general ignorance pertaining to advanced scuba gear.
After looking around at it all he said that he would let me have it all for "around" $300.00! I didn't REALLY have the cash to drop on something I couldn't currently use, but I AM a man of opportunity.
I agreed to give him ALL of $300.00, and was greatfull to have made the drive!
After loading the pump, and un-bolting the panel from the wall, I began to load it in my truck. When I took the pump out to the truck he told me there was some other things around that seemed to go with this unit as well......(huh? MORE?)
I came back in to get the panel loaded, and he was pulling out another panel of sorts.....smaller, but very much like the first. I looked at it and saw that the pressure guage was different than the first, but figured it was just used for filling tanks rated for different pressures....... WRONG!
After loading it along with the rest of the stuff, he comes to me saying he needs my help with the last part........ANOTHER SCUBA COMPRESSOR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
This one was gas driven!! It seems Uncle Walter had rigged himself for home AND field fills!!!! I simply could not believe what was happening.
I felt terrible about getting all of this stuff for almost nothing, but it was all going to go to an auction clearing house in another few days if I didn't.
I told him I knew I was getting much more than I had paid for and didn't want to be the guy that he will always remember as the one that stole the pumps from him!! He said not to worry, they don't dive and would rather see it go to me than to let it go to the auctioneer.........SWEET!
I know it's all been hard to believe, but it gets BETTER!
The next day I got a call from the folks that sold mee the pumps. They were calling to say they had found another spare part for me to come by and pick up if I was interested. HMMM....after what had just happened the day before.......I couldn't be stopped from going to see what it was.
As it turns out, it was another compressor pump which had not been fitted with a pulley, flywheel, or intercooling lines yet!! OMG!!!
I have posted some pics of the two units and panels, I'm going to clean them up and try to find some data plates or casting number for reffence, but will need some time to get them shining again.
I would appreciate any info anyone may have as to just what make/model these might be and where I may look for parts, oil, filters, ect.....
Thanks, Chuck.
