K1 project page INCLUDING publically-available files

Genesis

Yeah, the biggest complaint "on land" when wearing it around the house thus far has been the T-pieces - they're big. Bigger than they have to be to do the job, but this is the reality of using that sort of part - you get stuck with the size issues.

The counterlungs don't feel bad at all. I use a snap to hold the centers together on the chest, and a bungie on each corner of the plate iwth a bolt snap to hold down the bottoms. It keeps things nice and streamlined on your body. We'll see how it works in the water. I'd probably like something longer and narrower, and might go after that at some point - but that will mean doing some machine shop work because then I need to make both the socket and base for the T-piece, as I won't have the "molded in" one on the MSR bags any more. I can see where making them out of compressed neoprene tho would be awesome; I need to bone up on techniques for making the necessary joints (e.g. stitching, sealing, etc) and what I might need to buy to make that work.

What I have now will get me wet tho.... back to my potting tests..... (they may take a bit as I have to be convinced I'll get a good pour before I stick a head board in there and do it "in anger", since a blown potting run means a tossed board too!)

__________________
"A venturesome minority will always be eager to get off on their own, and no obstacles should be placed in their path; let them take risks for Godsake, let them get lost, sunburnt, stranded, drowned, eaten by bears, buried alive under avalanches - that is the right and privilege of any free American."
http://www.denninger.net
http://www.diversunion.org/liability.htm - Fix the Diving Cert racket

Genesis

Heh look what I just popped out of the mold.....

(This is a "dead" head board I managed to fry while testing - gotta practice on the bad stuff right? )

Anyway, after a bunch of "blank" shots (just epoxy, nothing actually in the chamber in terms of a board) I decided to run an attempt "for real".

This is what I got - doesn't look bad at all! I made the mold out of Delrin, and it knocked off easily from the epoxy once it set up. Sealed the mating pieces with plumber's putty to prevent any leaks.

Anyway, this looks pretty good. To de-gas the epoxy (critical otherwise you get air inclusions) I used my Food Saver cannister, put the mixed epoxy inside, the drew a vacuum on it for about 10 minutes. The amount of froth I pulled out of the epoxy doing this was considerable!

I like it. The "slow" hardener still wasn't quite slow enough - I'm going to go pick up some "extra slow" to go with the resin, because it still kicked sooner than I'd like - but I see no evidence that there are any air inclusions in here. It looks pretty good..... other than being a bit out of alignment. Heh, you can't win 'em all.

__________________
"A venturesome minority will always be eager to get off on their own, and no obstacles should be placed in their path; let them take risks for Godsake, let them get lost, sunburnt, stranded, drowned, eaten by bears, buried alive under avalanches - that is the right and privilege of any free American."
http://www.denninger.net
http://www.diversunion.org/liability.htm - Fix the Diving Cert racket

Scuba_Vixen

Looks nice,
Mouser has encapsulating epoxy. It's very, very slow curing. Seemed like it took a couple days to full cure. I used modelling clay to seal where the wires came thru the molds and to keep access areas (trimpots for example) epoxy free.


Darlene

Genesis

I like the Mouser idea - they make it in black (no lookee inside-ee)

__________________
"A venturesome minority will always be eager to get off on their own, and no obstacles should be placed in their path; let them take risks for Godsake, let them get lost, sunburnt, stranded, drowned, eaten by bears, buried alive under avalanches - that is the right and privilege of any free American."
http://www.denninger.net
http://www.diversunion.org/liability.htm - Fix the Diving Cert racket

Genesis

COUCH DIVE!

Did "X-Men Final" on the thing, plus about 10-15 minutes on the stationary bike. Couldn't overbreathe the scrubber (running as an oxygen rebreather, as the controller is not in the head - all manual add) but it got QUITE uncomfortably hot on the inhale size gas-wise (no cooling on the intake side since the hoses and can aren't immersed in water.)

I set it up with a full load of 'sorb (~7lbs) and was running Spherasorb (what I had laying around); I've ordered up some 4-8 Sodasorb and will also get some 6-12. The 4-8 has indicator as well so I should be able to figure out how that'll work out vis-a-vis the 6-12 - I doubt there will be a WOB issue with the 6-12 though from tonight's test.

Interestingly enough the indicator in the 'sorb post-use showed very little consumed in the stack - perhaps 20% - and absolutely no indication of channeling at all - there was NO violet up more than about 2" from the bottom.

I don't know how accurate the indicator is......

One thing I did learn is that the Ts need better "bypass holes" around the bottom, as it was possible to get the counterlungs into a position that restricted gas flow somewhat significantly - not enough to cut it off, but defnitely enough to notice. That's not so good. However, other than that, work-of-breathing was in the "not detectable" realm at ordinary levels of exertion, and only slightly noticable on the bike. This is with the McMaster-Carr polyethylene "filter cloth" at the top of the scrubber to prevent any dust that otherwise might be in the pack from coming through, so that's definitely going to be in there full-time - it has no negative discernable impact on the unit's WOB.

No problems detected (other than the obvious - you have to hit the O2 add every couple of minutes or you find yourself unable to breathe as the bag gets depleted of gas!)

My only gripe? Couldn't take a drink or eat any popcorn with the DSV in my mouth. On the other hand this is the first time I've breathed off ANY dive gear for 2 hours straight without a hint of cottonmouth or a NEED to remove the mouthpiece and get some water. Now THAT was a pleasant change....



My kid took the picture - she thought I was awful goofy-looking on the couch.... Looks like a decent profile too - doesn't stick out beyond the profile of my body on the couch at all. I like it. I may not like the counterlungs - we'll see how they are in the water, but I suspect I'll be making some custom ones out of something (perhaps compressed neoprene) shortly.

Potting compound should be here midweek and then the 'leccies are going in the head..... at that point it will be time for some "automated" couch runs followed by Mr. Pool....

__________________
"A venturesome minority will always be eager to get off on their own, and no obstacles should be placed in their path; let them take risks for Godsake, let them get lost, sunburnt, stranded, drowned, eaten by bears, buried alive under avalanches - that is the right and privilege of any free American."
http://www.denninger.net
http://www.diversunion.org/liability.htm - Fix the Diving Cert racket

babar

The kids right. Youare awful goofy looking on couch. Seriously, nice work so far.

__________________
Babar
Evolution Plus
Sport kiss

Dave Sutton

You get a "WELL DONE" from the Little Diveshop of Horrors....

Can I suggest replacement of the counterlung fittings with P Connctors and then use of a custom Tee that will plug into the P Connector and then take you to your hoses? Make it clean, easy to service, and more streamlined. It'll give it that "factory" look. Either Martin or myself can make for you if you don't want to attempt the Tees.

Looks great... wish I was that patient!


Dave

__________________
"Silent Diving with No Bubbles and No Politics".... www.nobubblediving.com

Genesis

Problem with the "P" connectors is the interior bore and gas flow restriction with the diverter pieces inside the "T"s, which gotta be there to prevent moisture going both "wrong ways" (e.g. any potential cocktail from getting to the mouthpiece, and water from getting to the can)

I can probably machine something out of Delrin if I get "on" enough about this, or make something out of PE piping, and buy the heat-welding kit for it.....

Individual P connectors and elbows don't work because of the huge hole in the MSR bags with the fitting already there for the fill port. That's the part of the MSR bag that led to this particular design decision.

If I ditch the MSR bags and make lungs out of neoprene then custom fittings become part of the package, as there's no reason to be playing with the PVC any more at that point.

__________________
"A venturesome minority will always be eager to get off on their own, and no obstacles should be placed in their path; let them take risks for Godsake, let them get lost, sunburnt, stranded, drowned, eaten by bears, buried alive under avalanches - that is the right and privilege of any free American."
http://www.denninger.net
http://www.diversunion.org/liability.htm - Fix the Diving Cert racket

Genesis

Look Ma, no bubbles!

Bet 'ya can guess what my answer is this evening to those who said that it couldn't be done, I'd never get it working, its harder than it looks, you'll die, etc eh?

Over an hour this evening screwing around, sorting weighting, buoyancy and trim, and playing "Daddy's a shark" (my impromptu "attempt to overbreathe the scrubber" test) with my kid

Big "gotta change that" thing is the hold-downs for the bottom of the counter-lungs. Off I go in the morning to West Marine to get some fastex buckles, delrin adjusters and 1" webbing - the bungie cord doesn't do it.

__________________
"A venturesome minority will always be eager to get off on their own, and no obstacles should be placed in their path; let them take risks for Godsake, let them get lost, sunburnt, stranded, drowned, eaten by bears, buried alive under avalanches - that is the right and privilege of any free American."
http://www.denninger.net
http://www.diversunion.org/liability.htm - Fix the Diving Cert racket

RichClark

That looks like a pretty good job done, so when are you going to post a full tear down?

Rich

__________________
The more I learn about women, the more I want to go diving... just don't tell my wife I said that

To taste something a little different, try http://www.thechillikitchen.co.uk