Ben Miller

His earlier helmets were cast in Norway but due to the expense of shipping, Ben began having them cast closer to home.

An early 200 that had a full metal exhaust

Over the years Ben made changes and adjustment to make it easier or safer for the divers. Being a diver himself he always put the diver’s concerns before all else. He had developed his helmets to 200, 300 and 400 series and was beginning to design a 500 series which was to be a stainless steel helmet.

Two genius together. Picture taken in 1972.
Ben (left) wearing a Rat Hat and Bob Ratcliffe wearing an early Miller 200

In 1978 Ben moved to Harper, Texas where he set up his business on his ranch and settled into the natural way of life that he had always wanted.

The gate of the BenJani ranch in Harper

He had a simple shop, no frills. Just a shed attached to an old 18 wheel trailer with a long, sturdy bench filled with metal drawers that he had designed and made for that purpose. The top of the bench held his drill press and workspace for metal work. The opposite side of the room held a large wooden spool (the kind that electric wires came on) which held his grinder, polisher and a vice.

The lower shed contained a large wooden table, a 4’ oak tree stump (26" in diameter) and shelves to house his inventory and supplies. The table was where he made thousands of harness, back pack and weight belts. The oak stump was his pounding bench where he set the rivets. Outside, in the yard was his welding equipment next to a sturdy metal table.

During his visit to Miller Diving, webhost Bert Dodde gave Jan a hand
after she explained him the tricks of the trade

There was a fenced area where he kept and smelted the lead for the weights for his weight belts and another area, fondly spoken of by Ben as "my metal pile" where he threw any and all metals he bought, found or traded. He would go out into that pile and pick a piece of metal and make a tool, a bracket or any other item he needed. I was often amazed at what he would come up with.

A good example of Ben's craftsmanship.
This homemade tool helped producing thousands of harness

Ben enjoyed his work, yet found a need to get away and enjoy himself with activities other than the diving industry. One day a week he would go into Austin to shop and go to the Karate Dojo.

To the members of the Austin Police Force who were involved in the Robinette Academy for the Martial Arts, Ben Miller was an energetic man who showed up once a week to spar, work out with others, and occasionally enter a tournament. Ben worked out with these men for about 24 years. Nine of these men came to Ben’s ranch to give his memorial service and each gave a testimony to the gentleness, fairness, perseverance and strength of this man. Ben was a red belt and had worked for 12 years to earn his black belt. He worked on katas every day and worked out on a punching bag. He was going to a nearby town to pick up his mother for Christmas when he was rear-ended by an 18 wheeler carrying stone. He was hit from behind and knocked 1000 ft. His knee was injured and after surgery and therapy he still had trouble with the knee buckling and causing him to fall.


Ben in action at the Austin Robinette Academy

He did not use this as an excuse and continued to work out using a knee brace, telling me that one day soon he would take the black belt test. I knew that his knee was not able to hold him for such a grueling test. But he would not admit to it.

His karate master gave me his black belt, posthumorously, saying that he had earned it 12 years ago, but kept saying "I haven’t learned enough yet".

Click here to continue to part three of the Ben Miller article