Strobe Buoyancy Arms (Foam?)

[gummybun]

I am setting up my first Strobe Arm with a shiny new flash!!

I see the expensive tube arms and the solid and soft foam store bought doughnuts and I have seen people strapping lumps of rigid foam onto their arms...

I am sure many must have tried standard black foam pipe wrap and maybe some have tried the neoprene wrap available in some plumbing supplies. Can I ask for those who have tried this wrap how it works for you?

The Neoprene looks cool but seems weaker (tears easily). Do you need to wrap it in tape to keep it from separating etc?

Thanks for any observations!

 

[Rollin]

Black pipe foam is really to soft in my opinion. It will crush at shallow depths. But it is so cheap, you can try it yourself. ;-)

I tried blocks of hard foam used as flooring insulation. It was flat after only two dives (admittedly, the second was a 40m/130ft dive)
Now I use Stix floats, they withstand the pressure well (52m/170ft max till now).

 

[diversteve]

Try https://www.amazon.com/Fix-Find-flexible-colorful-Noodles/dp/B004UHED0C

You're not out much if they don't work.

 

[aviator8]

I am going through this now. I got a few suggestions on another forum. fisherman pvc buoys can be cut and shaped to fit your arms. I decided on them as they are cheap. I just ordered this form Memphis Net & Twine. Though many suppliers sell them. More than i need. I plan on drilling out the centers to fit my arms, then trimming to get the buoyancy I need
Ordered: 4 Shipped: 4 SB2 FLOAT PVC SPONGE 2" X 1-1/2" $0.44
Ordered: 2 Shipped: 2 SB6 FLOAT PVC SPONGE 3" X 3" $1.53

another option mentioned to me is Divinycell sold at aircraft spruce in small sheets . 1 12 in sheet is ~$18 and pieces can be cut off and shaped how you need.

 

[Sam Miller III]

A stripe or a wrapping of wet suit material taped on via plastic electrical tape
worked for me

SDM

 

[tursiops]

Try Amazon.com : Fix Find 5 pack of 52 inch flexible colorful foam Swim/Float/Pool Noodles : Pool Noodle : Sports & Outdoors

You're not out much if they don't work.

Wasted money for this application, no matter how cheap.

 

[fmerkel]

If it's soft; pipe insulation, pool noodle, wetsuit, etc. it simply isn't going to work. Done that. It may float it on the surface but it'll squish like a bug at depth and lose all buoyancy.
The foam has to be RIGID/HARD, or something non-compressible and hollow. There is inexpensive rigid foam you can buy and make your own. Kinda ugly but not hard to do.

 

[Sam Miller III]

@fmerkel
If it's soft; pipe insulation, pool noodle, wetsuit, etc. it simply isn't going to work. Done that. It may float it on the surface but it'll squish like a bug at depth and lose all buoyancy.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Amazing ! Wet suit wrap worked for me !
Never failed !

Have you tried it ?
I suspect the the answer is NO !

sdm

 

[gummybun]

Right, I get it. Thanks for all the good advice!
I don't live near (warm) water so I rather need to get it right(ish) before leaving so I appreciate the tough direct comments! I was hoping for soft as I might have been easier to pack it in my luggage. 'suppose a half dozen small doughnuts might pack well.

 

[gummybun]

@fmerkel
Amazing ! Wet suit wrap worked for me !
Never failed !
sdm

You used some old 1/4" sharkskin? or wound some 5mm round a few times?