-
Welcome to the DeeperBlue.com Forums, the largest online community dedicated to Freediving, Scuba Diving and Spearfishing. To gain full access to the DeeperBlue.com Forums you must register for a free account. As a registered member you will be able to:
- Join over 44,280+ fellow diving enthusiasts from around the world on this forum
- Participate in and browse from over 516,210+ posts.
- Communicate privately with other divers from around the world.
- Post your own photos or view from 7,441+ user submitted images.
- All this and much more...
You can gain access to all this absolutely free when you register for an account, so sign up today!
Pipe Mask
- Thread startersamdive
- Start date
Thread Status: Hello
, There was no answer in this thread for more than 60 days.
It can take a long time to get an up-to-date response or contact with relevant users.
It can take a long time to get an up-to-date response or contact with relevant users.
I never tried making one but try this link
http://forums.deeperblue.net/showthread.php?t=64825&highlight=mouth
Nice step by step pictures.
http://forums.deeperblue.net/showthread.php?t=64825&highlight=mouth
Nice step by step pictures.
Here's a picture of my "no-nose sphera" monstrosity (no I'm not balding, the hairline has, uh, always been that high. Yeah, that's it...
).
I decided to put the tubing through the front, right where the logo is. The mask is very narrow at that point, so don't try to make a hole too big. I then stuck a short piece of hard tubing (I actually used the insides of a ballpoint pen in true MacGuyver spirit) so that it's evenly inside and slightly pointing out of the front. Then I'd glue and seal that up. Then you're basically done, you just need to attach some tubing into the little stump and hook it to your mouth.
I wouldn't know where to get the tubing in your area But I guess any shop that sells plastic, rubber etc items would do. One idea off the top of my head that comes to mind is pet shops that sell aquariums, their air pumps use tubing that is about the right diameter. You'll want to get tubing that is not too soft (not silicone tubing), because the soft one collapses under pressure and then you cannot equalize (or it becomes very hard).
I find this design good in the sense that because the tube runs through the center, I can put the hose thorugh my noseclip and secure it so it's not wobbling about with the water flow.
For good measure, I added a healthy layer of epoxy around the outside bits to support the whole thing. Not pretty but it works...
The biggest problem was that at first, the tube was protruding a little too much in the inside, so when pressure would push the mask on my face tighter, it would actually seal the tube against the skin in my forehead. While this was actually cool at first (it would not leak even if I let the tube out of my mouth), if you let it go too tight, you would have to use way too much force to get air flowing again, which kind of eliminated the whole point of a pipe mask. But that was easily fixed.
This is just one design, propably not the best or worst, but one trial. It works ok, but I have to say that in the end, I found it less of a hassle to just dive with a normal mask. The whole thing takes so much consentration and makes equalizing the mask much too complicated for my taste versus the benefits...But it was fun to make and is always good for some strange looks when I whip it out
).
I decided to put the tubing through the front, right where the logo is. The mask is very narrow at that point, so don't try to make a hole too big. I then stuck a short piece of hard tubing (I actually used the insides of a ballpoint pen in true MacGuyver spirit) so that it's evenly inside and slightly pointing out of the front. Then I'd glue and seal that up. Then you're basically done, you just need to attach some tubing into the little stump and hook it to your mouth.
I wouldn't know where to get the tubing in your area
But I guess any shop that sells plastic, rubber etc items would do. One idea off the top of my head that comes to mind is pet shops that sell aquariums, their air pumps use tubing that is about the right diameter. You'll want to get tubing that is not too soft (not silicone tubing), because the soft one collapses under pressure and then you cannot equalize (or it becomes very hard).I find this design good in the sense that because the tube runs through the center, I can put the hose thorugh my noseclip and secure it so it's not wobbling about with the water flow.
For good measure, I added a healthy layer of epoxy around the outside bits to support the whole thing. Not pretty but it works...
The biggest problem was that at first, the tube was protruding a little too much in the inside, so when pressure would push the mask on my face tighter, it would actually seal the tube against the skin in my forehead. While this was actually cool at first (it would not leak even if I let the tube out of my mouth), if you let it go too tight, you would have to use way too much force to get air flowing again, which kind of eliminated the whole point of a pipe mask. But that was easily fixed.
This is just one design, propably not the best or worst, but one trial. It works ok, but I have to say that in the end, I found it less of a hassle to just dive with a normal mask. The whole thing takes so much consentration and makes equalizing the mask much too complicated for my taste versus the benefits...But it was fun to make and is always good for some strange looks when I whip it out
Last edited:
You're still talking about the pipemask right?:tjome said:...is always good for some strange looks when I whip it out
I made two so dar. The first one was out of a standard pair of swim goggles and the second one, which I like much better, was made out of a SEAL mask from Aquasphere.
For both I bought a few pipe fitting nipples and drilled some holes in the goggles. I simply drilled the hole a little bit too small and press fitted the nipple into the lens, or frame. The aquarium tubing goes on the outside and your all set.
I have to admit that they have been a pain in the butt to learn how to equalize in cold water. i am fine down umtil that first thermocline and then I have all sorts of issues- do I blown in my mouth/ear now?? As long as the water is one temperature I have no issues, it's just when there's a sudden 10-30 degree drop that I have a problem.
Here's a few shots, but I have more that I can post if you want.
jon
For both I bought a few pipe fitting nipples and drilled some holes in the goggles. I simply drilled the hole a little bit too small and press fitted the nipple into the lens, or frame. The aquarium tubing goes on the outside and your all set.
I have to admit that they have been a pain in the butt to learn how to equalize in cold water. i am fine down umtil that first thermocline and then I have all sorts of issues- do I blown in my mouth/ear now?? As long as the water is one temperature I have no issues, it's just when there's a sudden 10-30 degree drop that I have a problem.
Here's a few shots, but I have more that I can post if you want.
jon
Last edited:
I used the Cressi Galilleo goggles for my pipe mask which gives you vision like a normal mask not like standard goggles, you see on a flat plane which is alot more realistic. All i did was use some ridgid tube in between the eyes then some to the mouth . It takes some getting used to for depth diving. Equalize, equalize blow :rofl but after a while it seems normal. [ame="http://forums.deeperblue.net/showthread.php?p=516260#post516260"]Nose clip? - Page 5[/ame]
Re: Pipe Mask or Pipe Goggles
After reading about pipe-masks and seeing that two of my training buddies have made them. I made my own.
notes
After reading about pipe-masks and seeing that two of my training buddies have made them. I made my own.
- Arena - Active Goggles EUR 7.50 (Department store, Karstadt)
- 1m of 5mm Aquarium Pipe (stiff and green) EUR 1.65 (Pet-Shop, aquarium section)
- 2m of PVC 4mm inside 1mm wall tubing EUR 0.98 (DIY Store, garden department, OBI)
- 2 Part Epoxy EUR 8.50 (DIY Store, glue department, OBI)
notes
- To get the Aquarium tubing to fit, I would hold the cut tubing up to a candle and then press it against the mask. This gave a good surface to glue to the mask
- I chose a drill bit that fit inside the aquarium piping.
- The angle that I drilled the hole for the mouth piece is annoying. When I exhale or blow in the mouth tube it sends a pretty strong blast of wind directly onto my left eye.
- This aquarium pipe (green) is about the same size as the tubing (clear), I would warm the tubing on the candle, then press it over the pipe. Fits nice and tight.
- I sealed the mouth tube (heated over a candle, then squeezed shut) and then made a smaller hole with scissors. This is just for comfort.
- The two-part Epoxy I used dries really slow! Almost two hours and it is not very sticky until about 90 minutes of drying. I used little wire bag fasteners (twist-ties) folded in half to hold the tubes to the mask durning drying. Takes 12 hours to fully set, but it is pretty solid. Some other glue might be better.
- This design is only passively equalizing to 1M. In other words if the pipe is not in you mouth it will take water in under 1M
Last edited:
Well, ................................it does have to do with diving!
yahbut how'd he get such a flexible spine? Acrobatic apneic training? An his flippers are kinda funny lookin.
Home made?anonomous
Last edited:
Ok, I have a couple of no-fins events this year so decided to make my own pipe mask, a scary thing being the white collar accountant I am. But fate brought all the ingredients to me - I found the mask at training one night, the little plastic widget I found on the floor in my room (I think it came off one of those glow bracelets they give you at day-festivals) and the pipe I got for a quid at a hardware store. I didn't have a drill so I used a swiss army knife which actually worked ok. I used a soft plastic glue initially but this didn't hold so I used Cyano Acrylate which did the trick. I tried it in the deep end of the pool and it seemed ok, the acid test would be on the weekend when I head for some deeper dives in the quarry.
Well I thought I was doing ok down to about 10m then something went wrong and the mask would only equalise my right eye and not my left. On my third dive I thought I had it worked out but when I surfaced everyone around me burst into uncontrollable fits of laughter when it appeared that I had sucked a bit too much air out of the mask and said air was only coming out of one side (see photo for artist's recreation :duh ).
My question - has anyone else had problems with their mask forming a seal at the centre of the forehead/top of nose and only equalising one side? How did you get around it? I'm thinking of an inch or 2 of the inside of a pen stuck inside might do the trick, but placement would be critical.
Cheers,
Ben
Well I thought I was doing ok down to about 10m then something went wrong and the mask would only equalise my right eye and not my left. On my third dive I thought I had it worked out but when I surfaced everyone around me burst into uncontrollable fits of laughter when it appeared that I had sucked a bit too much air out of the mask and said air was only coming out of one side (see photo for artist's recreation :duh ).
My question - has anyone else had problems with their mask forming a seal at the centre of the forehead/top of nose and only equalising one side? How did you get around it? I'm thinking of an inch or 2 of the inside of a pen stuck inside might do the trick, but placement would be critical.
Cheers,
Ben
Attachments
Hey Mr Private eye, nice DIY job.
What went wrong with the mask is that you waited too long to equalise, the mask then squished and stuck to your face closing the gap between the left and right side. I also had this problem with some of the pipe goggles I made, if the tubing is a bit soft and you don't equalise frequent enough the tube collapses and will block the air going between the left and right sides. Are better off with slightly stiffer and larger tubing for the goggles. With yours you could do the same thing and get a second piece of hose to connect the two sides. The tubing you used is pretty huge can definitely go smaller, it really doesn't take that much air to equalise the mask.
Cheers,
Wal
What went wrong with the mask is that you waited too long to equalise, the mask then squished and stuck to your face closing the gap between the left and right side. I also had this problem with some of the pipe goggles I made, if the tubing is a bit soft and you don't equalise frequent enough the tube collapses and will block the air going between the left and right sides. Are better off with slightly stiffer and larger tubing for the goggles. With yours you could do the same thing and get a second piece of hose to connect the two sides. The tubing you used is pretty huge can definitely go smaller, it really doesn't take that much air to equalise the mask.
Cheers,
Wal
Last edited: