DIY Video Housing a success...

[Guba]

Can't help on the glue issue...I didn't use any in the construction of my housing at all (well, not quite true. I used PVC cement to glue small blocks of PVC to serve as guide rails for the plate to which my camera is mounted)
Both the front plate and rear plate of my housing are removeable clear acrylic, held in place by three spring-loaded catches on each. Each has its own o-ring. It's an extremely simple design requiring a minimum of fabrication.
Good luck with your housing. They're lots of fun!

 

[The Horn]

Latches came from Spaenaur in Canada. Not cheap: min order 10 @ $170 I do however have enough for two canister lights and another housing.

Glue: PVC cement/CPVC dependiong
Silicone for the lenses: Be sure to rough up the surface with sandpaper for good adhesion

Marine epoxy

GOOP PVC plumbing adhesive

Can't post pic's with this dial up deal but good turn out on the housing and leak proof thus far

Cheers

 

[KingNeptune]

When I open the thread I see attachments listed but once I login, they disappear. Any ideas?

 

[allegfede]

I think thumbs are disabled temporary ....

 

[Warthaug]

Both the front plate and rear plate of my housing are removeable clear acrylic, held in place by three spring-loaded catches on each. Each has its own o-ring. It's an extremely simple design requiring a minimum of fabrication.
Good luck with your housing. They're lots of fun!

Very, very interesting. I like the idea of minimal construction, and being able to remove each end has its attractions (easy replacement, modification of the existing design, etc). the more I think about it the more and more I want to take your route. Two quick questions about your design:

1) Do you use the "top-hat" style ends? If so, how did you make them, and what thickness of acrylic did you use?

2) Did you do anything "special" to make sure your o-ring contact surfaces were extra smooth on the acrylic? If so, what?

OK, thats basically four questions, but counting was never my forte

Thanx again for your help

Bryan

 

[Padipro]

I've made several housings with both ends being removeable. While it does make accessing the inside of the housing easier it adds to the cost by adding at least 3 more latches at $10 each. Not a big deal unless you're trying to build the housing on a budget.

1) Do you use the "top-hat" style ends? If so, how did you make them, and what thickness of acrylic did you use?

I'm not sure exactly what you mean by "top-hat" style ends. I just used a 3/4 inch thick piece of PLEXIGLAS. Don't use acrylic. Acrylic is very strong but it's is also soft and flexable compaired to Plexiglas. This softness allows it to flex to absorb the shock of lets say a bullet impact instead of shattering because it's stiff. The problem with this is that acrylic will flex and warp due to the pressure if the surface area is big enough and it will scratch very easy. Both things you don't want is you're trying to build a waterproof housing to shoot video through.

2) Did you do anything "special" to make sure your o-ring contact surfaces were extra smooth on the acrylic? If so, what?

This one doesn't make sence. If you're sealing the lens against the O-ring on the end of the housing the surface of the lens should be smooth enough from the factory to seal just fine.

Take a look at the pictures in my photo gallery if you want to see some of the housings I've made.

 

[Guba]

Warthaug,
Yes, I used a "top hat" design. It was simple to fashion them from 1 inch plexiglass (sorry about the confusion...I mis-spoke when I said it was acryllic), using a plain router and bit. I also had to be pretty careful not to allow it to chip, though. Just take your time. One inch plexiglass is actually overkill, but I wanted to have plenty of leeway when it came to using screws to mount the catches for the catches.
As for anything special to assure smoothness, I was just very careful in routering. There were some areas that I attempted to shape up with sanding, but found it wasn't necessary. One of the good aspects of this design is you can actually look through the plexiglass plates and SEE whether you have a good seal. If there's not a dark line on the seal/plexiglass contact, you will notice it right away. I also was careful in squaring the ends of the PVC tube.
My catches were much less expensive than Scott's. I obtained my stainless steel, spring-hook latches and catches for about four dollars each. I'll see if I can dig up where I got them for you if you are interested.
Hope this helps. Let me know if there's anything else I might be able to provide answers for.

 

[Warthaug]

Ahhh, too many designs, not enough time!

Thanx Padipro and Guba, looks like it's time to start collecting materials and begin working. I don't think I'm going to go Padipro's route of molding the housing - at least not for the first one. Guba, thanx for the offer of checking on the latches, but I'm up in Canada and its unlikely your store will ship them up here. Still looking for a local provider...

BTW, when I said "tophat", I meant that the plexiglass is shaped such that it is shaped like a top hat. Basically, you end up with a plexiglass window which has a slightly thinner section that slides into the housing, and a broader top which then sits against the end of the housing tube. This system has the advantage that you don't need an o-ring grove; instead the tophat shape, plus the end of the housing itself, make a groove.

This design is pretty much what I'm looking at doing, aside from replacing the acrylic tube with PVC:

http://www2.mrc-lmb.cam.ac.uk/personal/pdh/housing/MKIII-build/index.html

thanx again everyone,

Bryan

 

[Guba]

Hey, Bryan
Aha! I see you have investigated Paul's design! It's a good one and it's actually the one I patterned my version after. His is an elegantly simple design, except he glues on one of his plates. However, he uses a lexan tube, I believe, and I found those to be prohibitively expensive . So, I emailed Paul (I think he lives in Great Britain) asking him about the option of using PVC tubing. He's a research chemist, among other things, and he disuaded me in trying to glue plexiglass or Lexan to PVC. He suggested I simply put catch-plates on both ends, so that's what I wound up doing. I haven't regretted it at all. Sure makes cleaning and maintenance a snap, and if the front lens gets scratched, all I have to do is swap the two plates out! Of course, replacing one or the other would be pretty simple since there are no glue bonds to try to break.
While handles, camera mounting, lighting, etc...has infinite possibilities, I've found this design to be easy to construct, inexpensive, simple and reliable.
All in all, I've been very happy with the results. I once had pictures of my housing on this thread, but they seem to have disappeared. I never know how that happens, but if you'd like I'll re-post or just send them to you.
Good luck and have fun. We'll be looking for a report as your project develops!

 

[Warthaug]

Hey, Bryan
Aha! I see you have investigated Paul's design! It's a good one and it's actually the one I patterned my version after. His is an elegantly simple design, except he glues on one of his plates. However, he uses a lexan tube, I believe, and I found those to be prohibitively expensive . So, I emailed Paul (I think he lives in Great Britain) asking him about the option of using PVC tubing. He's a research chemist, among other things, and he disuaded me in trying to glue plexiglass or Lexan to PVC. He suggested I simply put catch-plates on both ends, so that's what I wound up doing. I haven't regretted it at all. Sure makes cleaning and maintenance a snap, and if the front lens gets scratched, all I have to do is swap the two plates out! Of course, replacing one or the other would be pretty simple since there are no glue bonds to try to break.
While handles, camera mounting, lighting, etc...has infinite possibilities, I've found this design to be easy to construct, inexpensive, simple and reliable.
All in all, I've been very happy with the results. I once had pictures of my housing on this thread, but they seem to have disappeared. I never know how that happens, but if you'd like I'll re-post or just send them to you.
Good luck and have fun. We'll be looking for a report as your project develops!

Thanx for the help. I wouldn't mind seeing some pix of your design, and I bet that other people on this thread would like to see it too (again).

Bryan