YOUNG PATRICK READY FOR HALLOWEEN
RGU REPLACEMENT GASKET
or WHERE DID THE $&%*$ GASKET GO
REBREATHERS CAN AND DO KILL
I AM NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR YOU
YOU MAKE YOUR OWN DECISIONS
AND REAP THE CONSEQUENCES
You can die from too much oxygen. You can die from too little oxygen. You can drown. Screw up and you are likely to die. When you enter the water, you are on your own, even if a buddy is nearby. You alone must make the decision that you are capable of using a rebreather, you are up to the dive, and that your equipment is up to the dive. Even extensive open circuit experience will not prepare you for the details inherent with staying alive underwater on a rebreather. If you have any concerns about your abilities, take a course or do not dive. If you are foolish enough to dive rebreathers, be aware that it is a case of Evolution in Action. It is an effective sorting out process that has created many unhappy widows, mothers, and children. I recommend against it. These projects are described for your amusement only. It is not the intent of the author that you build one of these and go out and kill yourself.
I know you wonder what Halloween has to do with replacement gaskets for a RGU. If you read any of my projects you know you are going to find out.
I have a number of RGU units in almost their original form (amazing in my life) but lost at least one gasket. I considered cutting one out. I considered making a mold of one of the remaining gaskets and casting them. Then I figured out how to do it the easy way. I got out some of my mask latex (from Monster Makers). I use the same stuff for the das Boot project and several others. Normally it is used to make Halloween masks but is really great stuff for the creative child in many of us.
I simply dipped the base of the manifold (where the missing gasket goes) into the mask latex. I then turned the manifold upside down so the latex would form a smooth flat film.. In this shot you can see that the latex is partially cured. The cured part is the darker portion. After the film of latex completely cured, I dipped it again to thicken the gasket. Voila... a gasket that stays on and doesn't get lost. Just in case a gasket gets damaged, I will make a number of these and store them with my save a dive kit. Quick and dirty project but very practical. You can make a gasket for almost anything using this technique.
Happy Dipping...
Skinny or otherwise.
Tom
Oh yeah, I am working on the neatest mask......dive mask that is. I started with a mold of my face. I am building up the dive mask area using a glass faceplate from another mask. If it works, you will see how to make your own custom face mask.
Just think you can spend hours of your precious spare time and end up with your own mask. Be the envy of your friends with your custom non leaking color coordinated dive mask or the laughing stock of the dive boat. Ain't life fun.