What are you paying for Viton O-Rings?

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Viton or Buna are available in large quantities from Grainger online, in 90 hardness. Dirt cheap and Ebates.com rebates are possible. Check it out.
 
The tank neck o ring is quite expensive i paid about 44 for a hundred. Then the scooter o rings were a couple of bucks per piece. I completely stopped buying from the LDS after they charged me twice the price for the burst disks trying to find excuses that yhey pay for tshipping etc. Knowing the prices i calculated that they had about 80% markup. Its not the price that I did not like its the attitude and thinking Im dumb :)
For a while I do my own repairs and only go there for the fills.
 
We charge $1.00 per Oring.
But if a customer came in with such a large quantity we would cut them a deal
 
Hello all,
Noob with a question. I bought a used LP Faber 95 tank with a K-valve recently. The gentleman I purchased it from said it had viton o rings. I see now reading this thread they are sought after by the more experienced. If I would like to purchase some more from McMaster-Carr or Grainger where we have accounts with at work, can someone please point my in the right direction with a part number or part description. Thank you, Dwain.
 
I get mine through jet gasket. Last time I got them for the HP spool they were $6.00 and $1.00 postage. For a hundred. That's why I include a spare set with every reg I sell where the seller also orders a pressure gauge. Just a little extra something that costs me very little but may save someone's dive day or trip.

Jim even lubes the spares for you :D
 
Hello all,
Noob with a question. I bought a used LP Faber 95 tank with a K-valve recently. The gentleman I purchased it from said it had viton o rings. I see now reading this thread they are sought after by the more experienced. If I would like to purchase some more from McMaster-Carr or Grainger where we have accounts with at work, can someone please point my in the right direction with a part number or part description. Thank you, Dwain.

Hello Dwain,

The correct size is -214 but note the hardness should be duro 90.
McMater part number 8297t251 but please make sure that matches before you order.
McMaster-Carr

Here is a web page with a bit of gee whiz o-ring info Oxygen Compatible O-Rings, Lubricant and Tools - Dive Gear Express you might enjoy reading.
 
I just go by a local seal shop, to get Viton o-rings. McMaster Carr is a great place to order o-rings from.
 
I run a machineshop and a rubber molding press workshop as well.

Basic elastomer cost standpoint:

I will just use basic cost ratio estimates
NR = 1
EPDM = 1.5
NBR/BUNA = 1.2
VITON = 10

Viton being at basic compound is already 9-10 fold of what NR costs. Not to mention it requires higher temperature to cure, so the entire process is much costly.
The rest of the material is quite similar cost wise.
It all boils down to the ingredients use to compound the rubbers. A good NR compound can cost more than a low grade EPDM, because rubbers, are mixed with several other chemicals and % of fillers and the type/grade of fillers used is what determine the cost of the compound.

You may buy an EPDM O-ring dirt cheap, but what they dont tell you is that its only a small %age of EPDM blended with mostly reclaimed rubbers.

Gradewise, a good EPDM is plenty enough for saltwater use and exposure to environment. With a good compound design EPDM, your O-rings can last very long because modern EPDM's are imitating the elasticity, tensile and compression set of natural rubbers. EPDM traditionally known as the "higher" temperature resistance elastomer.

Buna/NBR are mainly used for oil/chemical resistance stuff. The elasticity and tensile is not that great.

VITON is of course the swiss army knife, VERY high temperature resistance, can be designed to survive certain chemicals and also can be design to have the elasticity and tensile of NR's. This elastomer, IF not used properly for its purpose, is wasteful and create unnecessary carbon footprints.

Thus, one of the reason why 2 EPDM or VITON o-rings may deviate in cost (not including other factors) is that the elastomer is not exactly the same. One may have more fillers than the other.

In my opinion, a well designed EPDM is plenty good elastomer to use in saltwater, not only O-rings, but equipment protective parts etc.

When I have some idling time, id machine a mold to make some epdm rubber-bands for my rig (those they tell us to use tyre tube for), probably a bright yellow colored ones. Can't be bothered with the O-rings though, it does require some precision in the molding to make good quality o-rings so that the gaping line is non-existence, plus there are a bazillion sizes of them.
 
https://www.shearwater.com/products/perdix-ai/

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