Free Old Steel 72?

[sambolino44]

A guy at work has offered me, for free, an old steel 72 tank that's been laying around for who knows how long. Should I take it? I don't know if it's worth the gamble of paying for a viz and a hydro and then it maybe not passing. And even if it passed would we ever use it? I've done this before and got lucky; I used that tank for two years and only got rid of it because I was moving. I even have a modern valve I could use on it, but still, I don't know...

What do y'all think?

 

[kidspot]

A friend gave me 3 old steel 72's - some from as far back as the late early 70's - 2 of them had been empty for at least 10 years, but all of them passed vis and hydro without issue. So long as there is no major rust inside (take a look inside with a small pen light) I'd say they are worth getting.

btw - if you can get them filled to 2700 psi they hold as much as an AL 80

Aloha, Tim

 

[cwkline]

I'm with Tim on this one. I have several 72's and dive them regularly. They really are nice tanks, and make a nice set of doubles if you are so inclined.
Just so you know, if you can find the hydro facility and take the tank there without going through the middle man you can save some $$$.
Charlie

 

[ozziworld]

Take them, they are free! I had aqualung steel 72s from that I got used in 1988. Thay are marked 1956 and 1957 and I was using them up until I had to move from Los Angeles to the Philippines. They are now with a friend who says he still uses them regularly and with proper maintenance they don't look like they are going to be retired any time soon. That is fifty years and still going strong!

 

[SparticleBrane]

Don't look a gift horse in the mouth...

If someone offers you a free cylinder, take it!

 

[Nemrod]

Take it and run.

Seems many retail dive equipment stores have their compressors set to 3,000 psi so quite often I find myself with a good 85 cubic feet in my 40 yo steel 72s.

N

 

[jswantek]

I have two LP72's that are both older than me. They both passed a hydro in '07 and they pass a VIP every year. Only thing I've had to do was get new boots (which may be hard to find) and put a new coat of paint on them. They came with Sherwood 5000 valves on them and I have no problems at all. I'd say go for it. If you're in good with the LDS, they might be able to give you a quick 'look-see' at them and let you know if they're worth getting tested.

At the very least, you could always make neat lamps out of them...

 

[DoubleHoseDiver]

I would thank him very much. Tim

 

[sambolino44]

OK! I told the guy I'll take it.

 

[Graeme Tolton]

Terrible idea... Tell him that you will pass it on to me and i will properly dispose of it for you. I'll even do it for free! ...
But really, any free tank is awesome. If you only use it to hang on a mooring line for emergencies, you are further off ahead! Maybe you want to use it as a regular tank or maybe you want to find a twin for it and make a set of doubles. Nothing to loose!