DIY Video Housing a success...

[rockjock3]

Plexiglass and PVC will weld both with PVC cement and with superglue. On my housing,(see page 11),I began with PVC cement and used a medical syringe with small needle to add superglue to capillary fill any gaps. Worked like a charm.

to shape PVC, 400 degree oven about 10 minutes. Use some scrap pieces to test it first. If using a pipe on a pipe, Once cooled, use a heat gun on the outer tube to expand a bit and they will separate a lot easier.

Of course, 5200 would work very well too. I think it would glue just about anything to anything. mk

I used Marine goop on my housing. You can actually apply it underwater and it will still cure (didn't use this method for my housing). It is bonds with PVC and acrylic, is flexible, and paintable. The nice thing about it also is that it is UV resistant. I feel that is what will cause problems with some adhesives used (none that have been mentioned thus far to my knowledge.). I tried it on a scrap piece of acrylic and pvc and you couldn't get it off at all. We shall see when I get my housing down for pressure testing this weekend. It sat submerged in the tub for 12 hours last night with no leaks.

 

[The Horn]

Filmed today a wreck at 30 feet for two dives of about 1 hour. Other than a small bit of crud on the lense causing some focus issues I was able to capture some TV quality video!!!!

Question: What would I need to get to be able to transfer this regular analog video format to the computer for editing/ cd burning?????

Thanks

 

[allegfede]

Some kind of capture card.
It's a VHS/Video8 tape?
If you have some kind of tv tuner on your pc you could try capturing with it. Happauge PVR series have a very nice Mpeg2 hardware encoder.
I use (and have 1 to sell) a pinnacle dc30+ that captures a broadcast quality video from analog signal in MJpeg format, that i can edit with cinellerra (linux software), encode to mpeg2 and burn on dvd. With DV cameras you need a firewire/IEE1394 port/card on your pc. I have a jvc mc500 that writes mpeg2 movies directly on the internal hard disk.

Bye

 

[allegfede]

the jvc mc500 is the camera

 

[The Horn]

I searched and found a KWorld USB analog to digital capture cable for my laptop. Should arrive today or tomorrow and then I should be able to capture the video through Windows movie maker and I'm off to the Editing room.

I did a major clean on the housing and found that a few residual bits of silicon were in the housing and one had plopped onto the screen in view of the camera. Everything else went well. I'll try and post some of the video and the camera housing if possibe. Dial up really sucks.....

Thanks for the help so far!!!! Hopefully the ice stays off the lakes for a while and I can get some more video!!!

 

[426Scuba]

Anyone ever have any problems with taking your housing with you in your carry-on luggage when you fly?

 

[allegfede]

airport security? I suggest to ship the housing (well protected) with the other luggage. Battery chargers and strange tubes are not very appreciated by policemen today.

 

[Guba]

Ah, yes...the airport.

Last summer, I took my housing to Cozumel. Usually, I take my computer and regs in my carry-on, but switched things around for this trip, since the housing is comparatively large. So, I put my video camera in the housing, then placed it and my computer, charger, tapes and extras in my small pilot's bag. When we got to the checkin (where the carryons are x-rayed), I asked the attendant if he wanted me to show him the contents (just to save time...I thought I knew what was coming), but he said, "No, just put it on the conveyer." I shrugged and did it, then watched his face as it went through.
Now, my housing is basically just a PVC tube with clear acryllic plates on both ends. However, I've added electric controls using 9v batteries, coiled wires, magnetic switches, and eletronic solenoids. I'm certain that on an x-ray, it set off bells and whistles in ALL the attendant's minds, and it was evident by watching their reactions.
Yup, I got one of those little cards as the attendant smiled, "I'm sorry, sir...you've been selected for 'additional screening'."
That's how I found myself standing barefoot in a phonebooth sized compartment with a machine "sniffing" me, watching other security personnel going over my housing with one of the little "wands". It didn't take long, and as I put my clothes and gear back together, the attendant was very interested in exactly what the housing was for. I explained, and they cheerily sent me on my way.
I have no idea how to avoid this scene at all. Certainly, packing it in luggage (hard luggage, by the way) may get you through the gate quicker, but don't lock the luggage. They'll be opening it to see what you have in there. I'm pretty sure that I'll be carrying mine on in any case. Hey, it's "my baby" and I don't think I want to let it get too far away during a flight.

 

[Warthaug]

Hey everyone, I've been watching this thread for a while, and have decided to go for it. But I have a few questions:

1) The "model" I'm most interested in is Bobby_M's version 2 (post 221) - I like the idea of having a simple-to-replace front lens should it get damaged, and fabrication also looks easier then some of the other designs. But I haven't seen a report from Bobby_M about this new design - did it work, how do you like it compared to mark I, did the o-ring seal work well as designed?

2) I'm a little lost on the glue issue - from what I read people are using PVC glue to glue the pipe, and 3M's 5200 as the glue for the lens. Is this correct, or is the lens being glued (PVC cement?), and the 5200 then used as a gasket?

3) Anyone know of places in Canada which mail-order the stainless latches, o-rings, and other hard-to-find parts? A quick look around town hasn't found a store which carries that kind of hardware, at least not in quantities I'm looking for. Not sure what I'd do with 50 latches...

Thanx

Bryan

 

[The_Diving_Hampster]

Warthaug, here's a previous post but it has links to the sites I found to be very helpful. Best of luck, this has been a great thread topic.

Acrylic (easy to search) - http://freckleface.com/shopsite_sc/store/html/
Latches and O-Rings (tougher search) - http://www1.mscdirect.com

-------------------------------------------------------

Acrylic pieces @ http://freckleface.com/shopsite_sc/store/html/
arrived in 6 days, with a holiday and at standard ground rates. The latches and O-rings arrived 4 days from order date @ http://www1.mscdirect.com. These sites check out for me, as recommended by previous divers on this form. Prices were very reasonable. Now comes the hard part, not @#$%^&* up fabrication.

Bobby, I like the Control Gland and will consider since as you mentioned makes operating one less step, thanks again. For now I'll just try to keep it from leaking. Any idea on a depth range it’s rated for?

I’m not sure about Matt’s suggestions on the condoms; I’d rather put those to better use . But like duct tape I’m sure condoms do have more than one use.

I should have something to show by late next week and will post photos, I would have tried to complete this weekend but I have diving to do!

The_Diving_Hampster

“No problem can stand the assault of sustained thinking.” Ancient Chinese Cookie

http://www.myersinteractive.com/Scuba/