Hi Lee,
Interesting post.

I'm not sure what your relationship to Catalina might be. The original post
did state:

> Of the millions of
> such cylinders manufactured, there was not a very large percentage,
> well less than 1%) that developed such cracks, but it was enough to
> cause aluminum cylinder manufacturers to stop using this alloy.
> Luxfer, Walter Kiddie, and Norris Industries, among others used this
> alloy (Catalina has never used it).

Are you saying that Catalina is the honest tank manufacturer?

I truly know nothing when comes to tank preferences outside of size,
pressure and what valve that I need for my reg. Is the type of aluminum used
included in the stamp?

John



On 9/10/03 9:00 PM, "Automatic digest processor" <[log in to unmask]>
wrote:

> Date:    Wed, 10 Sep 2003 12:11:21 -0400
> From:    Lee B ell <[log in to unmask]>
> Subject: Re: Aluminuminum
>
> It might not have been covered here, but it's been covered pretty much every
> place else.  Regardless, it's worth covering again.  Here's some additional
> information:
>
> 1. Catalina has never used 6351 alloy.
> 2. The machine that was first developed to test for sustained load cracking
> was developed by Luxfer and sold, along with training, to the dive shops who
> would do the testing.  The machine is quite expensive and we, the consumers
> are paying for it.  So, Luxfer put out inferior tanks and rather than simply
> recalling them, invented a machine that they sold for a lot of money, which
> would test their inferior tanks for cracks that had already been blamed for
> a couple of tank explosions that costs lives and or limbs.
> 3. Luxfer bought out Walter Kidde and, at least for a while, was handling
> warranty claims for their products as well as their own.
> 4. Catalina has never used 6351 alloy.
>
> Lee Bell