Source for low-end housing?

[ChrisA]

I want to buy a good UW video sytem eventually but I just happen to have an older 8mm camera. I want to get a "seal and go" housing for it. You know, the kind with zero controls. It's not worth spending any serious money on an 8mm camera.

I'd concider making a housing too but I can't figure out a way to machine an o-ring grove using just hand tools.

 

[mack50md]

I've been in the market for a low-end housing and someone on the board steered me to Aquatix's AquaCamEx http://www.aquatix.com/aquacam.htm universal housing. If I had the cash, I'd go with the middle model at just under $500 for my Panasoic DV cam. Sound like you would go for the low-end model at under $400.

As for machining an O-ring groove in a plastic cylinder like PVC or Lexan with hand tools, you may be able to put together a home-made compass jig for a router or a roto-zip.

Good Luck

 

[diversteve]

I want to buy a good UW video sytem eventually but I just happen to have an older 8mm camera. I want to get a "seal and go" housing for it. You know, the kind with zero controls. It's not worth spending any serious money on an 8mm camera.
I'd concider making a housing too but I can't figure out a way to machine an o-ring grove using just hand tools.

They're on eBay all the time, I've seen some sell for under $300 w/basic controls. If you have a Sony camera, there's some older electronic housings occasionally. I've even recently seen two Equinox housings with mechanical controls recently. There's a generic tube housing on eBay right now, including an LCD monitor and carrying case. Bid starting at $99. eBay item #7118321005. It looks like it might be an Aquacam, but it's not marked.

The most basic seal/go housing I've seen is made by Yellowjacket. $240 for the tube, $305 for the tube with one control.

Aquatix sells plans for $29 if you decide to DIY. A machine shop can mill the groove.

 

[Groundhog246]

I'd concider making a housing too but I can't figure out a way to machine an o-ring grove using just hand tools.

Neither could I, so I had a smallish local machine shop do it. Set up was the major cost (had to set the correct machine speed for plastic, etc. So cost $60 and could have had another done for very little more (once the machione was set up, each end took about a minute with about another 2 minutes to turn the pipe end for end, so 5 minutes would have done the second one).