DIY Video Housing a success...

[Jarek]

I am from Chicago ( west side ) started my project a month ago
and this is how it looks now ( look at the attached pic. )
Made it from gray PVC pipe 6-5/8" OD - 5-3/4" ID - wall is allmost 1/2 thick.
I have maybe 8ft. of this pipe leftover, if anybody wants some - talk to me.
I am also thinking to let go of my project-housing ------ if any body wants to finish what i started - let me know.
And if anybody needs some fabricating or machining to be done ---- i have full machineshop with cnc mill and couple of lathes.
Will help with your project !!!

jarjoz@gmail.com

Cool Thread !!!

 

[scuba frog]

Hi Jarek,

Housing looks excellent and good job on the machining. Why are you letting go of your project? Did you mean you're selling your stuff. Please PM me if that's the case. I'm actually looking for someone to machine the stepped lens as I'm looking to have a bunch made for me and my diving buddies. I don't have the specs currently as I haven't bought the pipes yet but I'm guessing that outer dia would be 6" and inner dia would be for a schedule 80, kinda similar to what you used. If you could PM me approximate quotation for such job I'll greatly appreciate it.

 

[Bobby_M]

It seems like I'd never get around to starting but I finally broke down and bought the 10' length of PVC. Also, I recently bought a tablesaw, router table and an assortment of bits that should make life easier. For example, I was able to make a beautifully square cut through the 4" PVC with the table saw. I would feel confident using this end as the sealing o-ring end with the smallest bit of smoothing. I just cut the acrylic disk out using the router. Basically I rough cut the disk with a jig saw. Then I double-sided-taped it to the end of the PVC and used a flush trim router bit. The ball bearing rode against the PVC and trimed the acrylic (1/2" thick) to the exact diameter of the PVC. My design is actually using a PVC coupling as the end cap so I don't really need to machine an O-ring gland into it. I have enough bits that I could probably pull it off if I wanted to. Once you get a perfect disc, you can use a router table to do quite a bit of machining. I'll post some pics when I get a little further along. I'm doing this in between a million other projects.

Bobby

 

[cyclical]

Has anyone gotten any solid facts as to what the implosion rating for schedule 40 actually is?

I keep seeing collapse ratings etc, and assume that is the same thing. If so, sched 40 pipe should be able to take 100+ ft underwater without any problems.

 

[MATTKINZ]

After reading about video housings on this site, I started my own to fit a Sony camcorder. I am now ready to open water test it. I am pleased with the progress. Again it is one of the "latch and go" housings without controls. I ordered a remote but my camera won't use one.

I created a plexiglass window and a mirror arrangement. The handle/ mounting isn't ready but I've purchased a commercial video cam handle to screw on to typical camera mounting thread . The pictures show stages in the construction . The 4" PVC was heated in 400 degree oven and formed over a custom wooden form. I'll post results and final finished pictures later. MK

 

[426Scuba]

Mattkinz,

That looks great what did you use to glue the plexi to the side of the pvc?

 

[Bobby_M]

MATT

I'm psyched to see your project and am eagerly awaiting your final results. I've been machining parts (machining is a little bold for using a router table but it's the best I can do), and I've wrestled with the O-ring configuration. I noticed you're using a captured or "gland" design. I'm basically gluing my acrylic windows into PVC couplings and sandwiching my O-ring between that coupling and a ring on the main body with a stub of pipe to hold them aligned. I know it's hard to visualize. If this doesn't work, I'll probably try your design since I bought enough 1/2" acrylic for a few tries.

Since you've attached your spring latch hook to the edge of your acrylic, I'm wondering how thick yours is. I'm wondering if I can get away with that using 1/2" since many designs with a stand alone disc uses 3/4 or 1"

My only concern with my current direction is how to get a smooth O-ring surface on the ends of my 4" coupling. I'm using the factory edges thinking they would be more square than my machined edges, but they're not perfect. I thought about using 400 grit sandpaper glued to a flat square of MDF as a big sanding block. Any other ideas?


On the "implosion rating" of sched 40 issue, that's a good question. I'm probably going to test mine in a quarry where I can acheive about 100ft. How scary do you think it would be to have it implode a while holding it? LoL.

Bobby

 

[cyclical]

MATT

I'm psyched to see your project and am eagerly awaiting your final results. I've been machining parts (machining is a little bold for using a router table but it's the best I can do), and I've wrestled with the O-ring configuration. I noticed you're using a captured or "gland" design. I'm basically gluing my acrylic windows into PVC couplings and sandwiching my O-ring between that coupling and a ring on the main body with a stub of pipe to hold them aligned. I know it's hard to visualize. If this doesn't work, I'll probably try your design since I bought enough 1/2" acrylic for a few tries.

Since you've attached your spring latch hook to the edge of your acrylic, I'm wondering how thick yours is. I'm wondering if I can get away with that using 1/2" since many designs with a stand alone disc uses 3/4 or 1"

My only concern with my current direction is how to get a smooth O-ring surface on the ends of my 4" coupling. I'm using the factory edges thinking they would be more square than my machined edges, but they're not perfect. I thought about using 400 grit sandpaper glued to a flat square of MDF as a big sanding block. Any other ideas?


On the "implosion rating" of sched 40 issue, that's a good question. I'm probably going to test mine in a quarry where I can acheive about 100ft. How scary do you think it would be to have it implode a while holding it? LoL.

Bobby

I don't think I want to be holding anything that implodes...

 

[Bobby_M]

I just thought I'd post some pics of my progress in case anyone wanted to get some ideas.

The brown paper is just the protective film on the acrylic. I don't want to remove it until I get everything glued up.

Bobby

 

[cyclical]

I just thought I'd post some pics of my progress in case anyone wanted to get some ideas.

The brown paper is just the protective film on the acrylic. I don't want to remove it until I get everything glued up.

Bobby

Looks good so far.... I am waiting on a friend that does plumbing to get back with me... he may be able to get his hands on some 6" sched 40 pvc.

I found a place online that sells 1/2" thick polycarbonate (lexan) 250 times stronger than glass, or 3/4" acrylic 1o times stronger than glass. 12x24 sheets are around $40 with shipping for the lexan stuff and like $25 for the cheaper acrylic.