Question Options for diving doubles

[EberWolf]

I recently picked up a US Divers doubles J-valve solid bar manifold that I'd like to use with my Argonaut Kraken.
The local dive shops here in Bahrain are kinda limited to AL80 and maybe a few steel the same size.
I'm going to be Stateside for a few weeks this month. Either new or used, what size should I look for? Same for the doubles tank band.

Jim

 

[OTF]

The vintage classic would be steel 72s. Steel 50s make nice small doubles too.

In any case you'll need to find tanks and bands that correctly fit the spacing on your manifold.

 

[happy-diver]

I love those manifolds, never got around to grabbing any and building a UDT Set or something

Got some inch stainless built some bands a vice a hammer a pipe and did some white smithing


Also love a Freedom Plate

View attachment 804160

 

[John C. Ratliff]

I’ve got mine on AL 40s. It’s really comfortable with a military harness.

SeaRat

 

[Gone for diving]

What do you mean by,
military harness?

 

[John C. Ratliff]

What do you mean by,
military harness?

It's easier to show you than to tell you. Most divers now are conditioned to "back plates" for their harness. In the older days of diving, we did not have that option. So we simply put a harness on the tank bands. U.S. Divers Company called this their "Twin Tank Harness," and said:

The popular lightweight harness that's so easy to load and easy to store. Working divers throughout the world prefer this completely balanced unit with corrosion resistant stainless steel bands. The 1-1/2" webbing makes this unit particularly ideal for unrestricted working freedom under all diving conditions.
0812 Twin Tank Harness................$19.95
0812-15 Replacement nylon harness only....$11-95

1971 U.S. Divers Company Catalog

The U.S. Navy and USAF Pararescue used these harnesses exclusively through the 1970s.

PJ Okinawa Dive003 by John Ratliff, on Flickr
Here you can see this harness being used in 1968 by my buddies in USAF Pararescue, Terry Wetzel and Stephen Samo on a reef off Okinawa.

Below is the harness on my twin AL 40s on my workbench, with a Dacor R-3 "Dial-A-Breath" regulator mounted. I believe that these harnesses are still available by a vintage diver who custom-builds these harnesses. Check with The Scuba Museum for where to find the harness, and perhaps bands for twin AL 40s too. Here's this harness at the The Scuba Museum.

About Us

SeaRat

 

[Gone for diving]

Never heard anyone call it that...
but that's what I was thinking you might mean.


Nice rig setup.

Picture of the similar thing,
My Russia doubles.... its actually very comfy,

PS. its laying on my strap collection.
For cool projects like this.

 

[happy-diver]

Here's what Mel was yelling about

another something in the process or not

 

[captain]

Double steel 72's are what you seek. 50's, depending on the pressure rating can be excessively negative. Double 2250 psi 50's I had were 12# negative whereas double 2250 psi 72's are 8# negative.

 

[Scott G. Bonser]

It's easier to show you than to tell you. Most divers now are conditioned to "back plates" for their harness. In the older days of diving, we did not have that option. So we simply put a harness on the tank bands. U.S. Divers Company called this their "Twin Tank Harness," and said:

1971 U.S. Divers Company Catalog

The U.S. Navy and USAF Pararescue used these harnesses exclusively through the 1970s.

PJ Okinawa Dive003 by John Ratliff, on Flickr
Here you can see this harness being used in 1968 by my buddies in USAF Pararescue, Terry Wetzel and Stephen Samo on a reef off Okinawa.

Below is the harness on my twin AL 40s on my workbench, with a Dacor R-3 "Dial-A-Breath" regulator mounted. I believe that these harnesses are still available by a vintage diver who custom-builds these harnesses. Check with The Scuba Museum for where to find the harness, and perhaps bands for twin AL 40s too. Here's this harness at the The Scuba Museum.

About Us

SeaRat