Question 1950s WK Twinset and Navy Double Hose

[Pressurehead]

We strapped twins [steel 72 or al 63 ] to those "blow-moulded backpacks" for years , no BC, except a Fenzy 'horse collar' only if diving deeper than 18m.
I still have 2 of those blow moulded backplates.

Here is a few old cylinders in Oz: Scuba Cylinders - Vintage Scuba Gear Australia

 

[happy-diver]

Thread 'Vintage Double Hose Backplate'

Jul 28, 2020

Hey all--I posted a WTB in the classified area, but thought I'd add something here too. I'm looking hard for a VDH backplate, or a close facsimile, to use with my Royal Aquamaster. Any suggestions or thoughts? I keep hoping Bryan will get back into production but don't see any signs that he will. Thanks!

• RecklessAmateur
• Replies: 11
• Forum: Vintage Diving & Equipment

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[n1023]

Alright, next question. The hookah port, is it possible to use this LP adapter I scavenged from an mk7 in my parts bin? Seems like I would need a female 3/8" to female 1/2"? Does that even exist? Am I going about this the wrong way?

 

[rx7diver]

Well they’re back and they both passed, I’ll have to try the calculating the REE next time.


Now the real question is, is there any possibility of finding a voit twin snug pack backplate to use these with? So far my Google/eBay/classified searches are coming up empty. Would I have to get some modern bands to work with a regular backplate?

@n1023,

Years ago (~25 years ago, maybe) I took one of my not-galvanized OMS (Faber) LP46's over to my local Vo-Tech high school to be bead-blasted down to bare metal. Then, after cleaning the outside, I spray-painted the cylinder with a couple of coats of (Rust-Oleum?) Zinc Galvanizing paint. You might use this approach if you ever decide to refinish the outside of your cylinders.

rx7diver

 

[2TH DIVR]

You need one of these adapters.

About Us

 

[n1023]

You need one of these adapters.

About Us

You guys never fail, thank you.

 

[Skip Y]

Luis I had one I believe was the same as what he has, about the size of a Voit 50. The original Hydro on mine was 11-43. It was definitely wire wrapped. A buddy of mine was doing my HYDRO's at the time and he told me he couldn't HYDRO it because the wire wrap needed to be removed, then reinstalled after the test. Mine also had CO2 stamped in it.

 

[Luis H]

Luis I had one I believe was the same as what he has, about the size of a Voit 50. The original Hydro on mine was 11-43. It was definitely wire wrapped. A buddy of mine was doing my HYDRO's at the time and he told me he couldn't HYDRO it because the wire wrap needed to be removed, then reinstalled after the test. Mine also had CO2 stamped in it.

I have never heard of reinstalling the wire. I think reinstalling the used wire is close to impossible. Even the original installation was probably done with dedicated tooling.

My understanding is that the wire was to protect the cylinder from shrapnel encountered in battle conditions. Not something that we hopefully have to worry about.

 

[John C. Ratliff]

Luis I had one I believe was the same as what he has, about the size of a Voit 50. The original Hydro on mine was 11-43. It was definitely wire wrapped. A buddy of mine was doing my HYDRO's at the time and he told me he couldn't HYDRO it because the wire wrap needed to be removed, then reinstalled after the test. Mine also had CO2 stamped in it.

The wire wrapping doesn’t need to be re-installed. That wire wrapping was required of oxygen bottles used on aircraft from WWII to at least the 1960s, and I removed a lot of it as a Pararescue trainee at Eglin AFB, Florida. The reason for the wire wrapping doesn’t have to do with the pressure rating, but with preventing shrattnel inside an aircraft if the bottle is hid by enemy fire. We in Pararescue jumped 20-man oxygen bottles as our twin 42 cubic foot “jump tanks” for decades without the wire wrapping. The photo below shows my own set of these jump tanks, that I used for years until he tapered threads started leaking.

SeaRat

PS, I painted them green; original color was black, but I liked green. ‘Forgot the color coding for oxygen, and that was my mistake.

 

[Scott G. Bonser]

Just wanted to share these tanks I just picked up. Had to use some paint remover to uncover these markings. Looks like they’re LP50s, never seen 1800psi service pressure that’s cool. Walter kidde is the manufacturer based on stamp and logo. US govt stamp, maybe old army tanks (guessing based on base green paint). Speaking of paint, look at all those layers! Non shatterable is an interesting stamp too. Banded with AMF Voit Snugpack and US Divers manifold. They were full of air, though it smelled pretty bad kinda like old paint. Hoping a tumble and hydro is all they need but I picked them up for $60 so not a terrible deal for decoration.

View attachment 912331View attachment 912332View attachment 912333View attachment 912334

I’m hoping to throw on this double hose setup I also picked up. Parts already on the way from the scuba museum. Picked it up for $50 so again, won’t be disappointed if it’s just decoration.

View attachment 912335

Now for the questions. Anyone know where I can find a backplate that will fit these tanks? I have little experience with twin manifolds (especially vintage ones), are there parts available for this one?

Thanks

Check with AandD Adventures out of Bergen, NY. ( Allan may also be in Ocala, FL ). He can make a custom harness that would be ‘correct’ for this kind of setup. He made me one for a ‘stealth’ 19cf pony that I wear on my back as well as a full size harness for 71.2 cf steel tank. Try simonbeans@yahoo.com. He will need measurements to fit these right and he will tell you what he needs. I Love my ‘Sea Hunt ‘ harnesses he made.