trimix

[doug67]

I tryed to get trimix at Aquaventure the other day but they where out of helium. Then I tryed to find another shop that filled trimix but couldn't find anything in MN. Am I missing anyone? I'm heading to Wazee for fills so problem solved.

[jasondbaker]

It seems like hardly any shops other than Aquaventure cater to the local technical divers anymore. Several of the technical divers I know are banking and blending gas at home now.

[Kirk]

Yeah, if you have a compressor at home, re-compressing helium is rather easy with the use of plastic trash bag. You get funny looks, however, when you return the empty helium and oxygen bottles the next day. Just never tell them that you’re actually going to be breathing it. For liability reasons, they would never sell it to you. Just tell them you’re welding a lot of stainless steel, for welders use helium for that. Call me cheap, but these days it has to be a pretty cool dive for me to spend the money for a T-cylinder of helium for a dive or two.
Kirk

[ScubaAl]

Some may have a problem justifying the cost, but the helium availability was in part why I moved over to a rebreather.
Along with the rebreather I have a compressor and booster. My supplier doesn't carry "T" bottles of helium but "K's". This will last me about a year.
I pickup a used rebreather in 2007 and trained on it Feb. 2008. Now if I feel the need to check out Hoffa I only need about 10cf of helium in my dil bottle, top off with air for 10/50 and I'm good to go.
Additionally I almost never empty my dil bottles. Instead just analyze and top off with needed gas.

Al

[popolarbear]

sounds interesting actually. how does this work? you bleed he into a bag and run it back in thru intake?

[Chris H]

sounds interesting actually. how does this work? you bleed he into a bag and run it back in thru intake?
[/quote]

A lot of places are likely not getting Helium because of the cost. In many cases there have been allocations and in some cases if there isn't a contract, the suppliers won't sell helium to "small" customers. Availability is likely going to go down and costs are likely going to go up. Buy a rebreather. Deep air isn't cool.