Best LDS in Cave country to get 6AL80's Hydro/VIP for a reasonable price?

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Chaiyz

Registered
Messages
19
Reaction score
1
Location
Keystone Heights, Florida, United States
# of dives
100 - 199
I'm pointing no fingers but the Dive shops I grew up with are simply gone. Days of the $2 fill are a thing of the past and I don't think Hydro/VIP is getting harder, just more expensive.

That being said, I have recently aquired 6 2003 AL80's 3 catalina's and 3Lux. They all appear in good condition, all yoke and all have air still in them.

Last Hydro was when new and they've been in a garage since 2007 sitting upright in a corner.

I called a shop in Jacksonville and was quoted over $60 for hydro/vip, then when I mentioned I was planing to use them for 32% O2, I was then quickly fed a line of crap that I could only laugh at and hang up from.

I'm willing to drive anywhere within 100 miles to get this done and I live in Starke/Keystone Heights Flroida. I'd really appreciate some advice on hole in the wall shops, which always seem to have better prices, better people and are not looking to push their gear on me, but want to progress my knowledge and sell me only what I need.

Am I kidding myself? Are there any dive shops out there that will work a good deal and still do quality reputable work? I'm missing the days of Wolf Marine where I grew up, it was the owners passion, not his job. He had a real job and yet he kept the shop open to this very day. When I was young, that place was amazing and I learned so much that doesn't seem to apply these days. They sold gear but always made customers great deals and you didn't feel ripped off when you got your bill. I recently picked up my GF's 2year old regulator set that I had completely serviced and after seeing the bill for 1st/2nd/octo service I was again, SHOCKED! I paid the bill and I won't be back. BTW, The set was an inexpensive Oceanic set and the parts were sold to me at over 300% what I could find the service kits for online. Then the labor.

Anyway, Please tell me of your best dive shops in Cave country to Gainesville/Jacksonville area. I'm willing to drive to be treated like a diver and not a wallet.

Thanks for looking
 
I don't know anything about Florida or the VIP but I got a bunch tanks hydroed by a welding gas supplier for about $26 each.
 
Don't take them to a dive shop.

---------- Post Merged at 08:27 AM ---------- Previous Post was at 07:37 AM ----------

American Fire Extinguishers
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3265 U.S. 17, Green Cove Spgs, FL
(904) 284-3707 ‎
"In addition to sales and service of fire extinguishers, we hydrostatic test SCBA, SCUBA, portables and propane cylinders. We are also certified to perform

 
I'm $40 bucks for Hydro/Vip and Air Fill. I have no idea where you are, but I'm frequently travelling from Longwood to Gainesville to Cave Country at least a few times per week.

You're about half right. The physical labor of doing a hydro hasn't changed much. But DOT is a thorn in our side. Electric bills have grown considerably. The cost of getting non-suck labor has gone through the roof. Our Eddy machine just died, and to our surprise "not really" the cost of a new eddy current tester has gone through the roof. Inflation is a bish. Hydro'ing and VIP isn't much of a money maker. A single tank requires hours of work to make $40.

At any rate, I think Cave Country Dive Shop's rates are very similar. So get with me or get with them and we'll get you hooked up.


-Edit
I just read the rest of your post. Go see Marissa in Cave Country Dive Shop for your dive gear needs, or just to sit and hang out and shoot the ****e about diving. You'll feel welcomed and cared about and comfortable. There's even a little weiner dog to love on you. Marissa will restore your faith in dive shops. She's the best.

And this is NOT my dive shop, but a great competitor.
 
I'm $40 bucks for Hydro/Vip and Air Fill. I have no idea where you are, but I'm frequently travelling from Longwood to Gainesville to Cave Country at least a few times per week.

You're about half right. The physical labor of doing a hydro hasn't changed much. But DOT is a thorn in our side. Electric bills have grown considerably. The cost of getting non-suck labor has gone through the roof. Our Eddy machine just died, and to our surprise "not really" the cost of a new eddy current tester has gone through the roof. Inflation is a bish. Hydro'ing and VIP isn't much of a money maker. A single tank requires hours of work to make $40.

At any rate, I think Cave Country Dive Shop's rates are very similar. So get with me or get with them and we'll get you hooked up.


-Edit
I just read the rest of your post. Go see Marissa in Cave Country Dive Shop for your dive gear needs, or just to sit and hang out and shoot the ****e about diving. You'll feel welcomed and cared about and comfortable. There's even a little weiner dog to love on you. Marissa will restore your faith in dive shops. She's the best.

And this is NOT my dive shop, but a great competitor.

You are absolutely correct. The price of labor, and all of the other regulations the imperial federal government of the socialist states of America are throwing on shops is ridiculous. Costs have to go up.

Wait until I tell Tara you mentioned Syphon and not her!!!! You are in trouble.

OP,
I had some tanks recently hydroed at Cave Country Dive Shop. The price was less the you were quoted and that included a 100% O2 fill. Their are many great shops in cave country, but the folks at CCDS treated me like family from day one. If you do go there, DO NOT SIT ON THE COUCH! It will suck you in and in minutes you will be asleep and drooling on your chin.
 
We are at $35 for a hydro and $12 for a VIP including viton o-rings. If you plan on partial pressure filling, cylinder wash/O2 cleaning is $20. Luckily, we are spoiled in cave country because most of the dive shops bank 32% nitrox!
 
Haha!
 
I feel for you guys. Last week my bill was (converted from ZAR) $65. This was to visual 4 steel cylinder, tumbled 2 and O2 serviced all four. Add another $50 if I needed to hydro these 4 cylinders. :D Air fill is $5 and O2 cost $0.02 per liter or $0.56 per cubic feet. Helium worst case is $0.06 per liter or $1.70 per cubic feet.
 
I called a shop in Jacksonville and was quoted over $60 for hydro/vip, then when I mentioned I was planing to use them for 32% O2, I was then quickly fed a line of crap that I could only laugh at and hang up from.

I have to wonder which dive shop in Jacksonville quoted you a high price, but I have found that for my air fills and
hydro's this dive shop is hard to beat at $39.95 for a hydro,vip and airfill compared to others in the JAX area.

Cheap air fills and hydro's are a little more common in South Florida due to the competitive nature but even that
doesn't always hold true.
 

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