L&M Bluefin top handle

Hello everyone,

Does anyone make or know of anyone that makes a handle that will fit onto the top of a bluefin housing? There are 2 holes that are threaded on top of the housings & i was thinking a handle that screws into these 2 holes would be very useful for handling the camera.

Would love to find something if anyones has any info.

Cheers Pete.

Hello everyone,

Does anyone make or know of anyone that makes a handle that will fit onto the top of a bluefin housing? There are 2 holes that are threaded on top of the housings & i was thinking a handle that screws into these 2 holes would be very useful for handling the camera.

Would love to find something if anyones has any info.

Cheers Pete.

I don't know any dedicated handles for that but you could probably fashion something using a lantern style flashlight grip from an old UK light with the proper size bolts and washers. I can't recall which size s/s bolt fits those but it should be doable.

John

Hi John,

I was hoping that i could buy something pre-made but i will just buy a small length of alloy & bend it myself & then cover it with some foam to make it comfortable on the hand.

I have 2 of the screws already so no big deal.

Just easier to buy something. Looks like i am off to the shed soon for a project.

Cheers Pete.

These holes are relatively shallow and quite close from one another, so I would feel myself a bit worried that anything attached to them may be ripped off in sudden move as is often encountered when a swim step attendant grabs a camera from the hands of a diver... I find the inexpensive solution I pictured here to be quite convenient (although, even though I tell the guys not to pull the camera by the rope connecting my two light arms, this is what they invariably end up doing after a while :-).

I was thinking about attaching something to the bottom of the handles as there is a small hole there already on both sides. I don't really want to have all the weight hanging on the handles though so i am a bit against that idea at the moment.

The two threaded holes are just wide enough apart that i could squeeze my hand in between them, so i was thinking i might shape some alloy to be a little wider on top & then angle back so it is narrower on bottom & then screwed onto the housing at each hole.

I think that would be a very sturdy handle & i will head down to the local foam shop & find some foam to slide over it to make it nice & soft.

I will get onto this next weekend & post up pics once it is done.

Cheers Pete.

Didn't L & M have a top handle for their Z1U bluefin? Maybe they have some that would fit.

Steve

The issue I see with UE's "handle" from the picture is that won't work with the locline arms a lot of us use. Great with the UCLS though.

IMHO I think the holes are deep enough to take a handle mount workload and I'l leery of damaging my handles with more than a lanyard to clip it briefly for when I need both hands.

Steve has a good point if the holes are the same.

Good luck.

John

The issue I see with UE's "handle" from the picture is that won't work with the locline arms a lot of us use. Great with the UCLS though.

John, the "handle" you are talking about in my "design" is precisely NOT a handle. It's just a safety connection between the two ULCS arms, in case one breaks loose from the L&M handle (god forbid!). The real handle consists of a small rope (with a piece of flexible tubing around it) which is wrapped around the base of each handle (probably the most reliable locations to hold the housing from), and clipped to itself with two quick release clips at both ends. But as I said, I have a hard time explaining to the swim step guys that NO, you should not grab the ULCS arm "connector"!

Anyhow, L&M should have thought of something to handle their housing...

Think your still missing the point, that only works with ULCS arms whatever you want to call it.

It is the same mount a lot of housing (that use those arms) use. My wife has the same on her Nauticam housing.

I have tried both and will stick with my locline arms.

How are you advocating she attach this, around the handles? unless she has those ULCS arms already and I missed something.

John

This is what I am talking about:

I don't think that is exclusive to lockline type of strobe arms.

This is what I am talking about:

 

 

I don't think that is exclusive to lockline type of strobe arms.

Ahhhh, now I get what your saying.

I am leery of anything around my Bluefin's handles connection point to the housing having seen a few break at the plastic tightening ring, I always carry a spare handles kit with those and the little spanner.

The rope loop should be pretty gentle on them, though from that angle it is hard to tell quite how it is attached.

If I could give up my 3rd light arm on the top of the housing I would try it.

Thanks.

John

The rope is not attached to anything. Just wrapped around the base of the handle and clipped to itself at both ends using the quick release clips (to easily get rid of it for storage). I have trouble seeing how those plastic rings could break unless you would carry the housing from one handle (which my design is supposed to prevent, as this is something I could foresee being a problem on the swim step). If you are using one of the top threads for a third light, this will obviously not work for you unless you can find a way to flip the arm down before grabbing the rope... It's worked fine for me for more than a year now. Knocking wood!

Well i finally made a handle. I just have to find the right size bolts but that could be a little difficult this close to christmas as these size are not readily available.

I will go hunting tomorrow & will hopefully have some pics up in the next few days.

Cheers Pete.

I got my bolt problem sorted today & finally assembled my new handle!

It cost me a grand total of $2.75! Gotta love that....

Remember to put some zinc washers to prevent rusting due to different metals contacting. Cool solution.

Ahh, good point drew. I will pick some up soon. I used stainless steel bolts but i will change them to a slightly longer version after christmas as all the industrial places are closed now.

These size bolts are very hard to come by in aus. I couldn't fit a spring washer on so just had to use a flat washer.

It is certainly quite comfortable & i will test in out over the christmas break.

Hopefully it will stand up to field testing.

Cheers Pete.

Remember to put some zinc washers to prevent rusting due to different metals contacting. Cool solution.

Impressive! However, be careful with rash DMs grabbing the hand too quickly and not helping themselves with their other hand underneath the housing... These threads are rather shallow, and I'd be worried that too much stress on those screws could result in unwanted... endings!

I will definately be keeping an eye on it. I do wish the threads were abit longer but not much i can do about it.

I am very happy with it for a backyard job. Obviously a bending machine would have given it a much nicer bend & overall finish, but for $2.75 i ain't complaining!!!!

Cheers Pete.

Well I'd still have a tether for the handle to the other handle.... JUST IN CASE!

So after a dozen or so dives, the handle is holding up fine. It feels very secure & i pass it upto the boat by the top handle & no problems so far. It is much easier now to swim with, only having to hold the top handle & not the 2 side handles.

I also have the float for the housing & so i have made another version to suit the float.

Havn't dived it yet but will do so soon & report back.

This time i put a clip on it so i can clip it off if i need two hands.

Cheers Pete.