Northwest Dive Club

Who is the best reg tech in the area for service? I am located north of Seattle.

I am looking for a shop (or individual working out of his garage would be fine) where I can talk directly to the tech. I hate the service model at car dealerships where you talk with an intermediary instead of the guy actually turning the wrenches.

Do it your self steve I will come up to the shop and help you. I can get the kits for you as well how many do you need?

I have most of the tools, a tech manual for Apex Regs and have been reading Harlow's "Scuba Regulator Maintenance and Repair".

I need a source for rebuild kits, I've got one in my spares box for an emergency rebuild. I need 4 kits, 2 first stage only.

I'd still like opinions on good reg techs in the area though.

loanwolf wrote:Do it your self steve I will come up to the shop and help you. I can get the kits for you as well how many do you need?

how much do the kits cost, greg?

4ster wrote:I'd still like opinions on good reg techs in the area though.

Don Peterson over in Poulsbo(?) does a good job and knows what he's doing. In general, so does UWS Seattle IMHO although they are a bit clueless about deco regs, O2 cleaning and such.

I've used Ken Beckwith for years. He's a south ender and is very knowledgable (on Apex regs and others too).

Valerie

CaptnJack wrote:

4ster wrote:I'd still like opinions on good reg techs in the area though.

Don Peterson over in Poulsbo(?) does a good job and knows what he's doing. In general, so does UWS Seattle IMHO although they are a bit clueless about deco regs, O2 cleaning and such.

I had a bad experience with them and one of my regs. I have a Diamond Viper and needed a new spring. UWS is the Dacor dealer, they sold me the part but would not let me install it. I had to show the tech how to install it and had to pay for the experience. So after that little experience I will never take anything back to them nor recommend them to anyone.

Bubbles Below in Woodinville does their own overhauls in house and I'm sure that if you wanted to talk to the tech you could he is only 15 feet away from the counter. I just had some regs serviced there and they were the first place that hooked up the reg to the test bench and had me breath from it and the went thru a quick test so I could verify the IP.

Don Peterson does an excellent job. It's a bit of a drive (I think that he still lives outside of Kingston) but certainly worth it.

I think that I am done with having UWS service my regs. My scubapro's that were under warranty their idea of service is to check the IP and only replace obviously worn parts. When I have my reg serviced I want it serviced which to me means replacing seats, o-rings, etc.

Mike

At this point I am going to make more of a ass of myself than most on those on this board think of me when it comes to servicing on regs. "so no biggiy" I learned to rebuild my own many years ago as the shops did not do it so we waited until each year we got the IPB and rebuild instructions in scuba diver magazine so we could work on the new regs. Because back then you could only dive at a maximum about 100hrs on a reg and you had to serous work on it. thus back in the late 70's the annual servicing became into life. Based on the 100 hr a year max that the average diver did. Today if you keep a reg clean and take care of it, your hours fare surpass that exponentially in most cases. There are those few cases were that is not true and a reg needs work. I won't deny that.

now in the last few years on the tech side I have seen with fare too many students with recently serviced regs fucking up in class and when we pull them apart seen HP seats are not new just flipped over and no new o-rings either, but the individual was billed for parts and labor. No names or nationalities well be put out on this, seen it from literally from everywhere “scary””””””.

So as I have said earlier on postes on this subject, my opinion it is life support is your responsibility! if you truly want to have something that is good. “Do it yourself” it takes literally carp for tools and rebuild kits are available even if you have to order from overseas because a sales agreement with the shops in North America that only shops can use rebuild kits.

Sorry If I am trashing on shops about regs, I have seen fare too many problems shop RB's. For me it is my life support and unless I am willing to trust that individual with your life to work on or rebuild your regulators, I do it myself. It is not rocket science.



If you look on line rebuild kits run about $35 USD apice no matter who the manufacture is in the world.

Steve, I'll put i another good word for Don Peterson, the guy is super knowledgeable. It's been years since I checked in with him. I believe he is willing to pick up somewhere in the north end if you are flexible on timing.

g

This guy? http://www.aquasports.ws/facility_staff ... terson.htm

sheahanmcculla wrote:This guy? http://www.aquasports.ws/facility_staff ... terson.htm

Definately not. The Don Peterson you want is in Kingston/Port Angeles, WA

Here:
http://www.divetechinc.com/

Gill Envy wrote:Steve, I'll put i another good word for Don Peterson, the guy is super knowledgeable. It's been years since I checked in with him. I believe he is willing to pick up somewhere in the north end if you are flexible on timing.

g

+1 for don, great communication and really nice guy.

4ster wrote:I have most of the tools, a tech manual for Apex Regs and have been reading Harlow's "Scuba Regulator Maintenance and Repair".

I need a source for rebuild kits, I've got one in my spares box for an emergency rebuild. I need 4 kits, 2 first stage only.

I'd still like opinions on good reg techs in the area though.

I found some for you: http://www.diverightinscuba.com/catalog ... c-373.html

sheahanmcculla wrote:

4ster wrote:I have most of the tools, a tech manual for Apex Regs and have been reading Harlow's "Scuba Regulator Maintenance and Repair".

I need a source for rebuild kits, I've got one in my spares box for an emergency rebuild. I need 4 kits, 2 first stage only.

I'd still like opinions on good reg techs in the area though.

I found some for you: http://www.diverightinscuba.com/catalog ... c-373.html

That is a good price on Apex kits.

Thanks for that.