Vintage US Diver Cylinder

[Hollywood13]

(I'm not really sure where else to post this so hopefully this will be ok here)

I recently got a call from my dad's friend who said he had two scuba cylinders he has had in storage and asked me if I wanted them. Of course, I said yes. To my suprise they were two brand new vintage US Diver Aqualung Aluminum cylinders. The hydrostatic date on them is '72. The boxes were still sealed with all the original labels and warranty cards. I am relatively young (24) and relatively new to diving (~ 2 years) so I don't know very much about what I have. The valves on them are different then what I have seen and after a little investigating I found out they are "j" valves. I originally planned on sending them in for VIP/Hydrostatic testing and if they passed I was going to buy new valves and use them (Free SCUBA cylinders WOOHOO!!), but I started thinking that maybe I came accross something special. Any information regarding this will be greatly appreciated!

 

[Shellback]

Congratulations on the tanks ! Can't really offer any advice on the tanks although if it were me, I might have to at least keep one of the tanks put away in it's new condition and use the other one after I changed the "J" valve to a "K". Interesting bit of trivia that I just came across the other day.

I have long known the purpose of the "J" valve and have used them in the past but I could never understand the "J" designation assigned to the valve as a reserve mechanism. Then I found out that the "J" merely came from the letter designation next to the valve in the catalog for the valve, same as the "K" was referenced in the catalog for the valve.

Have fun with your new tanks !

 

[Scared Silly]

I am not a vintage diver but it seems that that many vintage divers want cylinders that have the labels still one them. I would go ahead and get them hydro'd but tell the tester that it is important that any labels remain in pristine condition. The cylinders get clamped and banged around during hydro. If they pass hydro I would probably see if they would be of use (i.e. sell, trade, etc) to a diver who wants vintage cylinders. Otherwise I hope you gave the original owner a case of beer.

 

[Luis H]

Is the working pressure 3000 psi or 2475 psi?
The original (1971 to 1972) aluminum cylinders made by Luxfer for US Divers in the US were 2475 psi and held 72 cu ft. They floated like a cork they were 6.9 inches in diameter (same as a steel 72), but were very tall. It was tradition to attach I think about 10 Lbs of lead to the boot or they would pull hard on your waist strap and hit you on the back of the head.

If they are 3000 psi that could be just like the common AL80 (although there were some AL72 also at 3000 psi).

In any case any aluminum tank of that era is made of aluminum alloy 6351. The subject of this alloy aluminum tanks is discuss almost weekly so I will let you search info about it. Here are a couple of links

http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/tanks-valves-bands/213114-aluminum-tanks.html


Luxfer: Sustained-load Cracking FAQ


About the “J” valve: just keep the lever down and it behaves just like a “K” valve. There is no need to replace it.


New in the box tanks of that era could be sold to collectors, but being aluminum, IMO, they are not the more highly priced as collectable. It is still worth a try posting them on some of the vintage equipment web sites to see if you may not be better selling them as collectables (before you hydro them or scratch them).

 

[Stu S.]

Collectors might go for these, and pay up, too. The tank valves have o-rings and stuff in them that possibly could have deteriorated over time. As for the tanks, there is a phenomenon known as sustained-load cracking that can affect older aluminum cylinders that hold pressure over many years. Yours have never been pressurized, so there will be no load cracking problems.

What a great find.

 

[oxyhacker]

I agree with Luis - see if you can sell them to a collector. Rehydroing them would probably be a waste of money as it will not make them more valuable to a collector, and very well might make them less.

They may be brand new, but you will still have all the 6351 hassles if you use them. Used 6351 tank are worth almost nothing, and once you use them, that's what they will be. The probably won't be worth a whole lot to a collector (though you might be surprised) but probably it will still be more than they'd be worth as divable tanks.

 

[Luis H]

Since the boxes are sealed and all the original documentation, etc. is there, I would definitely try to find a vintage equipment collector interested on them.
You can start by posting in the Sea Hunt Equipment section of this message board, but you should also try: Vintage Double Hose :: Index
and Vintage Scuba Supply Community Forum - Home

Again it may be important that you do not hydro them or scratch them if you want to sell them as NIB (new in the box) items. Just open the box very carefully and take some pictures of everything. In items like this, having the original box in good shape can sometimes double the price of the article.

IMHO, this are not a highly priced collectible items, but the fact that they are NIB makes them very unique. IMO, you could easily get more money for them (with the box) than you would pay for a new tank.

Be aware that for shipping you would have to package the tank and box inside a larger box to protect the box from damage. Any markings on the box will reduce its value.

 

[james croft]

Luis is giving you good advise. Ebay it as vintage scuba NIB and you may get a good bid. Good luck!