Re: [PSUBS-MAILIST] Need advice, new builder.

[Phil Nuytten <72020.572@compuserve.com>]

Stan:
        Yeah, we did build a couple of model of air manips - Vance has a
good memory! The idea was to build a  simple, 3 function (
shoulder/elbow/jaw) unit that was functional for basic tasks, but used
virtually all off-the-shelf parts and was really cheap!! The three
pneumatic cylinders were actually light duty hydraulic cylinders used for
raising and lowering trim tabs on small boats - they are low cost and
constructed to fare not too bad in salt water. The pistons were joined by
nylon tubing to a 3 valve manifold inside 'Sea Urchin' - as Vance correctly
surmised, these were three way valves with an outside dump. The manip was
hooked into the ballast air system which were a couple of Scuba 90's - the
first stage was on the bottle and, thereby, depth-compensated . The system
operated at 150 psi over bottom, which I selected 'cause we could then use
a standard  first stage with no modifications required. ( buy the whole reg
- 1st and 2nd stages - and use the 2nd stage and hose for BIBS) The
structural portion was 1 1/2" aluminum square tubing with big lightening
holes hole-sawed into the 4 sides - for weight reduction and also cause it
looked jazzy!
The air manip worked well, could easily attach a lift line to an outboard,
collect specimens into a screen tray, retrieve small object s directly,
etc.
        Sea Urchin was an earlyattempt to build a very low cost, basic, 100
meter boat. Like a Kitteridge, but just a tad more modern! Entry and
surface driving thru' a top 26" dome, and U/W viewing through a forward 26"
nose dome. We were going to make them up in kits and flog them for about
40k apiece. Coincidently, we just got Sea Urchin #1 back a few weeks ago.
It had been in Key Largo at Scott Carpenter's Man-in-sea facility for the
past 6 or 7 years. I haven't totally given up on the el-cheapo sub . . .the
fibreglass DeepWorker has the prototype hull finished and I'm just waiting
for a calm spell to get back to work on it.
Hope this helps.
Phil Nuytten