Got 2 free tanks, are they useable?

[Rick Murchison]

You would, of course, split the cost of shipping. All Heart.

What?
Let's not be silly....
I'm already offering to waive the disposal fee
Rick

 

[captain]

The 2sd83 may not be a forged hydro stamp. I have several old 71's and the square letter and number ID stamp is a later standard that started in the mid 80's. One I have is stamped ROL between the month and year which was Roland's Dive shop ID mark. One has an N inside a diamond which was National Cylinder Gas company ID. Some have only a dash between month and date and some have the company logo. All these stamps are before 1985 and all the hydros were done under my ownership of the tanks so I know they are not forgeries.

 

[Bob3]

But never mind... just call our toll free number so we can sell you some stuff!

Larry, you're incorrigible.

Sadly, out here in Sacramento the price of "Garden Gongs" is pushing $125... even in an out of the way spot the dang gongs are going for $75.

If it were me though, I'd track down the hydrotester that most of the local shops take theirs to.
They're supposed to do a visual on the critters before hydrotesting but some may not be as thorough as one would/should like.
This is better than the yellow pages:
http://hazmat.dot.gov/sp_app/approvals/hydro/hydro_retesters.htm

 

[oxyhacker]

Up until '86 or so a retester wasn't required to have the current four-in-a-square RIN stamp, and they could actually mark the tanks using nothing but individual number/letter stamps. This made it awfully easy to fake a hydro, hence the change. Most larger hydro shops and manufacturers had their own custom stamps, like the ones you describe, but there were a lot of variations. So the old hydro could, as you suggest, very well be legitimate regardless of how crude it looks.

Not that it really matters, as long as the tank passes hydro this time!

The 2sd83 may not be a forged hydro stamp. I have several old 71's and the square letter and number ID stamp is a later standard that started in the mid 80's. One I have is stamped ROL between the month and year which was Roland's Dive shop ID mark. One has an N inside a diamond which was National Cylinder Gas company ID. Some have only a dash between month and date and some have the company logo. All these stamps are before 1985 and all the hydros were done under my ownership of the tanks so I know they are not forgeries.

 

[84CJ7]

Actually my first thought when I saw them was that they were a pair of steel 72's and would make perfect doubles, unfortunately with the one being obviously crap and the other needing work, I kinda axed that. One steel 72 is too small for me. I may tumble it and then take it in and see if it can be fixed up, and if so I may just get rid of it or trade it in if its worth anything. The main question is whether the white powdery textured crap is just a chemical reaction with the galvanized surface (i can see the galvanized colored metal where the apparently later added black paint is coming off) or actual corrosion.

The one that is junk is a neat old yellow tank with the black USD aqualung double hose and tank logo and a J valve, and it looks good except under the boot and inside, so it would make a good living room ornament for a corner, thats where that one is going.

Its too bad really, if they had just taken the damn boots off like you are supposed to for drying and left them with pressure in them they would both probably be still good.

If the black one is a good tank maybe I can find another galvanized 72 of the same type cheaply used, the shops always have them for classes it seems, and it would make a nice doubles set. I have a zeagle brigade from Larry actually, so buying the parts to convert it to a full ranger set for doubles wouldn't be that bad a cost I would think, unless this escape bladder can actually work with their doubles bands.
I suppose Larry would know what is required for the conversion one way or the other.

Is 2250 the normal low pressure or some sort of extra low pressure?

 

[captain]

All the old 72's were rated 2250 plus a 10% overfill when new or with a + hydro test which brings the pressure rating up to 2475 psi. The plus 10% rating came about during World War ll as a way to increase capacity in existing cylinders.

 

[oxyhacker]

Clean off the yellow one and find a friendly diveshop or tank inspector to do a free "preinspection" and tell you if it would pass. Or post some pictures here. Rust often looks worse than it is until you get it cleaned up.

If it passable, get a cheap fire extinguisher shop hydro, strip it down yourself and repaint with with ZRC. May not be your dream tank, but will pair up nicely with the other until you find another better, gavanized tank. 2250 is normal for these tanks. With a plus rating you can get 10% more in them but I wouldn't worry too much about getting it plus hydroed, as many dive shops seem to fill 72s to the same pressure regardless of the plus .

Double 72s are a sweet transistional rig, and all many divers will ever need. And, when done with cheap/free tanks, a terrific bargain.

 

[84CJ7]

On the yellow one there is good rust texture on the inside in places and the bottom is built up flakes coming off in sheets from the boot never getting drained. Makes a nice dull thud when I hit the bottom. Definetely junk.

As for the other one it will be at least a week before I could take it to get checked.

 

[Creed]

I've had several 72's hydroed, and they stand up well to abuse. The last one I picked up for $15. It had been sitting empty in a Kansas farm for years. I pulled off the valve, tumbled it and cleaned off some crap on the threads with a dremel wheel. It passed with flying colors.
The shop I take mine to doesn't charge for a failed hydro/vis. So, I'll try to salvage ANYTHING
You can get good valves off of ebay, so don't fret there.
Anyway, I am always on the lookout for 72s, so if you decide not to mess with it, I will take it and pay for ALL of the shipping

 

[snow drift]

Well I have 7 of these old steel 72s and some of them have looked really bad and have man.date of 1941 :11doh: send them foer hydro see what happens it's only $ 15 bucks. never had a steel fail yet! . If it dose not pass weld a stand on it and sell it to your LDS!!!!!!!!