Several members and others interested in diving have offered donations of equipment or cash. We are not able to accept any donations at this time.
CaCED is a volunteer group, consisting for the most part, of members of the HDSUSA, who come together to actively dive their classic equipment, at their own expense, or willingly loan the use of equipment at our events and rally's. Our goal is to demonstrate the use of classic diving equipment, preserve the history of its use, and to honor the men who used it.
Donations may be made to the HDSUSA by contacting Leslie Leaney or Andy Lentz at (805) 692-0072
In an article, "Check Valve Check," in the last issue of the Com Line, we pointed out that the check valve was often overlooked. Torrance Parker also told us that not all the check valves had the same "internals." Ric at Desco confirmed this and also sent us info on the newer type, which was adopted by the Navy in 1962. It uses a piston and 'O' rings, not the spring loaded valve and leather seat.
Even though these valves are fairly simple to repair, where life support equipment is concerned, it is a good idea to "leave it to the pros" - such as Ric at Desco - (414) 272-2371.
As for the title "Bedtime Story," Com Line editor, Dorothy B., said if my last article didn't put 'em to sleep, this one would for sure! Dive safe. ~Charlie Orr
While on vacation, it seems that Al Perez's license plate number was picked up by one of those automatic traffic control devices while preceding through a construction zone at a rather too fast pace. Soon after returning home he received a speeding ticket and a picture of his vehicle with the speed indicated by radar.
Deciding that he wasn't paying a ticket from a #%@!! machine, Al laid out cash for the fine, took a nice clear photo of it, enclosed the photo and ticket in the return envelope and sent it back.
A few days later, Al received his second notice, along with a nice clear photo of a pair of handcuffs!
We purchased a dive compressor about a year ago of which we really knew very little. What we wanted was something dependable and portable that we could use at our Rally's.
The first person I contacted for advise was Norm Thomas in Livermore, California. Norm told us that we would need to check to see if it had the right type of oil in the air pump. We contacted Marvel about the oil and also learned that when this compressor was built they used asbestos hard gaskets!
At this point, we contacted Jim Boyd at NEWEG, who put us in touch with Global Marine in New York. They provided us with additional information on how to raise the air intake 48" above the compressor to keep from picking up gas fumes and exhaust. He also provided us with 6 gallons of monolec oil and an intake filter.
With all our new parts, we disassembled the compressor and volume tank, and using a citrus base solvent, we completely cleaned the pump, tank and lines. This is when we found red lead in the oil reservoirs of the air pump. This had to be stripped and retested.
With everything reassembled and running, we needed to purchase filters. We first called John Durham of Durham's Dive Service, who has helped us in the past. He suggested we use a coalescing filter to remove oil mist and water, followed by a filter to remove odors, etc. and further filter the air.
We purchased the coalescing filter from Granger. The breathing air filter and canister was given to us by Kevin Rash at Waste Management Corp. They have been using this type of filters for working in confined spaces or hazardous environments, usually hydrocarbons.
We contacted Rod Cruz at Aqua-Air, who thought the filtration was adequate, but suggested we have the air tested to meet Grade C breathing standards.
We contacted several places. Sue Stearns at Compressed Air Specialties in Anaheim was a great help. She sent us a sample kit for low pressure air and answered many of the questions we had. We ran a test on Saturday, July 31st and should have the results back in plenty of time in case we need to make adjustments before the Labor Day Weekend Rally.
My thanks to everyone that helped us on this, for all their time and patience, and for answering my really dumb questions. ~ Charlie Orr
Ed Marill was quickly dubbed "Smilin' Ed" at the January '99 Rally when his life long dream to dive a MkV became reality. As a young boy, Ed was captivated by the deep sea divers in their hard hat equipment and dreamed of becoming a commercial diver. As with many, with the responsibilities of a family and earning a living, this dream was not to be.
It was while visiting Frank's Fisherman at the San Francisco Fisherman's Wharf, that Ed was told about the HDSUSA and the working equipment groups. After contacting Jim Boyd at NEWEG, he was put in touch with the CaCED group on the west coast and soon became a member.
He has been scuba diving and snorkeling since the mid-fifties on the north coast of Cuba. Leaving Cuba in 1960 at age 17, he came to the US and became a citizen in 1968. He is scuba certified and has done a lot of diving off the coast of Florida, particularly in the Florida Keys with its beautiful reefs.
Ed works for Quantum Corporation as Director of I/S Worldwide Business Management and lives in San Jose with his wife, Daisy. He has two children, Ana and Ed, Jr. He is very proud of his wife and children and enjoys spending leisure time aboard the family sailboat, Siesta. Ed also enjoys a number of other fast moving activities such as motorcycling, bicycling, rollerblading and kayaking, but slows down long enough to enjoy music and to play an accordion.
Earlier this summer, the Associated Press printed a very nice article on Takashi Yamazawa, an employee of the TOA Diving Apparatus Co. in Japan. Mr. Yamazawa is the last person in Japan, and one of only a handful in the world, who still makes the metal diving helmets.
Mr. Y, at 67, has been in the business for over a half a century, still fashioning the $2500 helmets by hand in a tiny workshop. He has seen demand drop to only about five helmets per year instead of twice that number per month in days gone by.
"No one else will make helmets when I'm gone," said Mr. Y. "But we probably won't sell any more helmets by then anyway."
TOA was one of the first metal helmet makers in Japan when it got its start in 1924 supplying helmets, suits and air compressors to the Imperial Navy. Mr. Y signed on as an apprentice soon after WWII and learned his trade from the company founder.
In 1954, Walt Disney, recognizing the Victorian appear-ance of the helmets, contacted TOA to make the helmets used in the movie "20,000 Leagues Under The Sea."
It wasn't until 1943 when Jacques-Yves Cousteau developed the first scuba tanks, that scuba gear, which allowed more freedom to swim underwater, began to replace the metal helmets. Still, Mr. Y's TOA helmets remain the apparatus of choice for older divers, many who use them for underwater construction or for gathering pearls. This has helped TOA survive while their competitors vanished.
Yasuharu Sano, company president and grandson of its founder, states, "Our helmets last a lifetime. These were made by my grandfather," he said, pointing to two dented, brown-green helmets awaiting repairs on the floor of Mr. Y's shop.
Mr. Y spends most of his time now repairing the old helmets. "I've made helmets my whole life, more then a thousand of them," he said. "I need to live a little longer. Who else is going to keep fixing them?"
~ Dorothy Barstad
Source: Associated Press article, The Orange County Register, 6/13/99
- Wanted: Diving knives. Gilbert Ajo (714) 474-1775
- Sea Hawk Trading: Misc. diving equipment and nautical antiques (310) 378-7926
- Wanted: 3-Bolt Chinese or Russian dress. Tracy Howard (773) 238-9047
- Free: 100 ft. of original MKV com line. Just pay postage. Charlie Orr (310) 834-7051
Com Line - Issue 5
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Issue #4 - August 7, 1999
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