Comments on: How to Drown Yourself DIY Style http://blog.modernmechanix.com/2008/03/04/how-to-drown-yourself-diy-style/ Yesterday's tomorrow, today. Thu, 07 Aug 2008 20:25:07 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6 By: Rick Segedi http://blog.modernmechanix.com/2008/03/04/how-to-drown-yourself-diy-style/#comment-1057326 Rick Segedi Wed, 25 Jun 2008 21:06:18 +0000 http://blog.modernmechanix.com/2008/03/04/how-to-drown-yourself-diy-style/#comment-1057326 I couldn't believe it when I saw that first picture at the top of the page. I have an old picture of one of my uncles wearing a water tank helmet almost exactly like the ones shown here which he made back around 1940. He did it as a personal project for his high school welding class! He also made a pair of diving shoes which were high topped boots to which he attached inch thick lead soles. After he completed the project my dad and I accompanied him to the end of a pier on Lake Erie where he tested it out (I was 8 years old at the time). We supplied pressurized air through a foot - operated tire pump (a new gadget at the time) and he slowly climbed down into the water on a ladder. Once the helmet was in the water my dad had to pump like mad or my uncle would come back up because the water would rise in the helmet. After a few tries he and my dad got the hang of it long enough for him to get down to the bottom (around ten feet at that spot) and walk around for a few minutes before climbing back up. I remember that afterwards he said that he couldn't see much of anything down there and was pretty disgusted after all the work he put into making the thing. After all the excitement of going down to the lake to help with the test I was pretty disappointed myself. At the time, I'd say we didn't know how lucky we were! I couldn’t believe it when I saw that first picture at the top of the page. I have an old picture of one of my uncles wearing a water tank helmet almost exactly like the ones shown here which he made back around 1940. He did it as a personal project for his high school welding class! He also made a pair of diving shoes which were high topped boots to which he attached inch thick lead soles. After he completed the project my dad and I accompanied him to the end of a pier on Lake Erie where he tested it out (I was 8 years old at the time). We supplied pressurized air through a foot - operated tire pump (a new gadget at the time) and he slowly climbed down into the water on a ladder. Once the helmet was in the water my dad had to pump like mad or my uncle would come back up because the water would rise in the helmet. After a few tries he and my dad got the hang of it long enough for him to get down to the bottom (around ten feet at that spot) and walk around for a few minutes before climbing back up. I remember that afterwards he said that he couldn’t see much of anything down there and was pretty disgusted after all the work he put into making the thing. After all the excitement of going down to the lake to help with the test I was pretty disappointed myself. At the time, I’d say we didn’t know how lucky we were!

]]> By: Jan C. Warloe http://blog.modernmechanix.com/2008/03/04/how-to-drown-yourself-diy-style/#comment-1057079 Jan C. Warloe Tue, 17 Jun 2008 08:06:14 +0000 http://blog.modernmechanix.com/2008/03/04/how-to-drown-yourself-diy-style/#comment-1057079 Such open helmets were the forerunners for standard heavy diving gear 200 years ago. Breast plate and water tight diving suit came together with the air pump around 1830, and the proffessional hard hat gear has virtually remained unchanged since. Non-return valve on air supply, chin operated exhaust valve and coms has later been added. The open helmet is dangerous with unsufficiant, unreliable air supply, no non-return valve, no way to ditch the helmet instantly (the weigts must be attached to the helmet) and if the diver is without training and may panic in a free ascent. On the 27th of May this year an american died on the Cayman Islands while using a modern version of this helmet. (see:CDNN-CYBER DIVER) Comments by Jan C. Warloe Norwegian diver - June 17, 2008 Such open helmets were the forerunners for standard heavy diving gear 200 years ago. Breast plate and water tight diving suit came together with the air pump around 1830, and the proffessional hard hat gear has virtually remained unchanged since. Non-return valve on air supply, chin operated exhaust valve and coms has later been added. The open helmet is dangerous with unsufficiant, unreliable air supply, no non-return valve, no way to ditch the helmet instantly (the weigts must be attached to the helmet) and if the diver is without training and may panic in a free ascent. On the 27th of May this year an american died on the Cayman Islands while using a modern version of this helmet. (see:CDNN-CYBER DIVER)
Comments by Jan C. Warloe Norwegian diver - June 17, 2008

]]> By: Luke S http://blog.modernmechanix.com/2008/03/04/how-to-drown-yourself-diy-style/#comment-1054707 Luke S Sun, 11 May 2008 22:09:09 +0000 http://blog.modernmechanix.com/2008/03/04/how-to-drown-yourself-diy-style/#comment-1054707 I really wish there was an edit function here, dammit. To further clarify what I was trying to say, the helmet shown above is not safe (well duh). It should not be strapped to the diver, it should not have an apron around it, there is no non-return valve shown, the bellows are inadequate and the article itself is dangerous due to a lack of information combined with misinformation. Having said that these helmets do actually work, but not as shown. They must have the ability to leak air from around the bottom or alternatively have a relief valve in the back. I shouldn't make un-editable posts so early in the morning. I really wish there was an edit function here, dammit. To further clarify what I was trying to say, the helmet shown above is not safe (well duh). It should not be strapped to the diver, it should not have an apron around it, there is no non-return valve shown, the bellows are inadequate and the article itself is dangerous due to a lack of information combined with misinformation. Having said that these helmets do actually work, but not as shown. They must have the ability to leak air from around the bottom or alternatively have a relief valve in the back. I shouldn’t make un-editable posts so early in the morning.

]]> By: Luke S http://blog.modernmechanix.com/2008/03/04/how-to-drown-yourself-diy-style/#comment-1054703 Luke S Sun, 11 May 2008 21:41:19 +0000 http://blog.modernmechanix.com/2008/03/04/how-to-drown-yourself-diy-style/#comment-1054703 Forgot to add that Mr Ratliff's comment above re the non-return valve is a good one, but once the air supply fails it doesn't matter too much either way. Forgot to add that Mr Ratliff’s comment above re the non-return valve is a good one, but once the air supply fails it doesn’t matter too much either way.

]]> By: Luke S http://blog.modernmechanix.com/2008/03/04/how-to-drown-yourself-diy-style/#comment-1054702 Luke S Sun, 11 May 2008 21:32:13 +0000 http://blog.modernmechanix.com/2008/03/04/how-to-drown-yourself-diy-style/#comment-1054702 The helmets are shallow water dive helmets, perfectly viable and have been around since the early 1800's. They don't need a relief valve, the air escapes past the shoulders as it's designed to do. People still use them to this day, quite safely too. Look it up on google if you don't believe me. The US navy made good use of them during WW2. They can be used to a depth of 30ft as long as the usual safety principles of breathing air under pressure are observed, and it's a good idea to not bend over. They are not meqant to be attached to the diver, it simply rests on the shoulders and need to be weighted to counter the air inside. Out of interests sake do a web search for Miller Dunn for you doubting Thomases . The bellows shown are barely adequate, and that submarine is pure insanity. The helmets are shallow water dive helmets, perfectly viable and have been around since the early 1800’s. They don’t need a relief valve, the air escapes past the shoulders as it’s designed to do. People still use them to this day, quite safely too. Look it up on google if you don’t believe me. The US navy made good use of them during WW2. They can be used to a depth of 30ft as long as the usual safety principles of breathing air under pressure are observed, and it’s a good idea to not bend over. They are not meqant to be attached to the diver, it simply rests on the shoulders and need to be weighted to counter the air inside. Out of interests sake do a web search for Miller Dunn for you doubting Thomases . The bellows shown are barely adequate, and that submarine is pure insanity.

]]> By: Cole http://blog.modernmechanix.com/2008/03/04/how-to-drown-yourself-diy-style/#comment-1054698 Cole Sun, 11 May 2008 19:24:43 +0000 http://blog.modernmechanix.com/2008/03/04/how-to-drown-yourself-diy-style/#comment-1054698 dunno...some simple modifications and they might work well. might. dunno…some simple modifications and they might work well. might.

]]> By: Desiree http://blog.modernmechanix.com/2008/03/04/how-to-drown-yourself-diy-style/#comment-1053427 Desiree Sat, 19 Apr 2008 22:25:34 +0000 http://blog.modernmechanix.com/2008/03/04/how-to-drown-yourself-diy-style/#comment-1053427 I smell a troll. I smell a troll.

]]> By: sandy http://blog.modernmechanix.com/2008/03/04/how-to-drown-yourself-diy-style/#comment-1049398 sandy Thu, 20 Mar 2008 14:38:56 +0000 http://blog.modernmechanix.com/2008/03/04/how-to-drown-yourself-diy-style/#comment-1049398 omg is this some kind of sick joke????? i only found this site looking up drowning as a type of sucide for i project!!!!!!!! this is not funny it's serious you know!!!! people drown themselves as a way out and is a REAL sucide attemt i h8 this site!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! omg is this some kind of sick joke?????

i only found this site looking up drowning as a type of sucide for i project!!!!!!!!

this is not funny it’s serious you know!!!! people drown themselves as a way out and is a REAL sucide attemt

i h8 this site!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

]]> By: Stannous http://blog.modernmechanix.com/2008/03/04/how-to-drown-yourself-diy-style/#comment-1047881 Stannous Tue, 04 Mar 2008 22:37:23 +0000 http://blog.modernmechanix.com/2008/03/04/how-to-drown-yourself-diy-style/#comment-1047881 Don't worry John, I doubt if any of the odd collection of science history geeks that read this blog are foolish enough to try ANY of these ideas. However, if they're considering it I suggest they send a bio to the Darwin Awards before trying one. Don’t worry John, I doubt if any of the odd collection of science history geeks that read this blog
are foolish enough to try ANY of these ideas.
However, if they’re considering it I suggest they send a bio to the Darwin Awards before trying one.

]]> By: John C. Ratliff http://blog.modernmechanix.com/2008/03/04/how-to-drown-yourself-diy-style/#comment-1047873 John C. Ratliff Tue, 04 Mar 2008 21:01:28 +0000 http://blog.modernmechanix.com/2008/03/04/how-to-drown-yourself-diy-style/#comment-1047873 I forgot to add that I've been diving since 1959, and am a Certified Safety Professional. Please do not dive this helmet. John C. Ratliff, CSP I forgot to add that I’ve been diving since 1959, and am a Certified Safety Professional. Please do not dive this helmet.

John C. Ratliff, CSP

]]> By: John C. Ratliff http://blog.modernmechanix.com/2008/03/04/how-to-drown-yourself-diy-style/#comment-1047868 John C. Ratliff Tue, 04 Mar 2008 20:16:34 +0000 http://blog.modernmechanix.com/2008/03/04/how-to-drown-yourself-diy-style/#comment-1047868 This helmet is very dangerous on two points: 1. It depends upon the bellows for air pressure to keep water out of the helmet. 2. There is no non-return valve in the helmet to keep air in it of the supply is lost. This latter point is especially bad if the diver is deep (greater than 5 feet), and there is a seal made at the shoulders. Loss of air would then allow the water pressure to try to force the diver's body into the helmet, and through the small holes in the top (assuming that the hose stayed intact). This led to a number of diver deaths in the early days of diving, and is very, very dangerous. This helmet should never be dived!!! John C. Ratliff This helmet is very dangerous on two points:

1. It depends upon the bellows for air pressure to keep water out of the helmet.

2. There is no non-return valve in the helmet to keep air in it of the supply is lost.

This latter point is especially bad if the diver is deep (greater than 5 feet), and there is a seal made at the shoulders. Loss of air would then allow the water pressure to try to force the diver’s body into the helmet, and through the small holes in the top (assuming that the hose stayed intact). This led to a number of diver deaths in the early days of diving, and is very, very dangerous. This helmet should never be dived!!!

John C. Ratliff

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