Northwest Dive Club

No.

Need hydros, manifold is completely wonky, and the bands are wonky as well.

that set has been off and on craigsllist for a long time. maybe a nice conversation piece for the garage.

Seems like a good deal to me, what's wrong with them even with hydro, vis and manifold. Wouldn't it make a good set for a smaller person?

sheahanmcculla wrote:Seems like a good deal to me, what's wrong with them even with hydro, vis and manifold. Wouldn't it make a good set for a smaller person?

Nothing, if:

1) they don't have epoxy liners

2) they pass hydro

And, even then, you'd be into them for more than $400 ($50 for hydros, $50 to clean/VIP, $200 for a manifold, $100 to $125 for bands). If you are patient, you can find a set of 72s with decent bands and 'fold for that or less.

I'd pay $20 each for them, tops.

o...ok I wasn't aware some had epoxy liners. What is that? Maybe I havn't noticed but I havn't seen too many doubles for sale latley, even 72's. For some reason I had the impression they were the thing to have. Thanks for the info.

sheahanmcculla wrote:o...ok I wasn't aware some had epoxy liners. What is that? Maybe I havn't noticed but I havn't seen too many doubles for sale latley, even 72's. For some reason I had the impression they were the thing to have. Thanks for the info.

The epoxy liner works fine if you use air-there is some question whether it is O2 compatible.

The bottom line is looking for really good deals getting into doubles leads to having funky, tin foil bands, weird boots on the tanks, and leaky, strange manifolds that bubble all the time. There is a difference between finding a good deal on quality gear, or throwing bad money after bad buying junk.

It looked like the manifold it comes with only has ONE place to connect a first stage and it's behind your head. Am I seeing that correctly? Too weird. Makes me wonder what else is wrong with them.

before i even saw this thread i had emailed the guy wanting them. Itls a good thing norris started this thread, sounds like a little over my head. I guess i wont be getting 72's this weekend.

That set-up looks almost identical to the set that I used back in the 1970s, except I had paired up a couple of AL 80s. It's hard to be certain from the photo, but that looks like the exact same manifold that I used. As has been noted, there was no isolation manifold, just a single connection for a yoke regulator, and there was no shut-off valve for each tank. The harness was designed to be used with a "horse-collar" BC.

Heck....that's what existed for us to use back in "the days". I'd never use such a rig now when there is so much better and safer gear readily available. If I still had that manifold, I think that I'd just use it as an exhibit in a display case.

- John

But John that was great shit in its days. We looked better than the Sea Hunt Guy's.

Hmmm, come on down to the Edmonds UW Park for a work dive. You will find many of us use a similar set up. A set of old 72 twins with an old style manifold is good servicable gear for what we do. Hydro, tumble and vip the tanks, use the bands, put a wing under the hard plastic backplate, and use them as is. If anyone asks, tell them you are diving RETRO......

And Yes I do have a modern set of LP 85 doubles with an isolation manifold, backplate and wing, for other diving.
..... Get a few opinons, evaluate what the dive requires, and use the right gear for the type of diving you do.

There is a set of 72s on The Deco Stop right now for $400, fresh hydros, thermo 'fold, highland bands. Shipping from San Diego would probably be $50 or so.