Show me yours and I'll show you mine

[Scubacastor]

Hi,

I have different projects. Unfortunately all webpages are in french (since I am from France) but the pictures are often self-explicit:

- My very first series of divelights : http://eocean.free.fr/projects/castorlight/index.htm
- A 61 LEDs lighthead : http://eocean.free.fr/projects/leds/index.htm
- An inexpensive underwater digital strobe : http://eocean.free.fr/projects/castorstrobe/indexstr.htm
- The second series of divelights (rated 300 ft):
http://eocean.free.fr/projects/hd90/
- a 3x Luxeon III Led light (one new one is coming soon for UW C4 lights) : http://eocean.free.fr/projects/luxeonmod/index.htm

I have on my projects : a 35 HID cannister light and the mentionned above C4 project.

 

[DiverMo]

Here is my video housing that I just completed using plans from Padipro - both here and on his MSN site. Many thanks to him. It's made out of PVC pipe, and plexiglass or lexan for the lenses. I just had it in the pool last week for it's first test, and it didn't leak, but then again, it was only 12 feet. Hopefully, it won't leak when I go to Cozumel in two weeks, either!

 

[willydiver]

Here is my video housing that I just completed using plans from Padipro - both here and on his MSN site. Many thanks to him. It's made out of PVC pipe, and plexiglass or lexan for the lenses. I just had it in the pool last week for it's first test, and it didn't leak, but then again, it was only 12 feet. Hopefully, it won't leak when I go to Cozumel in two weeks, either!

Really nice work. What do you paint the PVC with? I didn't think anything would adhere to the plastic. Does it have any controls?

Thanks,
WD

 

[DiverMo]

Thanks. It looks better online than for real! I used Krylon Fusion, which is made to adhere to plastic and glass. There are some paint runs, and I didn't know that just how good I had to have the pvc sanded for the paint job to look smooth. Wherever the pvc primer ran, it leaves a bit of a raised area, so I have those, too. All in all, not too bad, though. It doesn't have any controls as of yet. I am thinking right now that all I need is one, the record/stop record control. From what I have read, zooming is easily done without. So I just have to acquire the control, and then implement it. For right now, I can just push the record, seal up the housing, swim around and video, and when topside, open the housing and stop recording. A little bit of extra editing, but very doable for right now.

 

[willydiver]

Thanks. It looks better online than for real! I used Krylon Fusion, which is made to adhere to plastic and glass. There are some paint runs, and I didn't know that just how good I had to have the pvc sanded for the paint job to look smooth. Wherever the pvc primer ran, it leaves a bit of a raised area, so I have those, too. All in all, not too bad, though. It doesn't have any controls as of yet. I am thinking right now that all I need is one, the record/stop record control. From what I have read, zooming is easily done without. So I just have to acquire the control, and then implement it. For right now, I can just push the record, seal up the housing, swim around and video, and when topside, open the housing and stop recording. A little bit of extra editing, but very doable for right now.

That's the method I'd thinking of using (just having one control for REC/PAUSE). I don't mind having to edit. Besides it gives footage of the whole dive from a splashy entry to coming out of the water back into the boat. In my opinion, it gives the viewer a more real experience of diving. I know you can order Ikelite contols for not too outrageous of price. I know this is against the DIY rules, but my dad has the lathe in Indiana. Much easier for me to drill and tap a hole in the cannister for a pre-built control. Here's a link to the controls:

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/product/24309/IK5014/REG/946

WD

 

[DiverMo]

So does your dad have the housing right now? I can't tell if this is something that you have already done, or are going to do. If you haven't started yet, or at least haven't done the o-ring grooves yet, here is the page I used to determine the size (width, depth) or the grooves:

http://allorings.com/gland_static_axial.htm

I used a 6 1/2" ID, 1/8" o-ring. Some of the other guys have used 1/4" - it just seemed like overkill to me. However, I haven't had mine to depth yet, either.

 

[murphdivers286]

Nice projects. Let's see more.

 

[Phazeshyft]

Hey Mo, (always wanted to say that.)
where did you get the instructions for that housing. i need to make me one. course my wife wont let me take our camera down anyway so i gotta go buy one at goodwill to show her my housing wont leak first. then i get to use our camera for real.

 

[MSilvia]

I already posted it elsewhere, but here are my new DIY Jetfin spring straps:
http://home.comcast.net/~msilvia7/jetstraps.JPG

 

[fmw625]

Kidspot, thanks for the idea of bungy to try to see if springs are for me. My fins are from Aqualung but have similar strap mounting post. I'll have to give it a try. Would make good backups.