Light Adapter For Loc-Line...

I'm putting out a 'feeler' to see if any of you have experimented with fabricating various means for attaching 'things' to 3/4" flexible Loc-Line, e.g. lights, strobes, etc. I previuosly had a YS-60 strobe mounted to MM II EX via Loc-Line and it is adaptable, light and easy to travel with.

I recently purchased two Fantasea 44LED lights to mount on my vid housing to use for macro fill and to aid in autofocus in very low light situations. I have a few feet of Loc-Line so I hesitate to spend $70-80 for the 'ready made' arms offered by the company. Besides I asked the company to send me a couple of the top adapters (no order number) ...they said they don't sell them separately. I have attached a photo ...only need to make the top piece.

Problem: how to attach a light to the flex Loc-Line? The light has a single 'tab' attached which is drilled with a bolt hole. The Loc-Line is terminated in apprx. 3/4" hole. How can the two be jointed/secured with a SS bolt?

Appreciate any ideas!

Bill Robison

BTW I'm a new member but have visited many times in the past.

I spend my day experimenting with attaching things, just ask James Wiseman about my Target Light display at the Seaspace show in Houston!

http://wetpixel.com/images/includes/seaspa...153856_1970.htm

But seriously all you'll need to add an LED 44 light onto a lockline arm is a 90 Degree Elbow section. Cut off the male end of the elbow and drill a hole through this same end the same diameter of the mounting screw supplied with the LED 44 light. Pass the mounting screw through the hole you just drilled and use the supplied wing nut to secure the light. You may want to change the wing nut to a self locking type or use a stainless lockwasher.

Dave

Thanks for your comments! I took a look at your link then zoomed on the Fantasea adapter. Slick application!

Questions:

>> Appears you used 1/2" Loc-Line and mine is 3/4" ...do you think that with the larger size I will still have a good mating surface with the light?

>> Do you find that 1/2" has enough friction with these lights ...even if I'm the flex arm is 12"

Unrelated:

Have you used the Fantasea 44LED with still or video? any advice on white balance, filters diffusers, etc. considering their 6,100k output? Any photo samples using this light? I just got two to mount on my housing, but haven't gotten them wet yet.

Again thanks for you help!

Bill

I spend my day experimenting with attaching things, just ask James Wiseman about my Target Light display at the Seaspace show in Houston! 

 

http://wetpixel.com/images/includes/seaspa...153856_1970.htm

 

But seriously all you'll need to add an LED 44 light onto a lockline arm is a 90 Degree Elbow section. Cut off the male end of the elbow and drill a hole through this same end the same diameter of the mounting screw supplied with the LED 44 light. Pass the mounting screw through the hole you just drilled and use the supplied wing nut to secure the light. You may want to change the wing nut to a self locking type or use a stainless lockwasher.

The 1/2" Loc-Line works well with this light. The 3/4" will also work well but you may need to add a stainless flat washer between the 90 degree section and the light.

I consider this product to be a Focus Assist Light and not a Photo or Video Light source. It provides a 2 foot flat/even beam at a 3 foot distance.

I have used gaffer tape wrapped round the loc-line and my q40 torch - it worked well for several days diving.

I made my own arms with 3/4" loc-Line and connected to a pair of ike strobes to an ike tray.

However - I have my own machine shop so I just machined up the bits myself in Acetal. Maybe you can find a home shop / basement machinist in your area.

I probably have some drawings of my stuff someplace if that is of any use.

The 3/4" loc Line works fine with the fairly weighty DS125's but tend to squeak a lot when you move them about which was not anticipated.

Paul C

Triggerfish

I would love to see a couple pix of your creation if it isn't too much trouble!

Bill

Bill@DeepThinkers.us

OK - I will take a couple of pics and figure out how to post them.

It is far from being rocket science.

Paul C

To be honest I had more hassle figuring out how to post the pics than machining the thing !

First apologies - I will figure out how to host pics on our server here and then post links.

The first image is the attachment into the Ikelite handle for the loc-line - the black lump on the right is machined out of Acetal ( Delryn ) which is a favorite plastic of mine.

The orange bit is a Loc-Line base mount which bolts on top with the SS allen head on the left.

There is a machined bit on the top of the attachment to index the base mount and to stop it turning.

I also put a drain hole in the base mount to allow water out - or it took hours to drip slowly out on exit of the water.

Second pic is the top end that attaches to the DS125 again in Acetal. The leftmost part has the DS125 mount and a parallel section to mate with the Loc-Line segment ( blue ). To the right of the loc-line bit is a tapered spacer and Allen screw to make the attachment.

Also there is a small stainless pin that locks the head mount and spacer, that stops rotation and the inevitable result - falling apart at depth.

Third pic is the whole lot on my D70 housing.

Seems to work fine in the water, not stiff enough to hold the weight of the strobes out of the water.

Only downside has been that there is a hell of a squeak when it comes to adjusting the whole thing - does not seem to bother the subject ( sharks seem to love it! ) but you can get some strange looks from others in the water with you.

May have figured out the pics thing so am going to try this here :-

http://www.polarinstruments.com/~paulc/Images/DSC_0004.gif

http://www.polarinstruments.com/~paulc/Images/DSC_0005.gif

http://www.polarinstruments.com/~paulc/Images/DSC_0010.gif

Usually I have Autocad drawings for all of my stuff ( I make a lot of my own dive stuff ) but in this case I do not - I could probably generate some if I had to.

Paul C

Man I thought us land based digital photographers were crazy about our equipment! I found this thread on a google search for Loc-Line. I have a couple of questions if you don't mind.

1. Where do you purchase the Loc-Line material? I found Modularhose.com which appears to be reasonable.

2. I intend to make a system to hold my Nikon SB-800 flashes. Is the 3/4' overkill or will the 1/2" do?

Thanks in advance. I guess in living in Florida I should take my D70 underwater B)

Jim

Oh no - we are all nutters here mate.

Think you will find Modular Hose are the makers of the stuff. If you are in the us I would try McMaster-Carr.

http://www.mcmaster.com/

As for the second question it depends on how much moving about you intend - even if you are aiming at some kind of fixed setup I would go 3/4.

If you are going to be moving the strobes in some animated way just prior to pressing the button then I don't think even the 3/4 will be stiff enough.

Loc-Line was intended for flexable coolant delivery on industrial machines all of this other stuff going on is 'extra'.

Thanks, I will give McMasters a look.

I will be using it to position a stationary flash so the 3/4 seems like it will work. There is a commercially made photoaccessary called a PLAMP made with the Loc-Line product. It has two clamps, one for holding on to tripod and the other end a gentler clamp for holding flowers and stuff still for close ups.

Thanks again.

Triggerfish

Thanks for posting the photos of your set-up! Nice work!

In case you are interested ...an idea came to me the other night on how to secure the lights from getting lost in a wreck or strong current situation ...since loc-line could potentially separate with an impact and the light would be lost.

OLD IDEA: In the past I simply tied a nylon line from the light to the camera housing and fastened the tether line to the loc-line in two or three spots with 'ties'. This worked OK , but wasn't very safe (DIR) since the exposed line could get get tangled on something...

REVISED IDEA: Drill a hole on the loc-line fitting closest to the top and bottom mounting adapters. Feed the tether line through the INSIDE of the loc-line and the exposed ends to the light and the housing ...DIR, simple, cleaner lines! What do you think, heh?

Einstein always promoted, "from chaos create simplicity"

Bill

Sounds like a fine idea. Though it will take a hell of a whack to seperate 3/4 loc line.

There is a hidden bonus here also.

As Loc Line is intended to keep fluid IN when it fills up it takes forever to slowly leak out - took me a while to figure why all my gear was wet - took days to drip out ! A couple of extra holes worked wonders.

Take care....

Paul

I am hacking a GoPro mount using loc-line. When I have it done, I'll post photos.