The Nauticam collar has the lens still rather negative. I'm considering using either the BTS Flat Port collar (no buoyancy specs) or Stixs 12 segment collar.

I'd like to get the lens as close to perfectly neutral as possible.

I've been experimenting with 3D printed buoyancy solutions for a while now. I've created a few iterations of a form fitting collar that snuggly fit over a 105mm macro port and add about 250 to 350 grams of buoyancy. It's a lot cleaner looking than a foam belt too. My first versions relied on painting with epoxy resin to seal it, but I've since been able to make versions without added sealants that stay watertight to 100feet over multiple dives. I want to keep iterating to reduce the dry weight and wall thickness a bit more before sharing. I've made prototypes for the Port60, Port87, and Port60+20mm extension. These have been especially useful to counter the added front weighting of a Dual Flip adapter with a couple of diopters attached.

It should be very possible to design one of these for the WWL-1. I have a WWL-C, but it includes a built-in aluminum buoyancy collar.

If @Dave_Hicks can make you one, I’d be inclined to go there. I just use the 1st version foam collar, and Stix floats on my arms (I have really skinny arms). Another thing that looks interesting is Marelux’s adjustable float bag:

Marelux

Flexibuoy

Flexibuoy

cheers.

Craig

35 minutes ago, humu9679 said:

If @Dave_Hicks can make you one, I’d be inclined to go there. I just use the 1st version foam collar, and Stix floats on my arms (I have really skinny arms). Another thing that looks interesting is Marelux’s adjustable float bag:

Marelux

Flexibuoy

Flexibuoy

cheers.

Craig

The port floats are big jobs, about 12 hours prints and use 1/3 of a KG spool. But once tested out, they are pretty easy to reproduce. So far, I just have designs for the 3 macro port configs I listed. I don't have a WWL-1 to measure.

I have been looking around at various foam options to make a float for my rig, a lot of places have the foam used for insulation under house slabs which is specified as high density and low water absorption and densities in the range of 30-33kg/m3. This means it has a buoyancy of about 970 kg/m3 or 0.97 gr/cm3.

According to the page for the original WWL-1 float collar the lens is 160 gr negative UW with the collar. so it would need about 160/0.97 = 165 cm3 of 30kg/m3 foam. This is a cube about 5.5 cm or 2.1" on a side. If you can source some of this foam you could carve out a piece in the shape of an arc matched to the OD of float collar about 20cm long x 4cm wide and 2 cm thick and glue/screw it to the float collar you already have. With a bit of searching you could probably find a piece of the foam at an art supply place - it's used for sculpture, you would look for XPS foam with a density of 30-35 kg/m3.

So I don't currently have the float collar. Looking at specs the lens seems to be about 600g negative without it which would be a rather significant print.

The Stix 12 section collar should do it with some customizing, unfortunately expensive to get in Canada with the current tariff situation .

7 minutes ago, Grantmac said:

So I don't currently have the float collar. Looking at specs the lens seems to be about 600g negative without it which would be a rather significant print.

The Stix 12 section collar should do it with some customizing, unfortunately expensive to get in Canada with the current tariff situation .

You could also carve a whole float collar out of such material if you have the dimensions, just do the volume calculations if you know the foam density. It would need a steady hand with a hot wire cutter to make it neat though.

Mozaik still list the buoyancy collar for WWL-1 for $92CAD and they ship out of Vancouver. You could also check them for the Stix collar. they seem to have a coupon code for 12% off - no tariffs.

If you used the Nauticam buoyancy collar and assuming you are shooting stills not video you could take that weight into account with float arms

3 hours ago, Dave_Hicks said:

The port floats are big jobs, about 12 hours prints and use 1/3 of a KG spool. But once tested out, they are pretty easy to reproduce. So far, I just have designs for the 3 macro port configs I listed. I don't have a WWL-1 to measure.

No doubt it’s a big job. But if anyone can do it, you da man Dave.

4 hours ago, Chris Ross said:

You could also carve a whole float collar out of such material if you have the dimensions, just do the volume calculations if you know the foam density. It would need a steady hand with a hot wire cutter to make it neat though.

Mozaik still list the buoyancy collar for WWL-1 for $92CAD and they ship out of Vancouver. You could also check them for the Stix collar. they seem to have a coupon code for 12% off - no tariffs.

If you used the Nauticam buoyancy collar and assuming you are shooting stills not video you could take that weight into account with float arms

I should go into business. I could sell a float collar for $50 and still make a $40 profit. Turns out my hourly rate is $0/hour since I retired. Obsolete and unemployable!

I adapted an AOI collar to my UWL100 using a hot knife. It's not perfect but works rather well.

Importantly it's perfectly neutral so if I remove it and put it on an arm it's not changing anything. That's what I was hoping to achieve.

I suppose it's worth seeing if Moziak can get in the Stix collar.

I was considering 3D printing a collar in sections to mimic the Stix/BTS system but with a custom fit. Then I can test one piece at a time in my pressure pot if I really want to get fancy.

3 hours ago, Grantmac said:

I adapted an AOI collar to my UWL100 using a hot knife. It's not perfect but works rather well.

Importantly it's perfectly neutral so if I remove it and put it on an arm it's not changing anything. That's what I was hoping to achieve.

I suppose it's worth seeing if Moziak can get in the Stix collar.

I was considering 3D printing a collar in sections to mimic the Stix/BTS system but with a custom fit. Then I can test one piece at a time in my pressure pot if I really want to get fancy.

I found that with the Arm floats stix foam is hard to beat. The dry weight vs buoyancy ratio of jumbo stix is superior. Its just cleaner and more durable. Port floats work a bit more in favor of printing as you can get really snug, clean, and maximize volume.

Edited July 4Jul 4 by Dave_Hicks

Another vote for Stix Jumbo. Long-lasting, easy to change and relatively inexpensive (as u/w photo gear goes!)

33 minutes ago, TimG said:

Another vote for Stix Jumbo. Long-lasting, easy to change and relatively inexpensive (as u/w photo gear goes!)

I’m still using my original Stix Jumbo set from 2011. While they most likely may have lost a bit of their buoyancy from the repetitive compression, they still work great!

Any speaking to the quality of BTS vs Stix? I have some BTS pieces now which feel almost rigid but haven't had anything from STIX in my hands to compare them with.

I definitely want to keep the lens and housing flotation as tight as possible to get my strobes in tight for CFWA. I suppose I could print a port collar which has cut-outs on the side or could modify the BTS/Stix ones to do similar. I'd be hesitant to hack parts out of the Nauticam collar considering it's already a bit light on flotation.

I also have a set of these kicking around:

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/592166-REG/Aquatica_17892_Buoyancy_Compensating_Float.html

Which I might be able to mount on the WWL, they are too awkward when mounted on the arms.

1 hour ago, Grantmac said:

Any speaking to the quality of BTS vs Stix? I have some BTS pieces now which feel almost rigid but haven't had anything from STIX in my hands to compare them with.

If you do tech dives just keep in mind that below 40 m, Stixs will shrink like marshmallow. Been there done that.

As Chris pointed out, closed cells pvc foam with a density of 25/30 kg/m3 is the safe choice.

EDIT: I correct myself, a density of 45 Kg/M3 is the minimum for rec dives and 60-100 Kg/m3 for tech dives.

Edited July 7Jul 7 by Davide DB
Wrong info on PVC foam density

Hmmm that's definitely not ideal. Although I don't currently photograph on the deeper dives it's in my future.

The WWL-1 with the OE foam collar is negative but on either my NA-6400 or my NA-R50 the overall balance is near perfect. I have both set slightly negative using two Nauticam 70X800 float arms and two more 8 inch arms with the standard Stix floats now replaced by some Amazon arms I found that are prettier but work no better.

My float collar was getting a little buggered up, cosmetics only, so I refinished and painted with PlastiDip. So far so good. I have a spare float collar should I ever wear this one out. I have had it to over 130 feet, even 150 feet more than once with no deleterious effects.

I use a Stix buoyancy collar on my Canon/FIX90 rig with the old Inon WAL lens with dome, a heavy chunk without.

Edited July 6Jul 6 by Nemrod
typo

On 7/5/2025 at 12:24 AM, Davide DB said:

If you do tech dives just keep in mind that below 40 m, Stixs will shrink like marshmallow. Been there done that.

As Chris pointed out, closed cells pvc foam with a density of 25/30 kg/m3 is the safe choice.

I don't think I've ever dived to 40m (wimp?) but I've had my Stix to just over 30m lots of times. Never had an issue.

1 hour ago, TimG said:

I don't think I've ever dived to 40m (wimp?) but I've had my Stix to just over 30m lots of times. Never had an issue.

Yes, they are guaranteed up to 40m. First time with the Jumbo Stix at 70m, at the beginning I didn't notice their shape but I felt my camera very heavy, then I realized they were completely crushed. They got back their original shape on the boat, after a couple of hours.

On 7/5/2025 at 12:00 AM, Grantmac said:

I adapted an AOI collar to my UWL100 using a hot knife. It's not perfect but works rather well.

Importantly it's perfectly neutral so if I remove it and put it on an arm it's not changing anything. That's what I was hoping to achieve.

UWL100, as in Inon? is so, would you have a picture of your DIY job? thanks!

On 7/5/2025 at 7:24 AM, Davide DB said:

If you do tech dives just keep in mind that below 40 m, Stixs will shrink like marshmallow. Been there done that.

As Chris pointed out, closed cells pvc foam with a density of 25/30 kg/m3 is the safe choice.

Would it be possible to share some reliable sources of high density PVC foam somewhere on the forum? DIY section perhaps?

I gave up looking for some in Indonesia, as it was just not practical, but now that I'm in consumer-paradise Japan I'm bumping into the same hurdles.

Divinycell has one Japanese importer but they don't sell to the public / do samples. Same goes for boating supplies. Housing / construction is very exotic and wood-based here, and not really seen anything in local hardware stores /home centers.

Specialised stuff like this with precise characteristics is surprisingly difficult to find in some places.
I'm making do with commercially available high density foam, but would love to find large amounts of the stuff I could shape to my needs. It's not a language issue, more like import/purpose/retail reasons...

As an example, we were looking for sorbothane to dampen the wife's electric piano vibration on the flooring, and finally ended up buying pads from the US, as Japanese retailers only had hard duro (70) stuff (mostly for medical soles), and didn't sell to the public. A local retailer did sell a few sorbothane pads, but at a 70% markup (common here as well, surfing the language barrier). Massive headache...

Any foamy connects would be greatly appreciated!

cheers

Edited July 7Jul 7 by bghazzal

Just heated a utility knife with a propane torch and cut until it fit. The bungees hold it in place and aren't visible with my housing. If you didn't intend to remove it the bungees wouldn't be necessary.

I found out the flat BTS collar would just float it but the cost works out to 2x as much as the Stix per unit if floating.

I do have some BTS floats to try on my arms but conditions aren't ideal at the moment. I might drop one in my friends pressure pot which goes to 10bar.

2 hours ago, Grantmac said:

Just heated a utility knife with a propane torch and cut until it fit. The bungees hold it in place and aren't visible with my housing. If you didn't intend to remove it the bungees wouldn't be necessary.

I found out the flat BTS collar would just float it but the cost works out to 2x as much as the Stix per unit if floating.

I do have some BTS floats to try on my arms but conditions aren't ideal at the moment. I might drop one in my friends pressure pot which goes to 10bar.

Wow - very nice, thank you. Is it the AOI FC1 float collar for UWL-09PRO & UWL-09?

Edited July 7Jul 7 by bghazzal

8 hours ago, bghazzal said:

Wow - very nice, thank you. Is it the AOI FC1 float collar for UWL-09PRO & UWL-09?

That is correct. I don't think I'd need to take as much off if my port wasn't the wide Seafrogs. But it still only took perhaps an hour.