S95+ Ikelite +2 AF35 - Bouyancy?

[scubee-do-be-do]

I picked up an S95 and the ikelite housing. B + H had a special and had them combined for nearly 600 flat!

I also picked up lightly used -- locally -- (2) AF35 ikelite flashes and the mounting tray

So, 3 questions:

1 How to mount the ikelite to the mounting bar? Did not see any bolts or thumscrews. Guiess I could go to to HD, but seems like a stainless thumbscrew or two would be in order.

2 Weights - where do you get them? Can you just use washers or some type of flat bar under the thumbscrews or ?

3 Anyone have this setup or have a feel as to how much weight to get it to be neutral?

I guess I could test this in a pool by adding washers on a string, then weighing them on a postal scale... ?

 

[highdesert]

Have you had this setup in the water? Mine is similar, but with different strobes, and my issue is trying to make it more buoyant, not less. I have four small floats on the arms, and if I didn't have it leashed to me, I'd lose it on the bottom.

My connection between housing and tray is from my friendly Ace hardware. I have a collection of stainless Allen cap screws, fender washers, and lock washers. Why Ikelite doesn't have suitable thumbscrews and some spacers is puzzling.

 

[scubee-do-be-do]

No I have not... but I think will head to my LDS pool with small washers and some floats now.

I was looking for a starting point and you gave me one. I may stop at my local boating supply store and get some of those sponge rubber floaty key chains to attach and mount them on side arms or bottom arms.

 

[highdesert]

Bear in mind that sponge rubber floaty things will compress just as your wetsuit does. They're great on the surface, but at depth, they will provide very little, if any, buoyancy. That's why someone has marketed rigid foam floats just for UW photography. Of course, they carry the appropriate ridiculous price tag associated with UW photography.

 

[fncrow]

I have a S95 with Ikelite housing and one AF35 strobe and its slightly negative so with two it should def be negatively buoyant.

Mounting, i dont have mine in front of me but there should be like 2 or 3 holes on the tray that match up with the housing and the tray should have came with screws and washers to mount.

 

[scubee-do-be-do]

Update: Found the screws at Ikelite ....did not see them on the website but the rep on the phone found them. Looking for floats now. Thx for the help.