Argonaut Kraken Main Body Assembly

Argonaut Kraken Main Body Assembly

UP FRONT.....This is not a technical or repair post....This is a very brief overview of the assembly process of the main body. DO NOT USE THIS AS ANY SORT OF REPAIR OR MAINTENANCE GUIDE.....A service guide would contain the dozens of small but important details necessary to follow when assembling the regulator....THIS POST DOES NOT CONTAIN THEM.

The Argonaut Kraken bodies arrive in their own numbered box. The manufacture assures me they thoroughly clean and dry each one before they are packaged. After I take it out of the box and give it a once over I use various tools to chase all the threads and cotton tip swabs to final clean all the ports and orifice. Next I put each one in the ultrasonic cleaner with some Dawn dish washing liquid and a little Crystal Simple Green for one minute and then use compressed scuba air to dry them.  When I assemble the bodies I only use Cristolube in the limited areas where lubricant is required.

First up are all the internal parts on the HP side 

Parts all go inside and a guide for the snap ring is placed on top. 

Next I use the amazing multipurpose Argonaut press made by Herman to gently guide everything together and let the snap ring lock into place. This can be accomplished using simpler hand tools that he makes but I like the feel and control assembling on the press give me.  

Next it gets flipped over and the high pressure diaphragm section is assembled. 

Next the 3 of the 4 port plugs are put in. Put the O-ring on the bottom of the yoke and then the nut is put on and tightened down. 

Finally a modified 2nd stage orifice is temporally installed so the intermediate pressure can be set. 

On to setting the intermediate pressure