How much $$ to tumble an AL80

[CARHILL]

On our island of Saipan it 15$ per tank to be tumbled outside cleaned and vis. and things here tend to be on the high side for price

 

[Hoosier]

Please post the LDS name and location.... Many your local divers should know your story...

 

[SDAnderson]

Here's what the following services involve (+/- a little depending on shop):

VIS: Check tank numbers for expired exemptions, remove valve, remove stickers, look at outside of tank, look at threads, look inside tank, use pick set to check depth of pitting, look at valve, reinstall valve, sticker. Time is about 10-15 minutes, one time purchase of tools is $100-$200 (more for eddy current tester used in VIS+).

I agree, a major servicing on an aluminum tank is usually a waste of money. They're cheap enough that the replacement cost usually means it makes more sense to just throw them away. That said, $100 to tumble a cylinder, clean and rebuild the valve, inspect the tank and fill it, though not worth the money, is still reasonably close to a fair price.

There are 18 steps in a PSI visual inspection, you covered almost half of them. The paperwork alone takes a couple of minutes. If you're doing an inspection properly and documenting the findings, it's almost impossible to spend less than 15 minutes on it and many will take about 20 - 25 minutes.

The equipment (picks, LED light, TIP, pit plate, welt probe, etc.) cost substantially more than $500.00 these days. A Visual Plus eddy current tester will add another $1200.00 or so to the investment. All of this needs to be replaced fairly frequently - the lights and TIP rarely last for more than 1000 inspections and the eddy machine requires expensive recalibration every year and replacement typically every few years.

You also skipped the cost of the training - nearly $500 for the VCI, eddy and valve courses from PSI and they need to be refreshed every few years.

Consumables (inspection form, inspection sticker, collar O-ring, lubricant) will cost about $1.00 per cylinder, more if you're dive shop using custom stickers (which can run .75 apiece).

You've also omitted minor details like a building, the utilities to run the building, insurance, lunch money for the business owner, etc., but hey, they do this for fun, right?

Tumble: If rust or corrosion is found in the tank, put it on the tumbler, add the tumbling media, turn on machine, ignore for a while, pour media out, clean inside of tank, then must do vis. Operator time: 20-30 minutes, one time purchase of tools $100-$500.

You can set up a rudimentary tumbling station for $500 but a good one (efficient, effective) will cost at least twice that much. If you're proficient and have a dual cylinder tumbler (like Global sells or like most of the DIY folks build, you can tumble, dry, inspect and fill about 1.5 aluminum tanks per man hour.

Hydro: I take tanks to a dedicated hyrdo facility - cost is $10-$20.

Yep, about right.

Cost of a brand new valve to replace one you don't want to clean up/service: $10-$40.

About right for the dealer cost for a cheap valve. If you want to service a more valuable valve, add another 30 minutes to clean, inspect, rebuild and test the valve plus several dollars for a new burst disc, valve seat, teflon washers, etc. Oh, yeah, that hydrosonic cleaner will set you back at least a few hundred dollars and the solution can cost $25 per gallon.

It's reasonable for a shop to be paid well for their time, and to make a markup on parts. $100/tank sounds unfair to me.

Note: While I am certified by PSI to inspect tanks, I don't do alot of it and the above is from memory. Please don't roast me too badly if I've left out a step. I don't think anyone will disagree too strongly with the time and tool expense listed above. If anything I exagerated the service time.

I strongly disagree - you underestimated the time and the tool cost considerably and don't seem to have allowed enough for overhead, either. I want the guys working on my gear to be able to make enough money to earn a living at it while doing the work properly. The only way to put an end to the horror stories about dive shop monkeys is start paying a fair price for the work they are asked to do.

p.s. I, too, am a PSI inspector. The difference betwixt us is that, until recently, I was inspecting over 1000 cylinders a year and tumbling a few hundred.

 

[daniel f aleman]

Point is, to go to the LDS in town that specializes in tank work (there is always one); above, I gave the going rates for such an LDS in South Florida.

 

[divermike86]

sounds a bit high....we charge 35.00 for a hydro and i think 20.00 for a tumble...valve o/h is twenty plus parts....of course we're in santa monica, where the rent is higher...

 

[nauidiver2004]

I strongly disagree - you underestimated the time and the tool cost considerably and don't seem to have allowed enough for overhead, either.

I must disagree with you. In your post you agreed that a Hydro was reasonably priced at $10 - $20. There is considerable overhead involved in being able to provide this service. Training, insurance, equipment, third party inspection and certification fees. As much if not more overhead than that required to perform a visual inspection.

 

[calscubagirl]

Last week I took my AL80 in to Sports Chalet for a visual and a fill. There was corrosion inside so it needed to be sent out for a tumble. They said it was $20.00 for the tumble for one tank. The visual didn't cost extra.

 

[redacted]

Reasnoable price -- if it includes dinner and breakfast.

Why does the shop want to rebuild the valve?
Why do they want to tumble an aluminum tank?

There are valid reasons and there are excuses. What is the shop telling you?

 

[tiburon72157]

ditto dr.bill. footie find another shop...this one is trying to bend you over. sounds like an lds i know of in the o.c. new al80 tanks are around $100.

 

[VKdiver]

I pay $ 55.00 per tank for a hydro and fill. It seems to me there is no reason to tumble unless there is corrosion. As to the valve, assuming there is a problem, you can buy a new one for somewhere around $40.00, maybe less. That can't be known until the visual is done. You can buy new aluuminum 80's now for around $125.00.