Vintage Tank find

[Luis H]

Good stuff Luis, I told him I'd take the tanks off the valves. I've got a 4' chain wrench that I can use along with some thick rubber sheet to protect the tanks. Normally it doesn't take much to get the tank moving. On my k valves I just tap the knob with a rubber mallet.

These are tapered threaded valves. It is a completely different animal than a O-ring seal straight thread valve.

I don't know if you have ever taken apart a tapered thread valve, but those two statements do not apply.

I would also not use a chain wrench unless it is a large one mounted on a bench.

I don't want to come across as harsh, but I would hate to see those valves ruined.


I have chain bench vise for pipes up to 8" OD. That is the minimum that would consider adequate to properly secure these cylinders. Yes, most dive shops now-a-days are not properly equipped to deal with tapered thread valves.


If the OP would like help dealing with these cylinders, I will be glad to help him out. But I am in Maine, which is a little bit longer drive from CT.

I could also maybe help with the hydro, but that is a bit harder. My vintage friendly LDS with in house hydro machine closed their door in 2015. At this point the closest hydro facility that I may trust is in Massachusetts.

 

[cainslie]

What a fortuitous thread to stumble upon today. Luis, having found some of your other threads, it would seem you're a wealth of knowledge in this arena.

The backstory:
Late last year I was offered this twinset (steel, 7l, pretty ancient manifold that I'm very unlikely to ever dive). Anyway, the price was really great and since I'm busy with a tec course, I figured they'd convert into nice stages. Valid hydro and visual done. I snapped them up.

Around that time, a friend mentioned that he might have some pillar valves in his garage that would fit these. Awesome, just what I needed.
I eventually got around to see him today and it turns out he had a twinset made up of identical cylinders which had been split. Sadly, the cylinders were sent for hydro and the kit was never reassembled (since 2002). This means the valves weren't in great condition and both the valves and the cylinders may or may not be usable, considering how they were stored.

Nevertheless, I took them from him for not much more than beer money so this is what is now in my garage:

I'll be going through to my local hydro to get these tested and to check if there's anything they can do for these valves or not. So I'm either in the market for 2 or 4 pillar valves with this very rare neck thread. (The thread is called 17E)

I have found the following options online (there's nothing available here in South Africa, so far as I know):
Argon valve E17 conical 19.8
Robinet DIN petit cône E17 - Robinets - Robinetterie et accessoires

Is there anything different about that first listing (Argon valve)? Or would that suit these tanks just fine?

 

[Luis H]

The first twin tank manifold looks like the old Nemrod (Spanish made) manifold.

The last two valves are Drager.


The new SAN-O-Sub valves look good. They seem to have a standard DIN fitting. The only thing that I don't see is the little tube inside to keep any contaminants from getting into the valve.

Good luck