Camera Housing Guestions
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I am in the planning process of building a housing for my old Sony 8mm camcorder. I have a 6" PVC Tee fitting that is my proposed foundation. I gathered some scrap pieces of Acrylic sheet from work (1/2" & 3/8") to use as the veiwing end of my housing. I would like to glue (IPS Weld-On 40/42) the clear piece into the end of the Tee. Is using glue a better or worse idea vs. O-Rings? O-ring seals are planned for the backside of the housing. I'm still fine tuning those details. Anyone used a threaded plumbing piece to squeeze an O-ring? This is an option under consideration.
My departure from the units I have seen is in the controls area. My Sony has a LANC connector that is basically a serial port with a proprititary protocol. With some simple 'though the back glass' controls, and a microcontroller sending serial info, I can use it for filming. I only plan to open the box for fresh batts, hopefully, once per dive day or better. The idea is only one sealing area to worry about.
I am totally perplexed in calculating ballast. I understand the simplistic displacement vs. weight concept, but do I design in bouyancy, so in the event of loss the unit bobs on the surface? One idea is to use a dynamic system that matches the dive profile. 75' wreck = X amount of weight, is this the better option?
Padipro, thanks for the links.
My departure from the units I have seen is in the controls area. My Sony has a LANC connector that is basically a serial port with a proprititary protocol. With some simple 'though the back glass' controls, and a microcontroller sending serial info, I can use it for filming. I only plan to open the box for fresh batts, hopefully, once per dive day or better. The idea is only one sealing area to worry about.
I am totally perplexed in calculating ballast. I understand the simplistic displacement vs. weight concept, but do I design in bouyancy, so in the event of loss the unit bobs on the surface? One idea is to use a dynamic system that matches the dive profile. 75' wreck = X amount of weight, is this the better option?
Padipro, thanks for the links.
grouchyturtle
Contributor
I'm thinking about building one too. Most likely PVC with Ike controls. Got a few questions.
1 - Where can I get the latches from (obviousy you'd wan't some sort of safety feature, so it doesn't open accidentally) like the kind you'd find on a can light.
2 - Were can you get gaskets big enough for the body of the housing, or did you just buy sheets of rubber and cut your own
3 - I'd probabaly buy the Ike controls (power and record) can you also get a control from the for zoom? Do you really need to be able to zoom underwater?
4 - Would it be worth the extra $$$ to buy a lens port too? Would you get better video quality with a port compared to just plexi? I'd think it may be harder to build with a port though (if it's not perfecly centered over the lens, wouldn't it cause distortion?)
5 - What kind of glue do you use for mounting handles, etc. Do you also use some sort of sealer?
6 - Has anyone tried integrating an LCD? How hard is this? I was thinking of maybe even buying a small color PDA screen, but obviously you would need some sort of circuit to get video into it.
7 - Lastly how the heck do you cut a round piece of plexi?
1 - Where can I get the latches from (obviousy you'd wan't some sort of safety feature, so it doesn't open accidentally) like the kind you'd find on a can light.
2 - Were can you get gaskets big enough for the body of the housing, or did you just buy sheets of rubber and cut your own
3 - I'd probabaly buy the Ike controls (power and record) can you also get a control from the for zoom? Do you really need to be able to zoom underwater?
4 - Would it be worth the extra $$$ to buy a lens port too? Would you get better video quality with a port compared to just plexi? I'd think it may be harder to build with a port though (if it's not perfecly centered over the lens, wouldn't it cause distortion?)
5 - What kind of glue do you use for mounting handles, etc. Do you also use some sort of sealer?
6 - Has anyone tried integrating an LCD? How hard is this? I was thinking of maybe even buying a small color PDA screen, but obviously you would need some sort of circuit to get video into it.
7 - Lastly how the heck do you cut a round piece of plexi?
topflowerrubberforever
Contributor
grunzster:
muahahahahahahahaha
hey grunzte.
first of all if u see the letter Z in the wrong place i am sorrz because i am using a german kezboard.. see!!
for the round plexi.. all i can say is muahahahaahah cuz i had a guy in my brothers workshop do it and it is a perfect circle. i used plans from a wakeboarding site and made the housing(check my earlier posts). i didnt put any controls on it though. and it was very big for a video camera of the new age. but i am proud of it and i have tested it and it had worked fine. for the controls well i have devised a new plan. MAGNETS. i plan to not compromise anything on the housing and create rods with magnets on the ends of them. i would have another magnet in my glove or strapped to the housing and by the repulsion forces i would get the buttons pushed. saves a lot of work on the housing itself.
anyways dude take care
grunzster:
If you look at my post just a few above yours you'll see a link, colored blue, to my DIY site that has the answers to most of your questions.
As for cutting the round plexiglas, either a band saw or hand saw to rough cut it then take it to a disk sander to make it round. Then use progressively finer sand paper and finally wet dry paper and very fine steel wool to clear up the edges.
grouchyturtle
Contributor
Great link, thanks!
Where do you guys think the best location is for the handles, centered on the body or towards the back?
Where do you guys think the best location is for the handles, centered on the body or towards the back?
grunzster:
Build the body of the housing and figure out where you want the camera mounted inside. Then, with the camera in place find the center of balance and place the handles there. If the handles are to far forward the housing will tip forward and if they are placed to far back the housing will tip back. You can over come this by just flexing your wrists to point the thing in the right direction but after a very short time it becomes difficult to maintain the position. You can also add the small self adheasive wheel balance weights to either end to fine trim the whole thing after it's finished.
I made a mold of the inside of the housing then melted some lead to make a weight that fit completely inside the housing. Of course with the big camera I'm using it wasn't enough to sink it so I had to make the handles out of 1 inch diameter solid brass rod to add some more weight. The placement of these handles was critical because of there weight and it's effect on the balance of the housing.
Every thing worked out well and I only had to add about 1 ounce of balance weights to the front of the housing the level it out in the water.
Hi I've built several video housings using 6 in. pvc plastic pipe with good results (not my idea I seen this someone else built with plex tubing) but the end caps are 1/2 in. plex and one is beded in mmm 5200 marine sealent and the orther is removable using a o ring for the seal and ss tackle box type latches ( available from reid tool ) you turn on the camcorder and put on the cover latch it down and dive you edit after with the vcr I've had my housing down to 85 ft. with no leaks I test the housing by putting some soft weight (15 lbs) in it and leaving it for about a week in a 30 gal poly pail the heightest chance of a leak is in shallow water since the deeper you go the tighter the pressuer is on the o ring makeing the seal better the housings are about 10 in x 6 in inside . if you would like any more info. feel free to ask. howie
Padipro:
If those take you step by step through the process and give you ideas as to where to obtain materals and prices you can expect to pay. Plus all the support you need WITH as many pics as you need, then by all means go that way.
If you haven't had contact with all of them how can you compair them?
Gary D.
grouchyturtle
Contributor
Will the PVC tube its self compress at all (not the ends, but the tube its self)?
My camera is pretty small. I can fit it in 4" PVC, but there isn't much space around it. I figure it would be nice to have a smaller housing, but if there is a risk that the pipe will compress and damage my camera I guess I'd have to go with 6".
My camera is pretty small. I can fit it in 4" PVC, but there isn't much space around it. I figure it would be nice to have a smaller housing, but if there is a risk that the pipe will compress and damage my camera I guess I'd have to go with 6".
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