Hello, fellow divers.

Sometime last winter I exchanged a couple messages (possibly in a thread) but I can't find it.

The discussion was about maintaining gear on your own, and one of the things mentioned was getting a variety of O-rings.

I see a variety of O-ring kids on Ebay and Amazon.

Example:
https://www.amazon.com/Innovative-Scuba-Concepts-Ring-Prepared/dp/B001N4NFO0/ref=sr_1_6?keywords=scuba+o+rings&qid=1569105932&sr=8-6

I was wondering if anybody else here does their own work, and if they have any advice.  Are some kits better for some brands of gear, etc.

Replies can be via this thread, or through PM.

Thanks!

Bob

Edit:
I can add a list of what gear I have if that would help.

As an Instructor and equipment repair guy, I would have never had a use for about 75% of those.

Can you recommend something else?  Or, getting kits specific to each make/model?

Get a Save A Dive kit.

Unless you are actually doing annual rebuilds and maintenance on your own regs, a kit like this is just fine. If you’re doing your own reg maintenance, then you need to get the service kit intended for your regs.

O Ring kit

OP, that is a decent selection.

You mention maintaining...are you talking about overhauling or doing issue only repairs?
For overhauling there are other parts needed.  Kits can be sourced depending on brand, or you can put together your own like I do.
What brand and model do you have?

The kit I linked to is what I have. Also, are you a vacation diver or do you dive local? I dive local (and my vacations are regional via car). So I have something more extensive for a save a dive kit than a vacation only diver would. I have a small orange plastic dry box I got in the Walmart camping aisle for $10. It has the O ring kit, spare batteries (for dive lights, Perdix, and transmitter), mask strap, imperial and metric allen wrench sets, tank valve tool, and some other small bits and pieces. The larger save a dive kit stays in my vehicle.

I have the following gear:

1st/second stages
1)  Apeks TX100/TX50 Octopus on a "Apeks dry sealed system" 1st stage (not sure of the model name beyond that)
2)  Aqualung LX/ABS octo on an Aqualung Titan 1st stage
3)  Sherwood Magnum Blizzard/HTR octo on a Sherwood 1st stage (not sure of model)
4)  Two Dacor Pacer XL's on a Dacor 950 1st stage (this set up was given to me, and had been put away with salt on it, and has some surface corrosion.  I am not sure whether that impairs the safety, or if it can be removed.  I know Dacor went out of business 15 years ago or so.)

Consoles
1)  Dacor SPG/DG/Compass
2)  Suunto SPG/DG/Compass
3)  Sherwood SPG/DG
4)  Dacor SPG (with bottom timer? It has an LCD screen)/DG (this is from the corroded set above)

BCD's
1)  Sherwood Freedom (leak in bladder)
2)  Seaquest (#3114, I think it's a Spectrum
3)  Sherwood Freedom with CO2 canister
4)  Sherwood Silhouette
5)  Mares V1 or V1000 (weight integrated)

My initial interest is for fixing issues as they come up. so a set of O rings is a good start, but I would like to learn more about maintaining the gear myself.

Learning is a good thing. :-)

Most recent diving has been local, here in Maine, but I am not adverse to diving in warmer waters, such as Florida.

You’re going to have a harder time getting service kits for the Apeks/AL regs. They don’t sell those to the public.

Dacor? Didn’t know people still used that stuff!

I have been using the Davor gauge console from my first set of gear, back around 1991-92.  I had traded in the 1st/2nd stages in for the Aqualung gear.  I think the depth gauge needs help, if possible.

What is a good tool kit for more advanced work?  Something like this?

https://www.amazon.com/Scuba-Choice-Deluxe-Tool-rings/dp/B004UI2QDC/ref=sr_1_35?keywords=scuba+o+rings&qid=1569105932&sr=8-35

The guys will have to comment on that. I don’t maintain my own regs. No desire to.

That's a list of stuff alright.

AL service kits can be had from vintagedoublehose.com and ebay.
As far as maintaining them, start with an IP gauge.  Quickest way to check for good lockup intermediate pressure or creep.  This should be in every divers save a dive kit.  A lot can be discerned from this gauge and the regulator immersed in a cooler full of water, charged.
I would recommend starting with the Sherwood.  Kits are VERY easy to get and they are designed to be easily disassembled.
I have a Dacor Omni lcd computer and air gauge combo (c 1995) that is still running strong.  I converted it from J battery to dual 2032 coin.

Thanks, everybody!

There are some variations on the IP gauge.  Is there a particular type that is better?

Thanks again!

Take a look at Dive Gear Express. Their stuff is usually good to go.

Something like this?
https://www.divegearexpress.com/second-stage-in-line-adjusting-tool-w-ip-gauge

Or, this?
https://www.divegearexpress.com/second-stage-in-line-adjusting-tool-w-ip-gauge

Or, this?

https://www.divegearexpress.com/deluxe-ip-gauge-psi-and-bar

My current save-a-dive kit is a purchased kit, with couple extras in a dry box (Otter box.)  I will try to upload a photo later today or tomorrow.

The second one should have been this, not a duplicate of the first one:

https://www.divegearexpress.com/compact-ip-gauge-psi-and-bar

This

Thank you!

See if your local dive shop needs more techs maybe they will get you the training as long as your willing to work.  I'm working on being a tech after-hours at my local shop but it's gonna take awhile to get all the different classes always looking to get more cash to spend on dive gear.

I have mentioned it.  They would like to get me trained for tank inspections, but haven't said they need any extra hands for repairs and maintenance.  :-)

It gets your foot in the door most oem training your required to be sponsored by a shop. If your doing tank inspections and you know a class is coming up ask to go even if they don't need you.

Makes sense.  I will do that. :-)

The VIP (tank inspections) class is pretty interesting. I just did it in Aug.

I maintain and rebuild my own regs. I get the parts on eBay. I can buy genuine parts there even though AquaLung says they won't sell to individuals. Repair manuals are available online and they are very simple to rebuild.

Do you need to purchase the manuals, or are they available for a free download?

Is there a tool kit that works for most/all brands?

Some manufacturers make their service manuals available to the public, others you just have to do some judicious googling. Most manufacturers will not provide their service manuals to the public, and will only provide them to factory certified technicians. Most manufacturers won't allow you to become a factory certified technician unless you're affiliated with a dive shop. Those service manuals are typically found online from third party sources. You're not gonna shoot an e-mail to Apeks and have some cheery bloke send a pdf back your way.

Sourcing parts is often similar. Many manufacturers will not provide parts on the open market. Dealers selling service kits can have their dealerships revoked. Not all manufacturers are like this, and there are a few who will allow anyone to purchase service kits.

Most regulators use the same basic set of tools, hex keys, picks, wrenches, etc. Some regulators require specialized tools to aid in assembly or disassembly. Some regulators don't require special tools, but they make it far easier.

The majority of all of this information will change depending on which regulators you own. I have regulators I cannot service myself because parts and information are unavailable. I have others that allow me to source parts and service guides directly from the manufacturer. It all depends.....

Frogkick.dk was a good source of e-manuals, but the site is down at moment (forever?).
I have quite a library.  But generally speaking, not really needed once you have done a few.  Most mfg schematics have their own part number for the required o-rings vs the actual size.  Calipers come in handy here.  Otherwise, you will have to source a service kit.  Low and high pressure seats and diaphrams are fairly easy to get.  I haven't bought a kit in a long time with the exception of one for a Scubapro Mk20.
As I mentioned before, start with a simple regulator. Sherwood kits are all over ebay.

I have tried frogkick a few times, and found it (as you said) to be down.

I have a couple old Dacors that I might just take apart as a learning process.

If I can find information for the Sherwood Blizzards, that might be a good one to try.  I need to see what I have for tools that could apply, and what I would need, along with parts.

Thanks!

IM sent.
I noticed that even over on SB, no one is offering any manuals lol.