DIY Fluid Goggles

[watts]

Just wondering if the Edmund optics lenses are the same size as Erics ones and if Martins lenses are just from Edmund optics ?

[wdaf]

Last week i got the lenses.
They work great.
The exact Name: LENS PCX 20 X 20 UNCTD TS (45237)
Size: 20mm Diameter.
But the price for one lens was nearly 40EUR!
So i think martin must have good connections or another lens.
???

[watts]

What type of goggles did you put them in? I was thinking of putting mine in cressi galileo goggles which if placed in the right position might be better than goggles with independent eyes .Any Ideas?

[FreediveQuebec]

Can someone confirm to me that the exact lenses we need are :
LENS PCX 20 X 20 UNCTD TS (45237)
Size: 20mm Diameter.
(http://www.edmundoptics.com/onlineca...productID=1747)

Thanks

[FreediveQuebec]

I found another site from Hong Kong, http://www.hiteckint.com/product/optics/leans-pcx.htm

I don't know yet if they easily ship to America's, I'll keep you posted. They sell the same lenses but way cheaper.

[efattah]

Congratulations David.... you have made a historic discovery in the production of fluid goggles. By finding this manufacturer, you have just made fluid goggles (both production and DIY) incredibly inexpensive!!

Awesome!

[watts]

$4.62

[gianpaoloc]

I am really interested in making my own fluid goggles and I have a couple of question about the new Hong Kong site pointed out by David:
Any of you had success in ordering the required lenses from that site? Did you received them? Did you just sent them an e-mail or you contacted them in some other way? Had you ordered just a couple or you bought them in stock?

Bye
G.

[FreediveQuebec]

The best way to contact them is by phone, you can find the number on their site. Try to talk to Nick Peng.

The thing is that you have to order 100 to bennefit from the $4.62, so for smaller quantity, you're still better with Edmund Optics.

I'm currently working with Eric F. to order over a hundred in the next few weeks. We did receive a fax and pdf invoice. The shipping cost to Canada is $40 USD.

Good luck,

[Michael]

Any further developments or discoveries in the DIY fluid google front? I just got some lens from Edmundoptics. I got some plans from Doug. Has anyone tried that particular method of mounting the lens inside the goggles? Is there an easier way?

[Longfins]

Hi Michael,

I made my current pair by mounting the lens OUTSIDE the goggle because the inside mount just brush my eyelids one too many time. See attached picture.

I use the silicone goggles that have a big stable bridge in between. The nice thing is that I'm able to measure the distance between my eyeballs (67mm) and place the lenses exactly for that distance. Also note that the lenses are angled (because the goggles wrap around my face) so that when I wear them the plane of the lenses are flat so my forward vision is just like wearing a normal pair of glasses with no blind spot. The downside is that I have to keep the lenses protected otherwise they'll get scratched.

So in the picture you'll see each lens mounted to the goggle with 3 drops of epoxy. The one drop near the bridge is where the lens touch the goggle, but the other two drops were made when I had a coin (or some other spacer) in there to angle the lens. Hopefully this is clear enough to see. Let me know if you have any questions about this.

Whatever you do, do not mount the lenses directly flat on the goggle because you need the water interface in between.

Peter S.

ps. Heard you're doing 60m+ now. Way to go, you dog!

[Michael]

Peter,

That's awesome! I like that idea. Seems much easier and less room for error, because god knows if there is room for error, I'll find it. So, let me get this straight. You just epoxy the lens on the outside of a pair of goggles, with a space in between the lenses and the outside of the goggles. So, if the lens actually touch the outside of the goggles flush at the inside epoxy point, doesn't that make them angled inward? Also what kind of epoxy did you use?

[Longfins]

Michael,

That's right, the lenses angle inward when you're done and the goggle lenses are flat. But when you wear it and the goggles wrap around your face the lenses become flat and you can look straight forward normally and your line of sight won't diverge. That angle is determined by test-wearing the goggles normally and see how much it wraps around your face. It varies for everyone. For me it's around 15 degrees per eye.

I just use the 4$ air-cured epoxy you get from Home Despot that hardens in 5-6 minutes. Once you mix it wait a few minutes, you want to wait until the epoxy is as thick and gooey as caramel otherwise it will slump and run under the lens and you lose some field of vision. Practice many, many times (on an angled coin & piece of plastic). Don't be afraid to mix a new batch even for every drop because patience is key here.

I put one drop that becomes the 'foot' to support the lens, then once that's harden enough I put another drop over the lens top to hold it in place. The epoxy is slightly yellow / clear, but I don't notice it underwater. So far, treating it gently, it seems to be working out okay.

Good luck! (Get Doug to do it!!)

Peter S.

[pat fish]

has anyone made an order from HITECK already? what about shipping? http://www.hiteckint.com/product/optics/leans-pcx.htm
how to chose the best size and shape?
Thanx Pat

[efattah]

To order from HITEK you must order 100 lenses.