kevin,

This has always been a pet-peeve of mine. Regulator
overhauls are partly driven by liability concerns and
a lot driven by trying to get you back into a dive
shop on a regular basis.

I was shown how to overhaul my regulator years ago by
someone who knew... I have done it ever since.  I am
now about to have to send it to a shop because I no
longer have a source of parts.  You don't even have
the option of paying $1000 to become a technician --
the only way to become one is to work at a dive shop
(or know them well enough that they'll pretend you
do).  The courses are offered, as near as I can tell,
only at DEMA and other dive shows.

Anyway, as for doing it yourself: if you are
mechanically inclined, it isn't that tough, but it
isn't completely easy either. The Harlow book is a
great resource when doing it, because it explains the
"why" of what you are doing... I would strongly
recommend, however, that you get ahold of the shop
manual for your regulator... that will make it a "step
d: unscrew cap h and place aside, then remove pin k"
sort of operation, rather than take out "the part that
does x in your particular regulator".  The shop manual
will also make it easier to remember what order things
go back into the case, and show you which direction
things should face.  Without a manual, be sure to make
very detailed drawings as it comes apart.

Basically, I'd say spend the $50 on the book (at very
least, you'll know what is going on inside your reg,
and it is an interesting read), then decide whether
you want to proceed.  Harlow gives some advice for
finding parts, but it boils down to the best way to go
is to spend a lot of time in the dive shops and
they'll sell them to you if they trust you.  This has
been my experience, and I've found from moving that if
they don't know you, don't bother to ask.  

However, if you don't dive much, and therefore won't
overhaul your gear a lot, it might not be worth the
effort.  Until you really open up your reg a lot, you
won't get all that familiar with the insides -- makes
the job less fun, and you're more likely to make a
mistake.  Most of it is easy, but some bits, such as
getting o-rings into certain places, go more smoothly
with practice.  

There is another issue that people worry about:
updates.  Manufacturers will occasionally update
parts, for instance if they shipped valve seats made
of the wrong material (as US Divers did for a while). 
Unless you have a friend at a dive shop who can alert
you to this and get you the new one, you could end up
with an unsafe reg through lack of information.  

Those prices seem a bit high, as well. It is worth
calling a bunch of shops to see what they charge.  

mike

--- Metcalfe Kevin  J COCA
<kmetcalfe@ns*.na*.mi*> wrote:
> All,
> 
> Having just paid about $175 to have my and my wife's
> regulators overhauled
> (Free parts, what a deal.), I'm looking for an
> alternative.  I'm considering
> purchasing the "Scuba Regulator Maintenance and
> Repair" book by Vance Harlow
> and learning to do it myself.  Probably the biggest
> catch that I can see
> will be getting the parts.  Unfortunately, I don't
> dive nearly as much as
> many (most) people on this list and becoming known
> well enough by the shops
> to get parts from them would be difficult.
> 
> Any suggestions?  I wouldn't mind spending a little
> money to take some sort
> of regulator maintenance class if that would make
> them more likely to see me
> parts.  But I don't want to spend $150 or so to
> learn how to rinse my
> regulator after dives, nor do I want to spend $1000
> to become a certified
> Scubapro technician.  (Or whatever that might cost.)
>  
> 
> Also, what kind of work is involved.  i.e. is it
> more like "turn until the
> IP gauge reads XX", or is it kind of touchy feely
> like adjusting a bicycle
> hub, bottom bracket or headset.  (The kind of
> adjustment where you're going
> by feel.  "That's too tight.  Now it's too lose",
> etc.)
> 
> Thanks in advance.
> 
> Kevin Metcalfe
> kmetcalfe@ns*.na*.mi*
> 925-246-5938
> DSN 350-5938
> 
> 
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