NEW stuff for sale...Gander Mountain closeouts!!!

[mike_s]

Originally Posted by caroln

We just picked up Faber blue steel 130's for $159.99 each in the Middletown NY store including pro valves, VIP, and a fill. Not all the scuba stuff was on sale though, only select items.

That's a good deal. A real good deal.

What year hydro were they though? Bluesteeel/Faber has a tendency to have lots of "old hydro" manufacturer tanks that they put on sale to get rid of... but it's not a big deal as you get such a good deal that it's work loosing a year of hydro for it for the few bucks a year (itemized) that a hydro cost you.

If I can make one suggestion though, check that tank and make sure it's one that doesn't have "powder" on the inside. pull the valve off and shine a light in and stick your finger in and run it all along the inside of the rim of your tank.

what you're looing for is some offwhite/tan powder that will clearly show up on your finger. like if you ran your finger behind your TV and covered it with dust, but this is offwhite/tan powder.

Faber has shipped a noted amount of tanks like this over the past year. I got four of them this way. Most of them have come from Divers Direct (which I don't think has anything to do with it) as they have tank plugs in them. Blue Steel will replace them if you find it this way... but they are keeping tight lipped about it also.

just FYI as I didn't think you'd want to be breathing/inhaling some unknown powder residue.

[roofless]

Originally Posted by mike_s

just FYI as I didn't think you'd want to be breathing/inhaling some unknown powder residue.

sounds a lot like the 70's

/zing

[caroln]

Thanks for the info. The hydro is around a year old, but even so, I still thought the price seemed good. It would definitely depend on how much you are diving though, I've been averaging about 100 dives a year, so for me I'll get a lot of dives on the tanks before they need a hydro, so the additional per dive cost of needing it a year sooner isn't too bad. I didn't check the tanks for residue because they were just VIP'd and filled yesterday. Would you still recommend dumping the air and removing the valve to check them?

Originally Posted by mike_s

That's a good deal. A real good deal.

What year hydro were they though? Bluesteeel/Faber has a tendency to have lots of "old hydro" manufacturer tanks that they put on sale to get rid of... but it's not a big deal as you get such a good deal that it's work loosing a year of hydro for it for the few bucks a year (itemized) that a hydro cost you.

If I can make one suggestion though, check that tank and make sure it's one that doesn't have "powder" on the inside. pull the valve off and shine a light in and stick your finger in and run it all along the inside of the rim of your tank.

what you're looing for is some offwhite/tan powder that will clearly show up on your finger. like if you ran your finger behind your TV and covered it with dust, but this is offwhite/tan powder.

Faber has shipped a noted amount of tanks like this over the past year. I got four of them this way. Most of them have come from Divers Direct (which I don't think has anything to do with it) as they have tank plugs in them. Blue Steel will replace them if you find it this way... but they are keeping tight lipped about it also.

just FYI as I didn't think you'd want to be breathing/inhaling some unknown powder residue.

[jbres1]

I just got back from the store in Geneva Il., and have a new Faber FX117 tank in tow. I paid a total of $134.35 with tax for the cylinder. Only down side to the purchase is it came with a yoke valve and not the din valves as I like. I have some extra din valves, so i will be just changing it out. The hydro is april-06, and the inside of the tank is clean. I have the tank taking an acid bath as we speak , geting it ready for o2 / nitrox partial pressure fills.
I really didn't need an extra tank, but fro $134.00 I couldn't say no. They had some al80's in stock, but they wanted $159.00 ea.. The sales guy told me that the items not marked down will be going to a Florida store location.

Thanks for the heads up on the sale,

Jim Breslin

[pir8]

Originally Posted by caroln

We just picked up Faber blue steel 130's for $159.99 each in the Middletown NY store including pro valves, VIP, and a fill. Not all the scuba stuff was on sale though, only select items.

Chris gets new tanks?

[mike_s]

Originally Posted by caroln

Thanks for the info. The hydro is around a year old, but even so, I still thought the price seemed good. It would definitely depend on how much you are diving though, I've been averaging about 100 dives a year, so for me I'll get a lot of dives on the tanks before they need a hydro, so the additional per dive cost of needing it a year sooner isn't too bad. I didn't check the tanks for residue because they were just VIP'd and filled yesterday. Would you still recommend dumping the air and removing the valve to check them?

I wouldn't let it being a year out of new hydro worry you. Since it's discounted then that makes up for it.

Considering the average hydro price about $25 to $30 bucks, divide that by 5 years, and you're annualized cost of the hyrdo is $5-$6 per year. so no worries. your savings more than covered that.

If you trust who VIP'd them, then I wouldn't worry about it. My tech at my LDS is the one who caught the problem with mine when they VIP'd them.

Chances are that you're tank is ok. This wasn't a problem in all tanks they shipped, but some. Hopefully they've got their factory procedures and quality assurance issues on this fixed by now as this was a year ago.

I'm still paranoid about buying any new Faber/Blue-Steel cylinder though w/o checking for this.

and to believe that they stated they were o2 clean inside when shipped, yet they also had powder in them. Just goes to show not to trust a tank manufacturer that the tank is actually clean.

[caroln]

Originally Posted by pir8

Chris gets new tanks?

yup He gets a nice matched set of pretty white tanks. He says he's gonna flame them over the winter

[pir8]

Originally Posted by caroln

yup He gets a nice matched set of pretty white tanks. He says he's gonna flame them over the winter

Just make sure he doesn't bake the finish.

[Rockhound76]

The Spring store had only the EVO on sale on my last visit. I wouldn't be surprised if they did something with it, as no one has been available to help customers on at least half of my visits.

On my last trip there, I picked up two new Princeton Tec Shockwave LED lights (the big ones) for $99 each and two tank roll controls (4 tanks) for $7 each and two pairs of gloves for $2 each. I even called my LDS about the lights, trying to find out why they were so cheap. The LDS said that price was less than their cost, so I even offered to buy THEM a few.

On my last trip, the LED's were marked $129, so that price is gone--and the $99 may have been an error. You can get that light at ST for 109, so it's a much better deal. The roll controls were marked 14.99 (on sale) from 21.99, but still scanned at around $7.

I need a new tank, since one of my is on the "no fill" list. Their prices are still high in spring on tanks and lead.

[Empacher]

Thanks...will check it out