Short list of essential tools?

[csemenko]

A couple other things to include:

ip gauge to check to make sure your first stage is working correctly, and not in need of service.

a pair of spanner wrenches to open up your first stage, to give a tune up.

Though I know it has been mentioned, but get the complete set of allen wrenches (both metric and imperial), they are pretty cheap at Home Depot - and oddly enough some regulators, for instance, are both metric and imperial for different components.

I actually prefer the box ended wrenches for some applications (Home Depot usually sells box end / opened end combination wrenches) - a pair of half inch wrenches for adjusting the bolt kits on double tank bands, a 3/4 inch for when I need to rent yoke tanks on holiday and switch my din connection to yoke (you got to get that really snug or it will leak and drive you batty from the sound of bubbles, and a 1 inch for removing those stainless steel DIN plugs, which have saved my gas many times (I guess an adjustable wrench would work for that application, though you need a pretty big one). - Kirk

where do you get the spanner wrenches? I've been looking and can't find what I need...at my dive shop they have a set of pliers (calling them a spanner), they look like snap ring pliers; however, they work great for taking off BCD dump valves and regulator caps...I will compromise and call them adjustable spanners...any ideas for a purchase point (Lowe's/Home Depot or is there a mythical Scuba tool supply store?? Thanks.

 

[NorthWoodsDiver]

scubatools.com used to have a great supply of every scuba reg tool you could ever need but now its hard to find the right spanners and such.

My tool kit consists of:

2- 6" adjustable wrenches
2- 6" sliding pliers
1- 6" needle nose pliers
1- 6" side cutting pliers
1- 6" phillips screw driver
1- 6" flat head screw driver
1- 7 piece english allen key set
1- 7 piece metric allen key set
1- 110 piece driver bit set (includes torx, allen, flat, philips, security, nut drivers, etc. $12 at hardware store)
1- 6" 1/4" nut driver for bit set
100 zip ties (50 4", and 50 8")
10'- 1/16" black bungee
10'- 1/8" black bungee
3'- 1/4" bungee
3'- 1/4" latex tubing
2 each- small, medium and large double ended stainless snaps and small, medium, and large stainless bolt snaps.
1- scuba tools IP gauge with 4 different adapters
1- DIN tank pressure checker with yoke adapter
1- OMS dump valve removal tool
1- DIY scubapro dump valve removal tool
1- tire filler
1- blow gun
1- lighter
1- 6" scissors
1- pill canister with coil of cave line approx 50' long
1- reef scuba 0-ring kit with spare port plugs, hp and lp port swivels, grease, and dental pick.

there is probably more.

the question I have is what tools do people travel with cause my kit gets mighty bulky and heavy.

 

[redacted]

I travel with a scubatool, an adjustable wrench, a soft jaw pliers for those damn Scubapro fittings, and a complete spare regulator. If I have any serious trouble, I'll just swap it out and fix it when I get home.

 

[mfalco]

I also keep a small pill bottle filled with some coins, you never know when you might need them for a phone call... .

Well I've got a pill bottle full of change, now where can I find a pay phone?

 

[TimAZ]

Great stuff so far. Also, think in terms of non-gear related things that can save your dive day.

1. Motion sickness pills (or your remedy/preventative of choice)
2. Sunscreen
3. Cheap sunglasses

 

[SteveAD]

Leatherman tool

 

[Lucy's Diver]

scubatools.com used to have a great supply of every scuba reg tool you could ever need but now its hard to find the right spanners and such.

My tool kit consists of:

2- 6" adjustable wrenches
2- 6" sliding pliers
1- 6" needle nose pliers
1- 6" side cutting pliers
1- 6" phillips screw driver
1- 6" flat head screw driver
1- 7 piece english allen key set
1- 7 piece metric allen key set
1- 110 piece driver bit set (includes torx, allen, flat, philips, security, nut drivers, etc. $12 at hardware store)
1- 6" 1/4" nut driver for bit set
100 zip ties (50 4", and 50 8")
10'- 1/16" black bungee
10'- 1/8" black bungee
3'- 1/4" bungee
3'- 1/4" latex tubing
2 each- small, medium and large double ended stainless snaps and small, medium, and large stainless bolt snaps.
1- scuba tools IP gauge with 4 different adapters
1- DIN tank pressure checker with yoke adapter
1- OMS dump valve removal tool
1- DIY scubapro dump valve removal tool
1- tire filler
1- blow gun
1- lighter
1- 6" scissors
1- pill canister with coil of cave line approx 50' long
1- reef scuba 0-ring kit with spare port plugs, hp and lp port swivels, grease, and dental pick.

there is probably more.

the question I have is what tools do people travel with cause my kit gets mighty bulky and heavy.

I just got in from my garage, where I am designing, fabricating and installing a new sway bar system for the front axle on my truck (which is not the front axle the truck came off the assembly line with). This invovles a 230v MIG welder, an angle finder, chop saw, angle grinder, sawzall, auto darkening welding helmet, slide hammer, and that's just the really, really expenseive tools. I just got done making and welding on a new front bumper, winch plate, radiator hoop, and stinger. Next wekend I will be replacing the exsting plastic gas tank with a fuel cell. After that I need to replace the steering arms on the top of the chevy flat top knuckles.

You may well dive with more crap than I have in my garage.

 

[do it easy]

I also have:
8" or 10" wench for wrassling with DIN plugs or manifold nuts
donuts for tank valves to convert them to yoke
short roll of duct tape, stencils, markers for taping, stenciling, and marking, respectively
q-tips
christolube
heavy duty box cutter/razor blade

What good are the dump valve tools unless you carry spare dump valves? Also, I think the tools are just to remove the nut on the inside. You should be able to unscrew the cover by hand to clear out any debris.

There are times that I like having pliers, but sliding pliers have little use when working on soft brass. They might come in handy, but I would rather reach for a wrench first.

 

[NorthWoodsDiver]

I use the sliding pliers on my scubapro fittings since I never did get the proper scubapro tool. All my tools except the IP gauge fit into an akona weight bag and I have yet to miss a dive for gear malfunction cause I have always sorted out the problem.

 

[halocline]

It goes on a bungeed necklace....right next to your spare beer.

Spare beer.....finally a good use for the holsters that come with spare air.

Here's a tip for the dental picks; next time you visit your dentist, (always a high quality experience) you might ask him/her for an old pick; they throw them away when they get a little dull. Dull is better for o-rings. If you hold them up to your ear, sometimes you can still hear the screams of the patient they were dulled on. (Okay, sick joke) Still, the best I've seen is the double-hook one that peterbuilt sold. There's something about the shape that makes it really easy to grab the o-ring without scratching the groove.