looking for a gift for a master diver ($150)

[aLittletank]

My boss is retiring from the AF and our shop wants to pitch in to buy him a gift. We have approx 150 to spend but are coming up short on ideas.

he is a master diver so I was wondering ... If you had an extra 150 to spend what would you get?

he was obviously a good boss

thanks
Allen

 

[David P]

wow, thats a tough one. Gear is very personal, in either fit or use. Some people like the big ol' Rambo knives, some people dont. That much money you can buy him an aluminum tank, but he may only dive steel. Maybe you can buy him a nitrox fill air card or even a nitrox class if he is not already certified (greatest thing since sliced bread!) or even just a nice big gift certificate to his favorite LDS and let him choose. If it were me Id want....
the new Atomics frameless mask
40ft^3 deco tank
a second backplate/wing for my doubles (costs a bit more than $150 though)
I need new gloves....


duh! If you dont get hime a gift certificate, talk to him and find out where he always wanted to go diving locally but never made it. A buck and half will surely get him on a nice boat charter to wherever he wants to dive.

 

[aLittletank]

We talked as a shop yesterday and decided to get him a new tank as long as we can have it engraved. Our logo and all the guys names on a tank he can use for years to come should be a nice gift.

If engraving is not possible we will have it painted instead.

Allen

 

[David P]

no go on the engraving, and no go on the painting! Engraving is just plain damage to the tank. Yes you can paint a tank however many paints require being cured or heated up. This is a BIG no no when it comes to tanks, especially aluminum. If an aluminum tank reaches 400f it is to be scrapped immediately! At the yearly visual inspection, we (inspectors) inspect to see if the tank has been repainted, if it is just spay paint over worn or scratched areas then no big deal but if the whole thing has been painted we think....why? and some shops may not pass the tank if it has been painted.
I don't know your boss, Im sure he'd feel honored that the crew went in to buy him a tank, but you need to know what kind of a diver is he. Does he only dive on vacation in tropical places? If so he wont fly with a tank. Does he dive frequently at home in the cold water? Does he wear a drysuit? If so he needs extra weights on his hips and he may opt to go with a steel tank that has better bouyancy characteristics and drop 6 lbs from his weight belt. Is you boss an air hog? If so he may need a 100 ft^3 tank so he can stay down with other people on regular 80 ft^3 tanks.
just a few thoughts for ya.

 

[tpit1234]

I agree with David,
I think the best bet would be getting him a gift cert at the local dive shop.
The tank is a great idea if he is diving local but it makes taking a trip very hard.

 

[aLittletank]

I dont see the difference between stamping a tank and engraving it. It seems that the stamping is a lot more damaging.

He is retiring and going to Pensacola FL to live. He told his wife that he plans on doing a lot of diving.

thanks for the info, I guess we are back to square one for gift ideas.


Allen

 

[aLittletank]

FWI the local shop said all engraving, stamping, etching would need to be done on the top of the tank where the metal is thickest. After all the advice here and at the dive shop we chipped in another 50 and went with a nice air pump spear gun.


thanks for all the input
Allen

 

[David P]

cool, now only if your boss will share dinner!

 

[ezcompany]

get him Spare Air, everyone could use one

 

[David P]

lol! and retractors, and a mask with a HUD, and flourescent pink fins, and .... wait a minute, you were joking about the spare air right?

 

[ezcompany]

actually i wasn't, i have a friend who had BOTH regulators fail @ 80 feet. (stupid rental equipment) his dive buddy only had enough air for himself to surface. the spare air he had let him surface for approx 15 minutes, saving a lot of potential trouble~

 

[David P]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7443154#post7443154 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by ezcompany
actually i wasn't, i have a friend who had BOTH regulators fail @ 80 feet. (stupid rental equipment) his dive buddy only had enough air for himself to surface. the spare air he had let him surface for approx 15 minutes, saving a lot of potential trouble~

sounds like the first stage failed wich would cause both secondaries to fail, or he just ran out of air... Spair Air is a good idea, just poorly executed. For the price of a spair air or the new "NITROX" spair air you can buy a real bail out bottole for about $100 and then buy an inexpensive but good regulator like a SP MK2. With 9 ft^3 you have much more wiggle room than with the dinky spair airs. They definately beat a poke in the eye with a sharp stick but I think there is better places to spend your money, like buying your own reg set. After all is said and done, the only thing that matters is that your buddy made it back ok!

 

[jdiraff]

You can never have to many gear bags ........

 

[goda]

i bet you can engrave it

they engrave the serial number and they stamp it at every hydro

 

[David P]

all markings on a tank must be done on the neck. If the marking goes onto the main wall of a tank the tank is to be condemned. whenever a tank is marked it usually screws up the paint or galvanized coating in the case of a highpressure steel. With the mfg. name, serial number, Dot cert, Canadian Transport code, size, pressure, mfg date,... theres not a whole lot of room for a bunch of peoples names on the tank, if you can get them to fit, you may not have enough room for more hydro stamps.