Alternatives to pressurize regs at home without a tank

[USdiver1]

Take up golf.

 

[halocline]

Take up golf.

It's funny, I've heard that golf is prohibitively expensive in Japan, to the point where some Japanese buy clubs, carry them around, maybe go to a driving range occasionally, but never actually get to play on a course.

So taking up golf might be even more frustrating to the OP than servicing his regulator!

 

[Gaijinsan]

It's funny, I've heard that golf is prohibitively expensive in Japan, to the point where some Japanese buy clubs, carry them around, maybe go to a driving range occasionally, but never actually get to play on a course.

So taking up golf might be even more frustrating to the OP than servicing his regulator!

Lol, a day of Golf and a 2 tank day of diving cost about the same here. $100-150 not including transportation to get there (neither golf or diving are near the city center). You are correct about a lot of golfers playing very rarely, too inconvenient and fairly expensive so they hang out at the driving ranges on top of some buildings for the most part.

Tokyo has it's good points but sports that can't be enjoyed in a small space aren't in the list, lol. For diving usually I fly elsewhere for a long weekend, it's warmer, better visibility, far more colorful, and not much, if any, more expensive if you'd stay overnight near the location in Japan and doing a couple of days. I think a lot of divers used to the freedom and low cost of diving in the US would become frustrated to the point of quitting here. Oh did I mention that almost nowhere will allow you in the water unguided as well? Lol. There's no way someone in Tokyo would log anywhere near 100+ dives in a year if they aren't an instructor at a fairly busy shop. The tank rental and usage fees for the dive "parks" (I use that term very loosely) are cost prohibitive to go too frequently.

But I enjoy the hobby and have accepted it'll take me a lot longer than someone in the US or Europe to log any significant numbers. No plan to give up, but want to take care of my own gear.

 

[Couv]

If servicing your gear yourself is your objective, I vote to forgo the course and join us in the DIY forum. Rather than spending money on a course, purchase a couple of books. Pardon my lazy cut an paste:

******
Servicing your own regulator:

Welcome to the DIY club. Start your knowledge search with a service manual or two. Both service manuals usually discussed here are great: Vance Harlow's "SCUBA Regulator Maintenance and Repair" SCUBA REGULATOR MAINTENANCE AND REPAIR by Vance Harlow

and the Scuba Tools book, "Regulator Savvy" Scuba Tools are well worth the money.
I own both and recommend getting one of each; but if you're dead set on getting only one, then Vance's is a little more suitable for the DIY guy while the ScubaTools book is more suitable for the shop worker. While you're waiting for your books to come in, page through a few of the manuals found here: http://www.frogkick.dk/manuals/

******

BTW don't forget to review the Usual Suspects checklist found here: Regulator Inspection and Checklist (Rev-7)

 

[admikar]

Japan is not a DIY culture country, they nearly always call in the so-called "professional" for what we'd consider to be very simple repairs and maintenance, whether that be in the home, on the car, SCUBA gear, etc.. So the government of Tokyo prefecture doesn't care about a few foreign divers who want to service their own gear, the compressed gas laws weren't put into place with that in consideration. Similarly annoying to divers, we also have very strict knife laws, so if you're carrying any knife over 6cm then it needs to be for an obvious purpose (like fishing, diving, etc. and accompanied by appropriate sport gear) or you'll land a quick trip to a detention center.

.

As a foreigner, in 7 years, I have been "inspected" a couple of times (you can't refuse if you're not a Japanese citizen). It's very uncommon if you look normal and aren't in troubled neighborhoods, but it's one of the lowest crime-rate countries in the world with a fairly closed immigration policy, so sometimes police are bored and randomly pick on foreigners. I get pissed when I see them blatantly doing this but complaining falls on totally deaf ears. I'd be more comfortable carrying a tank in a rental car rather than the small risk on the train because you never know when you're going to run into the next bored cop.

So, there goes Japan on my crap country list!

 

[Littlerayray]

This reminds me of something I read "What's wrong with you Japan "

 

[WarrenZ]

That many people in that small of an area you are going to need rules and cultural norms to restrict free will otherwise chaos will happen.

Look at almost any big city in the world you will find a similar situation.

To the OP I think that getting a small cylinder for home use and smuggling it home may be your best bet keep in mind that you shouldnt need that much air to test and tune your regs.

 

[admikar]

I agree with rules, but you can not refuse control if you're not a Japanese?
Let's try to apply same rules to them when they are "foreigners" and you can bet there will be racist cards played.

 

[Gaijinsan]

That many people in that small of an area you are going to need rules and cultural norms to restrict free will otherwise chaos will happen.

Look at almost any big city in the world you will find a similar situation.

To the OP I think that getting a small cylinder for home use and smuggling it home may be your best bet keep in mind that you shouldnt need that much air to test and tune your regs.

That's the route I'm going to go. A friend said he'll get me on the navy base for fills if he's not deployed.

 

[gcarter]

Hey, maybe there IS a good use for a SpareAir