Is this an obsurd price for servicing? Atomic B2

[herbdb]

I had both of my regs w two second stages serviced by ScubaToys this year. It was $50 each, with parts included. They put a new battery in the console computer for an extra $10.

I ordered $50 in merchandise (you know how easy that is) and they waived the return postage. I had the regs back 11 days after I turned them over to UPS.

I will do the same next year.

 

[redacted]

Most LDS within reasonable driving distance of me (45 minute) charge $40 per stage plus parts (most of my regs are SP or APEX so I haven't been paying for parts but now I've switched to HOG's so we'll see how it goes. My singles regs have 3 stages and my doubles regs have 2 stages each. Luckily only one needs to be 02 clean because that's another $50. Some places are much cheaper but I'd have to ship it and then lose any savings.

I have 9 1st stages and 9 second stages. It can get to be pretty expensive. So the shops around here do overhaul no matter what for all annual service. That's just how it is.

Do you have to bring your own lube? Even if they provide it, that sounds like it really hurts.

 

[Slamfire]

I'm sorry but I must disagree. Unless you've been through a company seminar/repair clinic, you don't know what you don't know. The mechanics seem straight forward to you because you must be mechanically inclined.

For example:
It is not intuitive for instance to use a special tool when sliding the piston stem thru the wiper (Oceanic piston). Not using the tool may damage the wiper before you finish assembling it. Without prior knowledge and a special tool, you probably wouldn't know this.

Bottom line, there are people capable of and who are already doing their own servicing. It is my opinion that most shouldn't.


Safe diving,
Andy

In my last round of servicings I serviced 2 ScubaPro Mk10's, 2 ScubaPro G250's, 1 Zeagle Rezort 1st, 1 Sherwood Brut 1st, 1 Sherwood Brut 2nd, and one Sherwood Oasis old version. The only special tool I used was the ScubaPro bullet tool, which, interestingly, is the special tool you refer to in your example. Yes, the tool is specialized, but at $6, it is hardly expensive. And frankly, it shouldn't be too hard to make one yourself. All other tools I either had them already in my generic toolbox or I bought them from a local place called Canadian Tire.

As far as training, my only training was carefully reading through Vance Harlow's book once, and then using it as a reference while I was working on the regs. I also asked a few questions in the DIY forums here in ScubaBoard, and grabbed an excellent wealth of knowledge regarding equivalent oring sizes (great easy to understand annotated schematics), materials, sources of material, and even how to make your own "awap" seats.

I don't know if I would self tag myself as mechanically inclined. Maybe I am. But honestly, my biggest surprise when servicing my very first reg was how easy it really turned out to be.

Image of a bullet tool in use.

BTW I do not have a vise and didn't use a vise when working on my regs. Vance's book recommends it, but the peeps here in scubaboard told me it is not a total must-have. They showed me alternatives like the "foot-method"

 

[scubafanatic]

Locally a reg annual (parts + labor, no warranty) will run you $ 100 - $ 150, so lets call it about $ 125, so your price seems reasonable, assuming they are competent and do quality work. Scubatoys recently ran a special where parts + labor for an annual was $ 50, so I had them 'do' my 2 Atomics a few weeks ago, I don't see anyone else running specials like that, so hopefully they'll do it again maybe next spring too.

 

[beanojones]

Vance's book recommends it, but the peeps here in scubaboard told me it is not a total must-have. They showed me alternatives like the "foot-method"

I am all for the foot method, but you really need to use a torque wrench on brass into brass fittings. Especially with the loss of feel that method introduces.

 

[scubafanatic]

I am all for the foot method, but you really need to use a torque wrench on brass into brass fittings. Especially with the loss of feel that method introduces.

....just do it barefoot then!

 

[boulderjohn]

A friend of mine is a service tech, and my introduction to what it takes to service a reg was watching (and to some degree helping him) service one of my reg sets. He used a number of specialized tools, he really knew what to look for, and he worked efficiently. It still took a very long time, and based on that experience, I decided that the standard price (which I was not paying and don't remember) was worth it.

A year or two later I oxygen cleaned two regulators, which is pretty similar. It took a very long time for me to do it.

When you decide how much money you will save by doing it yourself, think about how much money your time is worth. You may decide you would rather pay an expert to do it than do it yourself. I guess it all comes down to what do you have more of--time or money?

 

[Capt.Gene]

We properly finish regulator service work for do-it-your-self'ers quite often.
It's easy to tell if somebody who knows what they are doing is doing the service work.
A properly trained repair tech won't scratch gouges in an O ring track and cause a non-repairable creep and ruin the regulator body, or leave tool marks in the brass, or overtighten everything to the point where you might destroy it during disasembly next year.
Most divers don't have ultrasonic cleaners, torque wrenches, brand specific tools, parts schematics and access to proper service parts.
GOOD service tech's attend a factory sponsored clinic every year to stay current on every brand they touch on the work bench.
What do you really save if a problem causes you to miss even one dive?

 

[Zung]

Just a few remarks about the foot method:

• The pic shows the procedure for loosening the bolt. For tightening, a torque wrench is the way to go. I don't know if it counts as "specialized tool". I have a 3/8" for this job, and a 1/4" for the turret retainer.
• To protect the reg (and your floor), you need a rubber sole and something to cushion the floor. The pic shows a foam sheet.
• The method doesn't cause any loss of feel: it's in your right hand you use to hold the wrench, unless you're left-handed. Actually, I think it amplifies the feel: if you lift your foot, something must be wrong.

I actually have a few more specialized tools that the piston bullet, but then, men like playing with toys.

Regarding the matter of time vs money, from the amateur's point of view, unless you work 3 shifts a day, you have time at no cost to you, so that's a non-issue. I check my jobs at least 3 times: at first pressure, after cycling, and after a week or so: this is additional safety a pro can rarely afford because of his time constrain.

OTOH, a professional tech makes a living out of this, and it's OK to try to make a buck. Assuming it's a careful tech who works in a shop with its overhead and who takes an hour to do both stages, $60 is OK-ish.

 

[Slamfire]

I am all for the foot method, but you really need to use a torque wrench on brass into brass fittings. Especially with the loss of feel that method introduces.

I think the foot model in the image above is Zung. I seriously doubt he would forsake his traditional Swiss precision whenever he uses the foot method. For my part, I did use a torque wrench in conjunction with the foot. It maybe less than elegant but doable nonetheless.