Suggestion Technician to technician forum

[KOMPRESSOR]

Scubaboard has it's restricted instructor to instructor forum, which I'm sure I will use when I'm done with my OWI this winter!

Although right away I miss a "Technician to technician forum" for us that either makes some pocket change or those who are building up huge empire DS-stores on fixing other peoples' problems with diving gear like regs or compressors.

I'm doing service and installations of diving compressors myself and might contribute some there. I'm also a newbie tech on valve service (Apeks, Aqualung and Coltri Sub), and I could really need someone to ask now and then, to check if I got the manuals right.

Howboutit anyone out there? :blinking:

 

[Dive-aholic]

I wouldn't mind something along those lines myself. I've started doing reg servicing and it would be nice to have someone to throw questions at. However, I think the liability might be too much to have a service & repair forum. It's one thing to discuss diving on the 'net, another to encourage, even if not intentionally, new divers to take their regs apart.

 

[KOMPRESSOR]

I wouldn't mind something along those lines myself. I've started doing reg servicing and it would be nice to have someone to throw questions at. However, I think the liability might be too much to have a service & repair forum. It's one thing to discuss diving on the 'net, another to encourage, even if not intentionally, new divers to take their regs apart.

As with the instructors forum I was picturing something not open to all users. I'm not really into the liability thing, since I think of Scubaboard as an international forum, and US law doesn't work over here. But I can understand your worries though.

 

[El Orans]

What qualifications would you need for this forum?

How would you check that?

 

[Tavi]

Would it be open only to "certified" Technicians??

What about those of us that work with a shop and do service regularly, but don't have certifications for it?

 

[The Chairman]

I would gladly open one up as soon as we answer El Orans' observations.

 

[Fotoz4FX]

I could be wrong and certainly will acknowledge that should anyone be able to produce documents as to Certification but none of my wall hangers say I am certified... only that I completed a Seminar on Regulator Service and Repair so I don't think they certify you as a technician here (at least I wasn't certified by Zeagle, Scubapro or Aeris when I attended their service seminars)... seems you only get the certificate of completion for 'attending a repair seminar'...

US law doesn't work in Norway but I'm sure the Lawyers would be trying to make something of any 'recommendations' or observations someone might present to the public especially when dealing with proprietary (?) knowledge.

I'd love to see such a forum and even be able to exchange schematics with other techs but I do wonder about issues that could crop up - it seems that some manufactures might have problems with information sharing to 'none qualified' persons.

Just a thought.

 

[KOMPRESSOR]

What qualifications would you need for this forum?

How would you check that?

My idea for that was a crossover of trust, references and documentation. From my standpoint, anyone who actually work with servicing regs in a diveshop is within the target group for such a forum. I can understand worries for future legal issues, but if someone actually works with serviceing regs (or compressors), and gives false advice in "my forum", I'm quite sure it will bring comments from others.

I do not think this forum should be open for all users, but as a "professional" ( www.turut.no is also a small dive shop, if anyone should have any doubts) I am pretty restrictive of who I take information from as "thruths". If anyone else isn't at least that careful as a pro then I'd be surprised.

I do not believe it should take firm and official documentation for entering such a pro-forum. If someone says it's his job, then I'd thrust him that it is. But if I don't know the guy I'd get a second opinion on his advice before putting it to work! In such a forum I'm quite sure I'd get a third or even more opinions even...

So a brief presentation of one another, with full names, workplaces, experience level etc, which is all pretty controllable for the rest of the participants in the forum, should do it for me. Or are you afraid of saying who you REALLY are on the internet?

 

[Dive-aholic]

But how about someone like me? I've read Vance Harlow's book. I have several service manuals in my possession. I own a several dozen regs and service them all myself in my home based shop. Is that qualification? Or is it only shop employees that can be a part of this?

 

[El Orans]

My idea for that was a crossover of trust, references and documentation. From my standpoint, anyone who actually work with servicing regs in a diveshop is within the target group for such a forum. I can understand worries for future legal issues, but if someone actually works with serviceing regs (or compressors), and gives false advice in "my forum", I'm quite sure it will bring comments from others.

I do not think this forum should be open for all users, but as a "professional" ( www.turut.no is also a small dive shop, if anyone should have any doubts) I am pretty restrictive of who I take information from as "thruths". If anyone else isn't at least that careful as a pro then I'd be surprised.

So a brief presentation of one another, with full names, workplaces, experience level etc, which is all pretty controllable for the rest of the participants in the forum, should do it for me. Or are you afraid of saying who you REALLY are on the internet?

Such information would have to be sent to the forum leader first (in order to gain access). Of course that info would be published in the Tech2Tech forum as well.

But how about someone like me?

Given KOMPRESSOR's proposal, that would not be a problem.