$225 to $250 for a neck seal?

[Geek]

So if I am NOT paying almost double then what I can get from numerous shops, I am jeopardizing my life?? I just want to make sure that I am clear on this point...The more you pay, the safer you will be?

Yes, now give me $1500 I have this yellow pistol grip light that will keep you safe from manbearpig and that giant skate you keep claiming to see...

[Geek]

I sent my DUI in to Mark Owens at Superior Diving Repair. He is a bit of a wily rascal in terms of communication (prefers phone calls to emails, if I remember correctly), and you'll have to ship your suit, but his prices and quality of repair/alteration are off the charts.

<snip>

I highly recommend sending him some photos of you in the suit, if you're gonna have him do custom work. It helps him to visualize the fit, etc.

i have to chime in here regarding Superior Repair. last year i sent my pinnacle suit to them for some alterations with very detailed notes and photographs, only to receive a completely botched job.

first of all, they had the suit for nearly eight weeks, after they had assured me it would be shipped back within two. once i got the suit back, i discovered they removed way too much material in the upper torso, making the suit restrictive and uncomfortable. furthermore, they reattached the neoprene booties so that the toes pointed inwards, one of them almost 90° off center.

i called them to see about rectifying the problems, and without going into too much detail about the exchanges, was basically told that they felt they followed my instructions (like i had asked for the booties to be put on sideways??), and that i would have to pay them for further alterations.

when it was all said and done, i wasted a lot of money on a new drysuit and alterations and was forced to sell the suit at a huge loss.

i will never recommend Superior Diving Repair to anyone, and would advise looking for a suitable local alternative before sending an expensive piece of gear out into the void.

I know a guy in Tacoma that could have saved you some headache

[spatman]

I know a guy in Tacoma that could have saved you some headache

once again, pointing out the obvious.

[Geek]

That's Captain Obvious to you.... I'm also Captain of Team Little Bus as well... Respect the rank dude

[Norris]

So if I am NOT paying almost double then what I can get from numerous shops, I am jeopardizing my life?? I just want to make sure that I am clear on this point...The more you pay, the safer you will be?

Yes, now give me $1500 I have this yellow pistol grip light that will keep you safe from manbearpig and that giant skate you keep claiming to see...

Actually I want my buddy to be safe too so would you mind if I gave you 2000.00?

(and sasquatch WAS chasing a skate in the photo, I dont care WHAT you say)

[Tangfish]

So if I am NOT paying almost double then what I can get from numerous shops, I am jeopardizing my life?? I just want to make sure that I am clear on this point...The more you pay, the safer you will be?

Yes, now give me $1500 I have this yellow pistol grip light that will keep you safe from manbearpig and that giant skate you keep claiming to see...

Manbearpig!

[Tom Nic]

I know a guy in Tacoma that could have saved you some headache

Perhaps, or perhaps not.

I'm in the middle of a pretty serious headache.

Work done in shop has always been good. Work sent out not always.

[Dmitchell]

I watched Wally take more than "2 to 2.5 hrs tops" on a neoprene neck seal. Are you saying he's not experience or doing something correctly?

What is a service technician's time worth?

What should be the going rate?

These people work on your life support equipment, they rebuild your regs, fix your suits? What is that worth to you? if you disagree that a neck seal isn't a part of your life support equipment try doing an hour dive in our water fully flooded. Try doing a deco dive fully flooded.

How much do you pay your auto mechanic? Your Lawyer? bike mechanic? Your housekeeper? Your gardener? Your hairdresser (assuming you are not going to Rudys)..... What is YOUR time worth?

165.00... isn't that about the same as a DUI zip neck seal? (not even counting the original cost of the rings on the suit themselves)

Why is it that folks think that working on your scuba gear, or teach your kid to dive safely should be paid 10 dollars (or less) an hour? This is part of the problem in the diving industry. what is diving worth to you?

Laura, you keep saying NEOPRENE and we are talking latex - 2 totally different beasts and yes Neoprene is much harder and time consuming.

Here's the basics on a LATEX replacement the way we did them and the way DUI does them.

Remove old seal and clean suit setup for new seal- 10 minutes to 20 minutes depending on the condition -
Prep new seal - 10 minutes
Apply first coat of seal cement - 2 minutes
Take 10 minute break
Apply 2nd coat of seal cement - 2 minutes
take 10 minute break
Apply 3rd coat of seal cement - 2 minutes
take 5 minute break
Stick seal to the suit and make sure all is good. 10 minutes

Let dry overnight preferably
Unclamp suit, flip inside out and prep for Aquaseal 10 minutes
Mix 50/50 aquaseal/cotol and apply first coat around inside of the seal - 5 minutes
Take 10
Apply 2nd coat - 2 minutes
take 10
Apply 3rd coat and let dry -2 minutes.


There are exceptions, but generally this means a latex seal should take about 65 minutes hands on time. So if a shop gets $60 and hour tech time and about $50 for the seal, my $90 to $125 is spot on.

[CaptnJack]

There are exceptions, but generally this means a latex seal should take about 65 minutes hands on time. So if a shop gets $60 and hour tech time and about $50 for the seal, my $90 to $125 is spot on.

Yeah mean even in Alaska, land of $8 milk, you aren't charging $225???

[ljjames]

You know that is not what I said.

I watched Wally take more than "2 to 2.5 hrs tops" on a neoprene neck seal. Are you saying he's not experience or doing something correctly?

What is a service technician's time worth?

What should be the going rate?

These people work on your life support equipment, they rebuild your regs, fix your suits? What is that worth to you? if you disagree that a neck seal isn't a part of your life support equipment try doing an hour dive in our water fully flooded. Try doing a deco dive fully flooded.

How much do you pay your auto mechanic? Your Lawyer? bike mechanic? Your housekeeper? Your gardener? Your hairdresser (assuming you are not going to Rudys)..... What is YOUR time worth?

165.00... isn't that about the same as a DUI zip neck seal? (not even counting the original cost of the rings on the suit themselves)

Why is it that folks think that working on your scuba gear, or teach your kid to dive safely should be paid 10 dollars (or less) an hour? This is part of the problem in the diving industry. what is diving worth to you?

...
So if I am NOT paying almost double then what I can get from numerous shops, I am jeopardizing my life?? I just want to make sure that I am clear on this point...The more you pay, the safer you will be?

[BillZ]

A quick disclaimer; I've been diving with SW for 5 years and have been a DM for the shop for the last two...

Yep, $165 for a neck seal is a chunk of change, and yes, you can probably get it done cheaper elsewhere. Craig charges what he feels is fair for the amount of work that goes into doing the job. I've done my own seals have to say it can be a pain in the ass working with the chemicals trying to remove old glue and would rather pay $165 to have it done than get another MEK headache.

So why would I pay $165 to replace a neck seal when I can get it done across town for less money? I look at it from the standpoint of value rather than price. I log about 150 local dives and take 3 warm water trips a year and I've never missed a dive because my gear was in for service. Whenever I've had a problem with a piece of equipment that I've purchased from SW it's either been fixed while I wait, been replaced with a new item off the shop floor, or I've been given a loaner until it's taken care of. Do I pay a few extra dollars here and there? Yep, but the value of the services that I receive by far outweigh the few dollars I would have saved.


Bill

[citycatred]

That's Captain Obvious to you.... I'm also Captain of Team Little Bus as well... Respect the rank dude

I thought I was captain of team little bus...seeing that you and Spatty constantly call me that....

[spatman]

That's Captain Obvious to you.... I'm also Captain of Team Little Bus as well... Respect the rank dude

I thought I was captain of team little bus...seeing that you and Spatty constantly call me that....

no, you're captain of the little team, bus or not.

[citycatred]

That's Captain Obvious to you.... I'm also Captain of Team Little Bus as well... Respect the rank dude

I thought I was captain of team little bus...seeing that you and Spatty constantly call me that....

no, you're captain of the little team, bus or not.

[Penopolypants]

Spatman and Geek are just towel boys with delusions of grandeur.

[spatman]

Spatman and Geek are just towel boys with delusions of grandeur.

my towel boy grandeur is hardly a delusion.

[Joshua Smith]

Spatman and Geek are just towel boys with delusions of grandeur.

my towel boy grandeur is hardly a delusion.

It's true. When Spatty manages to squeeze himself into those tiny sparkly gold short-shorts at the Men Only bathouse where he works, he's like a completely different person.

[spatman]

Spatman and Geek are just towel boys with delusions of grandeur.

my towel boy grandeur is hardly a delusion.

It's true. When Spatty manages to squeeze himself into those tiny sparkly gold short-shorts at the Men Only bathouse where he works, he's like a completely different person.

only because you're the best tipper there.

[Grateful Diver]

That's Captain Obvious to you.... I'm also Captain of Team Little Bus as well... Respect the rank dude

I thought I was captain of team little bus...seeing that you and Spatty constantly call me that....

Yabbut, your little bus is gonna grow up someday ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

[Geek]

Grandeur? HAH!

I am just deluded so there

[citycatred]

That's Captain Obvious to you.... I'm also Captain of Team Little Bus as well... Respect the rank dude

I thought I was captain of team little bus...seeing that you and Spatty constantly call me that....

Yabbut, your little bus is gonna grow up someday ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

We shall see lol

[kitsapdiver]

i paid 250 bucks at Tacoma Scuba last night when i picked up my dry suit at TS last night after wally replaced my neck seal, but he also replaced my wrist seals, sold me a new set of gloves and serviced a regulator set.

[wallyc72]

The most time consuming part of doing a seal replacement is the prep work. On both latex and neoprene seals. If the suit has lots of old clue, or the previous job was sloppy it will take more prep work. I have seen some suits that came from other shops that look like a 2 year old dribbled glue all over it. That equals more time. That equals more money. If its the first time the seal has been replaced it previous goes nice and smooth. Bottom line is get a WRITTEN QUOTE before the work is done. If you don't like the quote don't get the work done there. State law requires a repair shop to call the customer for authorization if the cost of repairs is more than 25% of the written quote. when you go pick up your item inspect the work. if you are not happy, address the problem THEN AND THERE! It is much easier for us to fix the problem if you tell us right away. Hope this helps. Feel free to call me at the shop with ANY questions on ANY repairs.

Wally

[cardiver]

The most time consuming part of doing a seal replacement is the prep work. On both latex and neoprene seals. If the suit has lots of old clue, or the previous job was sloppy it will take more prep work. I have seen some suits that came from other shops that look like a 2 year old dribbled glue all over it. That equals more time. That equals more money. If its the first time the seal has been replaced it previous goes nice and smooth. Bottom line is get a WRITTEN QUOTE before the work is done. If you don't like the quote don't get the work done there. State law requires a repair shop to call the customer for authorization if the cost of repairs is more than 25% of the written quote. when you go pick up your item inspect the work. if you are not happy, address the problem THEN AND THERE! It is much easier for us to fix the problem if you tell us right away. Hope this helps. Feel free to call me at the shop with ANY questions on ANY repairs.

Wally

My suit resembled that remark.......