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DIY Fluid Goggles Take 2....

Thread Status: Hello , There was no answer in this thread for more than 60 days.
It can take a long time to get an up-to-date response or contact with relevant users.

..Sam..

New Member
Jan 14, 2007
150
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0
After seeing the thread by Pezman. Here
I decided to give it a go. Why not make my own fluid goggles.
Of course like most things I try it didn't turn out how I intended.
I got some goggles and 2 10x Loupes. Put the lenses in the goggles and hey presto fluid goggles.

But to my surprise when I tried them on in the pool nothing....
For some reason today I thought they may have changed and somehow work...not sure how but worth a shot.
So here they go again and......still rubbish so as I lifted my head out of the water with water still in the goggles....omg I can see, clear as day too.

So, the 10x loupes enable you to see on land with water in the goggles. The basic and simple question that I'm asking out of this unnecessarily long story is does anyone know the magnification of the loupe I need to see underwater as well as I saw on land with the 10x. And if you could please provide a link to some I'd very much appreciate it.

I believe the loupe sizes are like 7x 14x 10x 20x 30x, I'm just not sure if I need more or less to see into water rather than air...
Cheers,
Sam



edit: just had a thought. if the loupes were say in backwards...would that make a difference? (Hope not, don't think they have a back....)
 
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Sam
It doesn't work like that. Eric said something about a +45-60 correction in the water. It depends on the difference in index of refraction of the lens compared to water. If you tried to do it with plexiglass lenses or soft contact material, +500 in air wouldn't do it because plastic is too close to the water index. I lent my goggles to someone and forgot who, but when I checked the focus in air it was in the 1-2 cm range if my memory is working.
 
Thanks for the response guys, I'll have read through when I have some sleep under may belt and aren't in danger of falling asleep.

Will try it according to the guide and have a bit of a play around myself with some different lenses.

Thanks again.

Cheers,
Sam
 
From the time i realised that it is so simple i made tons of them for many friends, i just want to say thanks to everyone for the info on this tread.
 
hmmm Kin

are you feeling generious and maybe want to make some for the people here on DeeperBlue????

DD
 
As i mentioned to someone asking me in PM i used lenses that has been made from a friend that has an optic store and makes them but he is missing from my country because he is studying for his diploma, i tried to contact him with no succsses. Actually he made the lenses and i glued them on masks or googles, so most of the work has been done from him.
 
I have talked to my friend and it seems that it is going to be back after a long time so he can't make any lenses right now but he revealed a small secret that i wasn't aware of.
There are some good quality lenses that can be found easily and cheap in binoculars, scopes, telescopes even magnifing glass that can be used in pairs to have a increase in refraction underwater. I tried with some lenses (one magnifing glass and a lens from a scope) and i had good focusing underwater but couldn't see perfectly clear. If i had one more lens probably i could fix it. The construction of a mask with so many lenses would be bulky but i don't believe it would be bigger than a normal diving mask.
 
Okay, here is my version of how to build fluid goggles. They work quite well. I can see in the water as well as out of the water(goggles filled)
I've uploaded a few photos, I hope they are clear enough to see.
First, I had my goggles marked at the center of my pupil. This will be the center of my lens.
I then took a 1/2" pvc coupling and cut it down to about 3/16" or 4mm. The center of the coupling has a ridge in it to prevent pipes from slipping all the way through. This worked great as the lense fit perfectly in the coupling yet the ridge kept them from sliding all the way through. I then put grooves in the rings on the side that would be attached to the goggles. This allows water to be on both sides of the lenses. Next, I glue the pvc rings into the goggles with a two part epoxy.(Loctite clear plastic 7min. cure time) After they are in place and dry, I glue the lenses into place using the same two part epoxy. I have only used them a couple times as I have been too busy spearfishing, but hopefully I will get back out on the practice float and put them to the test.
I hope that this makes building a pair of fluid goggles easy for someone.
Tony
 

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Reactions: ILDiver and Jon
Thanks for posting this Tony. One question. Filling them with saline, do you have any trouble getting air trapped under the lens inside of the ring?
 
I have no issues with air bubbles in the goggles. They grooves in the sides of the rings allows water to flow freely in front of the lens.
 
Ok. It's hard to tell, but I guess if the notches go all the way to the way up to the face of the lens (the lip in the fitting) air would easily escape. I will go buy some fittings and sit by the mailbox and wait for my lenses to arrive in the mail!
 
I just had a thought....how would goggles with already altered lenses for people that wear glasses that have -2 -2 lenses for example. If you filled them with water and got the right - or + would that work, I'm not even sure what they mean but I know where you can get goggles like that. ?
 
Sam
I think you may be missing one of the factors. When your eye is in contact with the water, the focus system of your eye is almost removed from the equation. Your idea will work but think of numbers like +20-50.
 
Ah I see, so that's a no to working. Pretty sure you can't get prescription goggles like that.
Thanks Bill.
 
@Tony: I'm a bit lost, what are the specifications of the lenses you used eventually? Do they have one flat side and what are their diameter? Thanks a lot!

(there have been so many contributions to this and similar threads that I don't know where to order get anymore).
 
Hey Ivo,
Can you help me?
How do I get this lenses?
How can I buy them?
If I I want to make the lens, which is the degree ecstatic speech that I must inform the glasses"s shop?
Just One more question: nirvana is the one that already sells ready?
Thanks
 
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