USD black Horsecollars
- Thread starter porbeagle
- Start date
Please register or login
Welcome to ScubaBoard, the world's largest scuba diving community. Registration is not required to read the forums, but we encourage you to join. Joining has its benefits and enables you to participate in the discussions.
Benefits of registering include
- Ability to post and comment on topics and discussions.
- A Free photo gallery to share your dive photos with the world.
- You can make this box go away
8dust
Contributor
I've been watching this discussion with interest.
So the bladders can be patched with a waterbed patch kit???
hmmm...
I've got a black USD HC that is really heavy-duty, more even than most, but it has the same problems with the various connections... but this has got me thinking... I have the co2 fills plugged anyway... could I just pull them off and cut out their bladder connection and cover the hole with one of these wated bed patches??? and, I don't like the old style power inflate anyway, so what about removing the big black valve body, putting one of the pull knobs from the co2 inflators on the end of the dump cable as they did with later models anyway, cutting out that bladder fitting and patching over then putting a more modern style power inflate on the end of the oral inflate hose, then the only place left to have a problem is at the connection for the shoulder dump... seems like that might have a different style of attachment anyway, I'll have to look closer...
how good is that patching material? how do you "weld" it?
Thoughts?
So the bladders can be patched with a waterbed patch kit???
hmmm...
I've got a black USD HC that is really heavy-duty, more even than most, but it has the same problems with the various connections... but this has got me thinking... I have the co2 fills plugged anyway... could I just pull them off and cut out their bladder connection and cover the hole with one of these wated bed patches??? and, I don't like the old style power inflate anyway, so what about removing the big black valve body, putting one of the pull knobs from the co2 inflators on the end of the dump cable as they did with later models anyway, cutting out that bladder fitting and patching over then putting a more modern style power inflate on the end of the oral inflate hose, then the only place left to have a problem is at the connection for the shoulder dump... seems like that might have a different style of attachment anyway, I'll have to look closer...
how good is that patching material? how do you "weld" it?
Thoughts?
Hi 8Dust, Yes they can,I have 2 USD inner bladder repair kits #7701-93 and they are ordinary
urethane patch kits.I have the patching instructions which are 8 steps and to long to repeat.
My computer skills keep me from posting them just now,but I'll try to get my wife to help.
Your Ideas will work. I would patch any of the 4 holes you don't intend to use both inside
and outside.Also,leaving the dump fitting intact and expecting it to function may be dangerous
as all 4 fittings crumble to some extent. But I think using another brand power inflator AND
dump would work .But why go through the hassle? Read nemrods comments about this.
My intent is to rebuild as close to period as possible but only if it will be safe.
Sure you can fix and patch existing holes safely, but you will lose those things which are
unique to USD horsecollars. I am not all that familiar with how power inflators and dump
valves attach to bladders,but it shouldn't be hard to solve that. BWI diver has a really great
and simple idea for working inside of a bladder and that is to use the larger of the 4 holes
to insert patches,glue,or whatever. In any case it might still be necessary to cut a 3 or 4"
slit in order to work inside.
How good is the patching material? Well you can find the same thickness material as the
bladder and patch it inside and out. And lastly, Welding. You don't weld the patching
material,you glue it. But it is informative to google "welding plastic" Long story short
you can find a shop which electric welds sheet plastic or you can buy a welding gun
(cheapest I found was $35). You only need to electric weld if you are planning on
making brand new bladders.As for hot air welding, you would only need to use this
type of welding for thicker plastic material. In your case,you probably would only
need to patch holes and install other types of inflators & dump valves.
Please let us know how it goes and feel free to jump in with ideas.
PORBEAGLE
urethane patch kits.I have the patching instructions which are 8 steps and to long to repeat.
My computer skills keep me from posting them just now,but I'll try to get my wife to help.
Your Ideas will work. I would patch any of the 4 holes you don't intend to use both inside
and outside.Also,leaving the dump fitting intact and expecting it to function may be dangerous
as all 4 fittings crumble to some extent. But I think using another brand power inflator AND
dump would work .But why go through the hassle? Read nemrods comments about this.
My intent is to rebuild as close to period as possible but only if it will be safe.
Sure you can fix and patch existing holes safely, but you will lose those things which are
unique to USD horsecollars. I am not all that familiar with how power inflators and dump
valves attach to bladders,but it shouldn't be hard to solve that. BWI diver has a really great
and simple idea for working inside of a bladder and that is to use the larger of the 4 holes
to insert patches,glue,or whatever. In any case it might still be necessary to cut a 3 or 4"
slit in order to work inside.
How good is the patching material? Well you can find the same thickness material as the
bladder and patch it inside and out. And lastly, Welding. You don't weld the patching
material,you glue it. But it is informative to google "welding plastic" Long story short
you can find a shop which electric welds sheet plastic or you can buy a welding gun
(cheapest I found was $35). You only need to electric weld if you are planning on
making brand new bladders.As for hot air welding, you would only need to use this
type of welding for thicker plastic material. In your case,you probably would only
need to patch holes and install other types of inflators & dump valves.
Please let us know how it goes and feel free to jump in with ideas.
PORBEAGLE
bwi_diver
Registered
I found a urethane repair adhesive and sealant called Aquaseal made by McNett on e-bay. I also bought a used but like new USD horse collar BCD on e-bay that's in good usable shape. I've found a place in the web were I can get small quantities of urethane that can be used to mold parts. I think if we keep everything of the same material if possible it would avoid the problems with the original ABS. I have been searching to see if I could find some off the shelf plastic fitting that would fit and then just use a plastic filler to insert the metal fittings instead of molding ones but I haven't been successful in finding any. Most are to large. I want to thank you too for starting this off. I probably won't have put in any effort but I hadn't read your original post. I have over eighty dives with my old vests and love the way they operate. I'm sure between the two of use and any others that would care to join we can repair and keep these BC's working for years to come.
bwi_diver
Registered
I'm still interested in rebuilding these vests. My black mil USD developed a leak. Fortunately I bought black and gray late model that still works. I've been think and the only thing that is needed is the fitting for the dump/over pressure value and the inflator value connection. I've been tied up getting my boat in the water and refreshing all my scuba gear (also bought a mares Jacket) I also got one of the SeaTec hourse collar vest (still prefer the USD infator dump system). Let you know once I have either a source or manufacture new fitting.
Similar threads
