Repair metal mask band

[usddude]

I goofed and broke the little tab on the steel band that goes into the slot that holds it in place. My favorite Dacor oval!! I had decided to take the mask apart for a good soak and liquid silicone bath. It USED to be in mint condition. Has anyone come up with a way to fix this problem or do I need to find another band? Ive got a U.S. divers band but its a hair wider than the Dacor.

[DiverTim]

Maybe MIG weld or braze it? Tim

[Douchebag]

Is the base metal steel or chrome plated brass? Welding stainless is not easy but stripping and soldering brass is. Do you have a picture of it?

[simonbeans]

Do not dispair, all is not lost, in fact, this is really a good thing. A true vintage oval mask originated in the 1950s and 1960s. These masks have bands that had screws and nuts of some sort to hold the lens in the mask skirt. When I get a more recent mask with a band that has the slots and tab, I change it into a band with screw and nuts. Here is how I do it:
The verticle tab that the screw passes through is about 9/16" tall above the band. See first pic.

These taps hold the screw and nuts


I place the band on my mask squeeze it as tightly as possible and make a mark on both ends to indicate the center of the band when in operation. From this mark, measure about 3/8" to the left.


Do the same on the other end of the band, except measure the 3/8" to the right of the center. You should still have the 9/16" left to make the tabs. I use a dremmel cut-off wheel, but if you are careful you could use tin snips or a hack saw to make a tab like this:


Once the two tabs are made, drill holes with a #28 bit. Then bend the tabs verticle.


For the screw and nuts, I use a 1 1/2 inch #6X32 stainless bolt. The nuts are #6X32 stainless steel acorn or cap nuts. (Found at Home Depot).

You will have to drill through the nuts to allow the screw to go completely through them. I do this by first drilling with a #36 and then from the non-tapped end I use a #28; drilling only until I hit threads.




You will also need to put a small piece of stainless steel under the band, covering the area of the mask that the bands do not. For this I use a piece of stainless cut from a hose clamp.


The result is a more vintage looking mask and you have not lost the use of the band. PM if you need more info on this procedure.
Allan

[usddude]

WHOA!! Now thats what I'm talking about!! Complete diagrams and all. I am heading to the workbench to do the band mod. Thank you so much simonbeans for all that info. You have really done a great job there and will probably help others save their masks. After this one I am doing all my oval masks that way!!

[DiverTim]

Way to go! An excellent fix. Tim

[simonbeans]

Thanks for the kind words. I found that the mask with the correct bands (early, bolt and nut) are hard to come by. The mask didn't change much in skirt design, just the bands.

[crimediver]

Great tip. Necessity is the mother of invention.

[Bryan]

Remind me to move this to the Technical Tips section in a few weeks...EXCELLENT advice Allan!

[kgehring]

Hey Bryan, Don't forget to move the mask repair thread to the Technical Tips section in a few weeks.

[Bryan]

Hey Bryan, Don't forget to move the mask repair thread to the Technical Tips section in a few weeks.

Hmmmmm....Karl G now on the BAD side of the Christmas card list...