Help me Identify this regulator and depth guage

[kelemvor]

Hey guys,

I'm helping my wife create a presentation targeted at fifth graders covering "scuba technology changes over time." I've got some very old equipment, and my LDS loaned me a bunch. However, I'd like to include things like the name of the product and the year it was made. Can anyone help me identify these two? Before you say it, I already looked on vintagedoublehose.com. They didn't appear to have exactly this regulator (although many simmilar ones). I can't find anything about the guage. Also, the scubapro museum no longer exists so that's not an option either.



Also, I know it's not really considered vintage.. anyone know the manufacture date of the scubapro mk7 honker?

 

[runsongas]

did you try emailing vdh with the serial number of your pico blvd da aquamaster?

the capillary depth gauge is from the 70s mostly likely

 

[rhwestfall]

You said you looked, but VDH has a bunch of resources for the regulator ID. There is a narrative on the DA and the approximate years based on serial number.

General:
U.S. Divers Regulators | Vintage Double Hose

Specific:
https://vintagedoublehose.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/da.pdf

keep in mind, sometimes parts are combined when they were maintained/serviced/fixed...

 

[rhwestfall]

@OWIC647 @herman @1969ivan1 @Luis H @simonbeans

 

[rhwestfall]

@Sam Miller III @TONY CHANEY

 

[David Wilson]

I looked up the depth gauge for you in the great Vintage Double Hose collection of manuals and catalogues, where there is a good run of Scubapro catalogues. Go to the website at Home | Vintage Double Hose and follow the link marked "Manuals & Catalogs" at the bottom. I found the following in the 1970 Scubapro catalogue and I've reproduced your image for comparative purposes:

Although there are depth gauges in earlier Scubapro catalogues, they don't have the Scubapro logo in the centre like yours and the one above. I'll leave it to you to look at the post-1970 Scubapro catalogues in Bryan Pennington's collection so that you can find out for yourself which years this particular model was marketed.

 

[herman]

The reg is a DA Aquamaster, it was first introduced in 1958, this one was made before 1964 because USD switched to shiny chrome that year which makes it 58-63. We could get it a little closer if by looking at the back side and if we knew what hoses and mouthpiece originally came on it, otherwise it's a guess. I would think for 5th graders "about 1960" would work.
I agree on the age of the cap depth gauge, many manufactures made them.

 

[simonbeans]

Also, your DA has a W. Pico address. In 1962-63, USD moved to W. Delhi Ave and cans were labeled as such. As Herman mentions, the hoses and mouthpiece, if original to the regulator, also give an indication of possible year. I agree with "about 1960" as good as any time frame. Besides do you really think 5th graders actually care? 1960 was so long before they were born that you might expect the little "minds full of mush" to equate 1960 to the Dark Ages or Civil War (if they know what this was).

 

[kelemvor]

You said you looked, but VDH has a bunch of resources for the regulator ID. There is a narrative on the DA and the approximate years based on serial number.

General:
U.S. Divers Regulators | Vintage Double Hose

Specific:
https://vintagedoublehose.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/da.pdf

keep in mind, sometimes parts are combined when they were maintained/serviced/fixed...

Thanks, I did look at that page first but this regulator appears slightly different than any of the photos on that page. It's got a little crown just above the plate with wording. It didn't occur to me that it might have cannibalized other regs or include aftermarket parts. It should have occurred to me as this regulator is still in good working order. The owner specifically mentioned that the rubber parts had all been replaced.

Thanks for the help, guys! I really appreciate it. I'm going to just call it a "DA Aquamaster" Made by US Divers in 1960 and move on.

 

[rhwestfall]

The "crown" is just a sticker, some had them, some didn't. No apparent rhyme or reason if I remember the discussions correctly....

not aware of aftermarket then (though now that is reality), but mixed years put together if stuff got messed up....