CDBA / DSSCCD full face mask questions

allanswallace

I used to have a mask identical to the DSSCCD full face mask in Aaron Bruce's thread http://www.rebreatherworld.com/close...highlight=cdba and i was wondering if they were still available from anywhere, who the original manufacturer was (for the royal navy ones) and whether or not anyone had made a copy of one? - I found the experience of diving with one to be very comfortable (not to mention warm!) - but i have really struggled to find one advertised anywhere. - i haven't posted in the wanted section of here yet, as i'm going on holiday in a few weeks time, and i also figured that it couldn't be too hard to make a copy of that particular full face mask.
Does anyone know what kind of plastic was used for the lens?

Thanks in advance!

Dave Sutton

Happen to have one here... in a box along with a CDBA...

Mask is marked "Avon", so along with rubber boats, rubber suits, and rubber duckies, add FFM's to their list of fine quality British rubber goods.
Doubt that they are in production any longer. Agreed that they are fairly comfortable. They turn up as surplus now and then. If I had to buy one, I'd call DIVEX up for starters and see if they had one spare.


You might be interested in this:

CDBA Rebreather Teardown

Modestly believe that it's a bit more complete than the previously cited article, and pre-dates it considerably.
The CDBA is remarkably good kit, considering it's design vintage.



Dave

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gathan

Ahh, the nice Admiralty pattern FFM. I wore one for a few years myself. I have to admit though that I wasn't found of the nose clip. I have one mask myself, however as is often the case with this item, the spider harness has rotted away over the years.

Andre

Drmike

ahah! knew Id seen that dsv someplace before

http://www.rebreatherworld.com/home-...hen#post116004

looks similar

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Dave Sutton

That one is probably an original RN one.... the design is common to many of the old Pendulum loops (Cressi, OMG, Avon, etc). The one from the CDBA is the only one I've seen that has reasonable WOB.... the others are all *really* restrictive.

Andre: Saving nose-clips for your bailout bottles?



Dave

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gathan

Dave, let me tell you, these clips got you a painful honker on some dives. The ones with ss springs were particularly nasty. Some of my buddies had to double up the springs in order to make sure the clip stayed on - ouch!

Andre

iain-hsm

The Admiralty pattern (AP) mask is no longer available as a spare part. Although Avon were one of the prime contractor (including Dunlop) they were not the manufacturer. The polycarbonate face plate tooling was by Hopkins with the rubber tooling by MEL. The complete assembly was by Hopkins who supplied it to MoD.

The unique features of the AP mask was its panoramic view, its water filled rubber sealing skirt and the low WOB due to its good design and bite mouthpiece within the mask surround. Agreed the nose clip was a force to be reckoned with and the rubber spider was very flimsy. As MOD now required commercial off the shelf COTS products the silicone version of this mask never was completed.

You can’t get a new mask now as they are only available as complete assemblies with the rest of the diving twin set and regulator, and in a very limited quantity, as the SDDE or the CDBA closed circuit diving set. Both of which are now pretty much collectors items. Out of interest the SDDE/DCBA unit is listed in MoD list at £840.00 and the closed/semi closed 02/mix CDBA set at £8320-00 …each!!! So anyone with these units stand up.

Dave Sutton

One of each.....



Thanks for the writeup, I figured of all people here you would know.


Dave

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iain-hsm

Hi Dave.
Snap!! only bigger quantity!!lol.
The only reason I know is a miss spent youth sucking rubber, am now working on the principle of dumping the memory before I forget it.

The other interesting Royal Navy units that used the AP mask were the classified Mark 4C a semi closed system designed for submarine rescue.
(I have some where the drawings and data books on this project). It was a classified 350msw diving system with the maximum depth rating of 1250FSW
I recall, Not bad for a semi closed diving system in 1975.

Six working units were only ever built. I will have a search and see if I can find the paperwork. The CABA set is the only other navy unit I recall that used the AP mask. Iain

Numpty diver

The royal navy ships divers also used the avon full face mask on the aquarius twin set .
two types of nose clips .. one black (magnetic) the other yellow non magnetic.. The black one softer and kinder to ya hooter !! but no good for working on loud noise things