Vintage steel 72 rescue center.

[halocline]

My favorite is my kidde bump bottom; does not need a boot to stand on it's own. It was sold as a voit tank from the mid 60s I believe.

 

[Aigtbootbp]

I could use a couple old steel 72's, you want to part with any of yours?

 

[j yaeger]

i'm holdin' 7 72's that i use almost daily
2 have the"pico" address
had them for years
old as myself!!!!!!
didn't know there was a 72 cult!!!!!
have fun
Yaeg

 

[rx7diver]

Last Fall I traded one of my six-year-old, purchased new, never hydroed, almost never dived, nearly pristine, Luxfer Al 80's for a 1970 USD steel 72 with a one-year-old hydro and current VIP. I dove the 72 a few days ago in a MO lake (30 min, 50 ffw, 3 mil wetsuit dive). First time I've dived with a 72 since my initial open water certification dives in 1987. I'd forgotten what a delightful tank a 72 is for this type of diving. I love my PST (Genesis) HP 80's, but truth is, to me, the steel 72 seems a much better tank, for this type of diving. To me it has better balance, less drag, is easier to surface swim under snorkel power with, is much easier to doff and don at depth because of its buoyancy characteristics (and, yes, I actually did this!), and is more comfortable on my back in and out of the water (because of the 72's longer length). I actually used my venerable Scubapro Mk X-Plus/D400 regulator w/ analog gauges and Stab Jacket with the 72 on this dive. Really enjoyable dive! It's great getting re-acquainted with the 72!

 

[elmer fudd]

I'd take a 72 over an AL80 any day myself. Charge them up to 2700 psi and you have the same amount of air in a much smaller package and more negative package and one that should last a lifetime. I see tons of people on Craigslist trying to sell their pre-90's AL80's, "GREAT PRICE, needs VIP and hydro".

 

[RickI]

Dumb question, why the interest in using old 72 cft. tanks these days? I still have some, last used a pair as swing bottles for transit mix in the early 1990's. I still have one that I got the second year after I started diving in 1972, did a bounce dive to 300 ft. on air with it once too. Ah nostalgia, still would I want to use them today? Not so sure, given all the ripped open steel tanks I've seen over the years. So, it passes hydro, what if it fails before the next one, while in service? Three to four decades can bring latent weakening to a high pressure vessel subject to cyclical loading and fatigue. Just curious, thanks.

 

[Darol]

OK, now I'm curious.... First, where did you see all these "ripped open steel tanks"?
300 ft bounce on air
I recently unloaded some older Luxfer alum 80's, why? Because shops are starting
to question alum tanks 20 yrs and older, yet they have no problem with a steel 72
that's current, I have seven 72's dating back to 1960, all current. I did keep my
Catalina Alum 80's, good tanks. I also have a set of twin 50's USD of the 6351 alloy
that just passed Hydro and Eddy Current, and yes some of the local shops fill them.

 

[captain]

Dumb question, why the interest in using old 72 cft. tanks these days? I still have some, last used a pair as swing bottles for transit mix in the early 1990's. I still have one that I got the second year after I started diving in 1972, did a bounce dive to 300 ft. on air with it once too. Ah nostalgia, still would I want to use them today? Not so sure, given all the ripped open steel tanks I've seen over the years. So, it passes hydro, what if it fails before the next one, while in service? Three to four decades can bring latent weakening to a high pressure vessel subject to cyclical loading and fatigue. Just curious, thanks.

There are steel commercial gas cylinders in service that are 80 to 100 years old riding around on trucks on the highway everyday. If age alone was cause for failure than I am sure we would be seeing them and DOT would have put an age limit on them. They are not ripping open. A steel tank has an indefinite life span if properly cared for, meaning keeping it dry inside and away from fire and not excessively over pressuring it, I say not excessively because a couple of hundred pounds is not excessive.

You might not want to use them for other reasons such as not enough air but not just because of age. If you dive an AL 80, actually 77 cu/ft, then a steel 72 isn't significantly less but with better buoyancy.

 

[JamesBon92007]

Dumb question, why the interest in using old 72 cft. tanks these days? I still have some, last used a pair as swing bottles for transit mix in the early 1990's. I still have one that I got the second year after I started diving in 1972, did a bounce dive to 300 ft. on air with it once too. Ah nostalgia, still would I want to use them today? Not so sure, given all the ripped open steel tanks I've seen over the years. So, it passes hydro, what if it fails before the next one, while in service? Three to four decades can bring latent weakening to a high pressure vessel subject to cyclical loading and fatigue. Just curious, thanks.

Other than some of the pleasant characteristics mentioned my interest in 72s is partly economical. I have three Aluminum 80s made from the 6351-T6 alloy and there are a lot of problems with them. Most of the problems seem to be political or philosophical. Some dive shops won't fill them and many people think they are going to explode even though they passed VIP, Hydro, and Visual Eddy. I have one tank that is current but I'm not sure if the VE is required along with the Hydro test, or annually with the VIP. At $10 per VE test, in addition to $15 or so for a VIP, they may not be worth keeping. There seems to be a few places that won't fill old steel 72s (rumor has it Sport Chalet is one of them) and, for some reason, less fear of them blowing up. Back in the old days. before aluminum tanks became popular, it seemed like it was steel tanks that blew up. I recall seeing a ruptered steel tank on display at a dive shop. Perhaps they were tanks that were way beyond their hydro date but then I doubt that very many shops would have filled them, even back in the 60s. Meanwhile, my 1963 steel 72 still passes hydro and VIP so I check Craig's List every day to see if I can pick up a few more and give up on the 6351 tanks. I'd prefer to find some with J-Valves because they are easier to carry, even though I've never actually used a J-Valve because my scuba instructor said they were evil.

Can some tell me what the "+" on the 72s means? I realize it means that it can be filled an additional 10% but does it need a new "+" with every hydro test, or is that "+" good for it's life?

BTW I've only had a tank filled at Sport Chalet once because I had to carry it across the parking lot, through the store, and up the stairs to get it filled. Then it took a long time and cost more.

 

[Texfrazer]

RickI,

If I lived a bit closer to you, I would gladly pay you Tuesday for a Steel 72 today!

Seriously, if you're ever coming up to Tennessee, let me know and I'll make a donation to your gas fund in exchange for the cylinders.