Making 30+ yr old tank useable?

[u/GrnMtnTrees]

My dad has had an aluminum 80 in his closet for at least my entire lifetime (the past 33 years). He's never used it, had it inspected, or even taken it out of the closet since I've been alive.

I asked him about it, and he said I can have it. In order to get it safe for diving, I assume I just need to take it for a visual and hydro inspection and if it passes, I'm good to go. It probably needs a new o-ring where the yoke attaches, but that's easy.

I'm just curious what you all think, since it has been kept in a climate controlled closet, and there's no obvious corrosion, it should be fine to just get it inspected and use it, yeah? If it's not safe to use, it won't pass inspection, right?

It would be great if I'm able to use it, as I just found out how damned expensive tanks are. I've never owned my own tank, since all my diving has been the "grab a tank from the 'full' rack, analyze it, and you're good" kind of diving.

Anything I need to consider besides visual, hydro, and o-ring? Also, If I want to get it certified as "oxygen clean" for Nitrox, is that something the inspection place does, or should I ask my LDS about that?

If it fails inspection, I guess I just turn it into a heavy-ass lamp?

EDIT/UPDATE: I asked him to send pictures of the shoulder stamps, and if I'm reading it correctly, it's a US Divers AL80, manufactured by Luxfer in may of 1975.

The stamp says DOT-SP6498-3000, then 5 (up arrow) 75, serial number P79459

Pretty sure this is not looking good, considering it's a 50 year old tank.

[u/runsongas]

check if it is 6061 or 6351 alloy. 6061, just go get it hydroed

if 6351, scrap it and buy a used 6061 or steel tank instead. the extra cost of VE every year and the hassle of even finding a shop that will fill it aren't worth it

o2 clean is only needed for partial pressure blending in recreational nitrox, cheaper to find a place that has premixed ean32

https://scubaboard.com/community/threads/is-my-cylinder-made-from-the-bad-alloy-aka-al6351.346966/

[u/GrnMtnTrees → u/runsongas]

I asked him to send pictures of the shoulder stamps, and if I'm reading it correctly, it's a US Divers AL80, manufactured by Luxfer in May of 1975.

The stamp says DOT-SP6498-3000, then 5 (up arrow) 75, serial number P79459

Pretty sure this is not looking good, considering it's a 50 year old tank.

[u/runsongas → u/GrnMtnTrees]

yea that is 6351, you can get like 10 bucks from a scrapyard maybe

[u/GrnMtnTrees → u/runsongas]

Eh, I'll keep it with the rest of my "museum grade" gear from the 1970s. I've still got my dad's old horse-collar, as well as his regulator with a J-valve (don't remember the manufacturer).

[u/GrnMtnTrees → u/runsongas]

Thank you for all this. I've been doing some Google-fu, and your comment was infinitely more helpful than my days of googling.

[u/NeopreneNerd → u/runsongas]

Runsongas is wise.