Getting started in vintage diving

[Ed Palma]

Ok, I'll admit that I've been lurking around here for the past few weeks. I guess vintage equipment diving has always been on my radar.

Curiosity was further piqued when I bought a copy of Hank and Shaney Frey's book Diver Below.

Later on, I acquired two Dacor LP72s which I currently use for my twins. then later on several volumes of "The Ocean World of Jacques Cousteau." As I slowly acquired more vintage stuff (lately, a single-hose Calypso J), and after looking through the threads here and on VDH, I think I'm ready to make the leap. I've signed up on VDH (just waiting for approval) I'm thinking of selling off my singles LH rig and using a DH for all my single-tank diving. Gonna break down my twins and restore the old metal-knob Dacor valves onto them. Heck, I even purchased a copy of "Thunderball" as well as watching segments of Seahunt on Youtube.


Now I'm currently actively on the hunt for a USD DH regulator. I'd spring for the Explorer kit on VDH, but being from the Philippines, I'm wary of customs costs (trust me - this can be a very big issue here). Then, there's the lack of support infrastructure. Going through these threads makes me realize what a close knit bunch you guys are. Furthermore, when I started my DIY regulator repair, most of the best advice came from the members of the VED forum. I don't think there's much of a vintage scene here, so I still don't know what the Scuba Police are going to say.

This is getting all very addicting.

 

[knowone]

Frey.

 

[Ed Palma]

Frey.

Thanks Knowone! Fixed it

By the way, you wouldn't know of any USD regs available for sale down under in Oz, would you? My brother is returning from Perth at the end of the month, so that might be an option for me.

 

[DevonDiver]

I don't think there's much of a vintage scene here, so I still don't know what the Scuba Police are going to say.

This is getting all very addicting.

Hey Ed... will have to hook up sometime, so you can show me your kit...

 

[Ed Palma]

Hey Andy!
Well, my doubles kit is pretty much the typical doubles LH set-up (minus the crotch strap d-ring and additional hip d-ring on the left near the plate).

As for my double-hose prospects, I'm thinking of making a trip to Dau near Clark to see if Marina Arcade might have any old regs

Would love for you to look my kit over (and a few pointers woudn't hurt either ) Built myself a can-light which puts out a load of light more than the light I was using when we last went diving

 

[Ed Palma]

I've got an SPG/Depth gauge that's just dying to find a vintage reg to be attached to once again!

 

[herman]

Welcome to the dark side Ed.
The old regs are pretty tough so one you get one going there is not a lot of support you really need in the maintance area. The old regs can for the most part can be serviced with common tools and a hand full of spare parts. The biggest problem with getting a reg to restore yourself is not knowing what one is susposed to dive like, they are different. A Mistral for example, has a very distinctive sound and most whistle loudly when tank pressure is above 2500. This is normal but if you don't know that, it can make you seriously wonder if the reg is OK.
If you go the restore it yourself route, plan on $120ish worth of parts to get it up to diving quality.

Some thing else you will need is a backpack/ harness of some kind. DH regs do not play well with modern BCs, esp jacket type. Some modern BPs are ok but most don't allow for proper double hose tank placement, it must be a lot lower than used with single hose regs. Properly worn, a DH reg is low between your shoulder blades and as close to your back as possible. This is not about style but is functionally important, a DH will not perform up to it's ability if not worn correctly, one of the reasons they fell out of favor IMO. To make matters worse, a lot of the later plastic BPs, mid 70s's esp, were too thick and did not allow the DH to be propely placed. When looking for a BP, the best choice and most comfortable IMO are the old single thickness plastic or metal ones.
Here are examples of the style that works works well. (none of these are mine). The biggest issue with them is most will not work with AL-80 unless you modify them, something I do all the time. The USD is my prefered one but it must be modified slightly to be used with AL-80.
Waterlung Quick Release Back Pack - eBay (item 110645462237 end time Feb-12-11 16:48:43 PST) Vintage Dacor Backplate and harness - eBay (item 200573725672 end time Feb-13-11 14:29:50 PST) SCUBA DIVING USD US DIVERS TANK HOLDER BACKPACK VINTAGE - eBay (item 110643342517 end time Feb-07-11 15:50:21 PST)

This style is common but does not work well. It will not allow the tank to be placed as low as is needed and because it is thick, holds the tank off your back more than I like. SOME of the older ones of this stlyle have the top handle curved to accomidate the DH reg, these work well but are not the more common ones. 25503 Durable Plastic Backpack

Double hose regs are different amimals and do dive different. You will need to learn the ways of the double hose side and forget most of what your single hose PADI masters have taught you before you will truly understand the power of the DH side....... Sorry about that, for some reason I can't help but think of Darth Vader when talking about moving to DH diving. Seriously, DH reg do dive different and take some getting use to but at least for me, I much prefer them to a single hose reg. My Phoenix is my reg of choice unless I am with a class.

 

[herman]

And the gauge, almost none of the DH regs had HP ports, you will need a banjo adapter to use one and the use of those reguires a longer yoke than many regs have (it was a later option). Some Dacor valves had HP ports so you could put the gauge on the tank valve, if your Dacor valves have an unused (plugged) port, then you are in luck.

 

[Ed Palma]

And the gauge, almost none of the DH regs had HP ports, you will need a banjo adapter to use one and the use of those reguires a longer yoke than many regs have (it was a later option). Some Dacor valves had HP ports so you could put the gauge on the tank valve, if your Dacor valves have an unused (plugged) port, then you are in luck.

Yes Sir! These puppies have the HP port

 

[knowone]

This Joint is a fairdinkum dustbowl swamp.

2000 scuba gears on ebay, not often any vintage. USA 27000

Those plastic contoured USD bacpacs are a bit flim flam with tinfoil bands.

Dacor aluminium is good. I use adjustable Tabata or SP hollow bacpacs on
my paint stripped to gal Faber 100s. The big vintage cheating mans 72s.

It costs me 50-60 bucks and 10 days to get a box of stuff USPS PMI from
The States.

Perth is another 5000Km or something.

It took me years to collect all my junkshops, the paper, markets, people.
Something you can do in a few weeks today on ebay Greenbacks excepted.

Be good if you could find a go between to limit your box amount.