It may be time to get my LDS involved!

[duckbill]

I just got several of my vintage steel cylinders back from hydro, and they came back with some flash rust in them. I know that some flash rust is acceptable. Heck, these guys even hydro O2 and SCBA cylinders, so if flash rust were an issue........

Anyway, I knew the flash rust might throw my LDS guy into convulsions, so I whipped them and rinsed them. This did a fairly good job, but they still ended up with an orangish tint in areas from the rinse, so I'm running circles at this point....even though I know flash rust is no big deal.

So, I took them in to get the pretty stickers, and got a call back that there was rust in the tanks (no sh**) and they couldn't be "serviced" like that (translated: the inspector is incapable of finding significant pits unless the surface is bright and shiny).

Here's the thing. The hydro facility (you know, the one that does the fire department's SCBA and medical O2 cylinders) is mandated to visually inspect and pass the cylinder as part of their DOT recertification, so I know they are fine by DOT standards. When I go to reclaim my cylinders from the LDS I'm tempted to put them on the spot by saying something like, "Can I count on you guys as witnesses if I report the hydro shop for DOT49CFR violations for recertifying cylinders with flash rust in them?"

 

[SwimJim]

If you own several steel tanks, vintage or otherwise, why not build one of these??
http://i247.photobucket.com/albums/gg153/Deepsixdivegroup/Tumbler/T2.jpg

You can get tank cleaning stuff and Flash Rust preventer from Northeast Scuba supply. I think Harbor freight had the best deal on Ceramic media. I bought in at $2.50 a pound. I can roll a teflon liner out of a 72 in about three hours. Minor flash rust a few minutes. My tanks go in for VIP shiny and new looking. No more headaches and whining from the LDS.

 

[Bob DBF]

I have the Hydro shop put a VIP sticker on it and deal with the LDS the next year.


Bob
----------------------------
I may be old, but I’m not dead yet.

 

[captain]

One word, compressor.

 

[Eric Sedletzky]

I whip my tanks and use a bottom brush then blow them out with clean tank air from another cylinder. I have an air fitting that goes onto a LP hose and I have a few air blower tools I made out of a male ended air fitting with a length of copper tubing soldered on the end. I have two of these, one straight and one with a bend it the end. I can blow out all the rust powder and avoid the rinsing. If I do rinse then I hook up the blower tools to a bottle of CO2 and the tanks won't flash rust.
I also order my own VIP stickers from LP and do my own VIP's.

I figured out a way to completely go around the idiots at the LDS - do it myself.

 

[SwimJim]

http://i247.photobucket.com/albums/gg153/Deepsixdivegroup/04091101.jpg
This is my high tech tank bottom cleaning tool. I welded a 1/2" wire brush on to a piece of 3 foot threaded rod I had laying around. Chuck it up to a drill and your good to go.

 

[tr3a]

Have the Hydro place put their VIP sticker on. As you pointed out a visual is part of the Hydro, why pay a redundant fee to a dive shop that probably does not know up from down.
Also, at least around here DOT Hydro shops only charge about 25% of what a dive shop charges for just a Visual (and they are better qualified) so you could get visuals done at the Hydro test place.

 

[USdiver1]

http://i247.photobucket.com/albums/gg153/Deepsixdivegroup/04091101.jpg
This is my high tech tank bottom cleaning tool. I welded a 1/2" wire brush on to a piece of 3 foot threaded rod I had laying around. Chuck it up to a drill and your good to go.

+1 Vintage technology for vintage equipment!

 

[duckbill]

I worked the plan and there was a moment of silence and looks of shock before the owner said I could show them (DOT) the tanks myself, to which I said I would not be an expert witness like he would.

Anyhow, the gentleman showed me the insides of my cylinders, and I have to agree that under bright light every microscopic bump showed up bright as day. However, the owner did admit that the cylinder was structurally sound, but just that there was no way he would pass a tank with surface rust that might come loose as dust and clog the regulator (pity those poor folks on the hydro facility certified O2 bottles). He said he would never, ever take a cylinder to a fire extinguisher hydrotester. So, I pointed out how his scuba tank hydrotester had + rated my 72s- by pumping them up 10% higher than hydro test pressure:shocked2:. I guess no one's perfect, though his tanks do come back nicely garnet blasted and spotless, I have to say.

He also said that so-and-so dive shop would easily pass my tanks, but not he. Nope, they needed to be spotless for him to pass them. So, I took his advice. I didn't go to the so-and-so shop he mentioned, but to another one that has been knowledgable and friendly to me (all the other nearset LDSs are about a 45 minute drive from here). They all passed and now sport stickers, though not as pretty as my LDSs stickers. But who cares, I got to see the cutest brown-eyed girl that came in for the afternoon shift:gorgeous:. Made the trip extra worth it

----------------

I do have a portable electric compressor, Captain (1959 Cornelius). Don't know how I'd do without it! But, I didn't want to drag it around the state while on vacation, so now my tanks are stickered and LDS fillable (with the exception of one anyway). I wanted to be ready for ZKY's big bash I've been looking forward to. I hope the coastal LDSs give dry fills:thinking:.

I don't believe the hydro shop stickers tanks.

Thanks for the bottom brush photo, SwimJim. I ordered a commercial whip, so I may cut the cables on my home made whip down to use as a bottom brush like yours.

It's funny how ones area of expertise shows up in ones work. I've seen a bunch of home made tumblers made by steel guys, but yours surely shows your carpentry skills- lots of wood! Being a carpenter myself, I can appreciate that. I'm still thinking of making a tumbler, so thanks for sharing that. The more examples I see, the more ideas I will have when I come across parts.

:vintagediver:

 

[SwimJim]

I am a hardwood flooring contractor by trade. A one man company. The tumbler has a lot of wood in it because that's what I had laying around. Someone donated treadmill parts for free and I was able to build this thing for about $20.00. The supplies like the media cost a few bucks, but the ceramic will last for years. I have something like 15 steel tanks and this project paid for itself the first season.