Underwater camera housing trim rail (Ikelite & others)

thingiverse

I recently bought an Ikelite underwater housing for my camera and found it to be quite front-buoyant with the 8" acrylic dome attached. Rather than spend the extra $175 on a weight trim rail, I decided to model one myself and it works great! The design features a "mount" block which provides the necessary clearance between the rail and dome, doubling as a handle for in-water use only. The "Ikelite" version of the mount is inset to match the profile of Ikelite baseplates, but I also provided a version which is flat on top for people not using Ikelite housings. A 1-2 lb weight is attached to the front of the rail with cable ties. The rail and mount are attached to the camera housing baseplate via a 1/4-20 2.5" stainless steel bolt and recommended washer. The position of the trim weight can be adjusted by loosening the bolt and slide the rail forward or backward. I've tested the rail in 6mm thickness and provided a version with 10mm thickness in case you need more rigidity. I suggest you print with at least 25% infill, 3 walls, and in a material that holds up reasonably well to saltwater and UV (such as PLA+ or PETG). Print the rails with the flat side down, and the mounts with the two grooves facing down and supports turned on. Happy diving! EDIT: Here's a link to a Tweet with video of this design working in the water, I suggest printing the 10mm version. https://twitter.com/AustinLGreene/status/1302682709882331136?s=20 a