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>  (3) Rigid armour with joints, `constant volume'. The version shown was of
>some sort of very light (titanium?) metal alloy, and was astonishingly light
>and agile.
>  Since this is so, is there any chance of a very light agile sort of armoured
>diving suit like a type 3 spacesuit being made, that the diver can swim with,
>being made for use up to say a few hundred feet or a thousand or two? It would
>have to fit the diver very closely, to avoid large air pockets that would have
>to be counterbalanced with much heavy lead.

Doubtfull, at least for a long time.  The technology and expense is huge
because 
making mobile joints function under pressure is a very difficult engineering 
problem.  Also, if you were down at 1000feet and the suit failed, that is 
leaked, you would be imploaded (in space you would explode), and most
surely die 
very quickly (with that kind of suit).  I think the high oxygen soluble liquid 
breathing research will be fruitful before hard - low atm suits.


>What chemicals can I use to clean a very dirty regulator? I'm 
>overhauling some long unused first and second stages and found some 
>green electrolysis-like stuff and other dirt on the innards.
>>I have found that warm white vinegar works well at eating up deposits on
>>regulators, especially when used in an ultrasonic cleaner (try a jewelry
>>store for a cheap one)

Actually, it is a good idea to soak your regulator for a little while in a half 
water/half vinegar solution every few dives.  (but boy does it stink)  If you 
really want to be professional, and you know how, you should soak the parts in 
very dilute nitric acid for a few minutes and scrub/scrape off the scale
buildup.

The second stage of a regulator is relatively easy to break down, but the first 
stage of some regulators can be a beast, and you need a lot of specialized
tools 
and know how to deal with them, not to mention a stock of the exact correct 
(expensive) replacement parts.


Mark

"Only in men's imagination does every truth find an effective and undeniable 
existance.  Imagination, not invention, is the supreme master of art as life. - 
"Joseph Conrad"

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