Well, seeing as I got a red blob for writing the post Simon refers to above, I guess some people do consider it a taboo subject. Why?
The most popular commercial rebreathers are all just homebuilds: the Inspiration (by Dave Thompson), the KISS (Gordon Smith), the Meg (Leon Scamahorn), the PRISM/TOPAZ (Peter Readey), the RB80 (Reinhard Buchaly). I'm sure there are more.
Homebuilding isn't a black art, most of us put a hell of a lot more thought into what we are putting on our back than the average diver does. DIYRBs have a better safety record than commercial RBs do. And for arguments that homebuilt RBs are useless, well...
have a read not bad for a homebuild. There are others too, Rodney & Suzi Nairne of Silent Submersion have done some fairly deep wreck dives (the Andrea Doria for one) on their homebuilds, as have many others. Still, it didn't stop the bobble-hatted, clipboard wielding twat giving me grief at Dorothea the other week, even though he was giving the single cylinder'd air divers of his group directions on how to reach the -57m tunnel.
If you don't know what you're doing then buy a commercial rebreather. But then if you don't know what you're doing don't dive any kind of rebreather. It isn't a cheap option either, I could have bought an Inspiration on what I've spent on homebuilds. If I'd cost my time at the same rate I charge work then I'd reckon it's cost about £10k at least. But then even with the best training there is no way I'd know my unit the way I do now. Homebuilding doesn't have the happy-clappy "nice" front that a lot of commercial rebreathers do, the reality is all RBs will kill you easily and building your own brings this to the front of your mind. It is bloody good fun though.
So as Simon suggests, any interest in a homebuild get-together? I know it's a bit out of the way for some but Dorothea would be perfect, no-one to tell you off or give you grief about CE markings.
Cheers,
Stuart