Transparent or clear nose cone availability?

[Ralph M Bohm]

Hello All,

Anyone here know of a source for transparent or clear 3" OD diameter, blunted ogive or pointed ogive nose cones (perhaps, even a parabolic shaped)? I've searched online for them but have not come up with any. I also searched the Forum here to no avail. I will keep trying nevertheless.

Thanks

Ralph M Bohm

 

[teepot]

Try looking at clear plastic fillable ornaments on Amazon. I've used them before. Some are egg shaped and might work for you. Others are round and I've used those for nose cones.

 

[Ralph M Bohm]

Try looking at clear plastic fillable ornaments on Amazon. I've used them before. Some are egg shaped and might work for you. Others are round and I've used those for nose cones.

I'll check it out right now...

 

[n27sb]

What are you trying to build. I could build one from my mold but it would not be clear. Do you need clear or opaque?

 

[vance2loud]

Another option could be large plastic wine glasses. Cut off at the stem and you have the start of a good nosecone.
Not sure if they go up to 3 inch but since COVID it wouldn’t surprise me.

 

[Ralph M Bohm]

Try looking at clear plastic fillable ornaments on Amazon. I've used them before. Some are egg shaped and might work for you. Others are round and I've used those for nose cones.

These aren't quite what I am looking for, I think.

 

[Ralph M Bohm]

What are you trying to build. I could build one from my mold but it would not be clear. Do you need clear or opaque?

I need it to be clear as possible for the 360 camera I want to install in it.

 

[Ralph M Bohm]

Another option could be large plastic wine glasses. Cut off at the stem and you have the start of a good nosecone.
Not sure if they go up to 3 inch but since COVID it wouldn’t surprise me.

I think that may be a viable option. In fact, I have some somewhere in a box. I need to locate. We recently moved and there are things missing. But your mention of them reminded me of a purchase I had made a year or so ago.

 

[dhbarr]

I've thought about a plastic bell jar for something like this, e.g.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07DN38YV3

 

[neil_w]

I've thought about a plastic bell jar for something like this, e.g.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07DN38YV3

If you're willing to live with a hemispherical shape for your nose, there is a world of clear plastic domes out there. Just search for "clear plastic dome. E.g.: https://kitkraft.com/products/3-76-2mm-clear-domes. I would think these are likely to be more optically pure than plastic wine glasses or stuff like that. If you search for "camera domes" you can find really good quality stuff, but it tends to be expensive.

Whether this works in your application depends on the shape of your camera. If it needs a lot of space above the lens, then hemisphere probably doesn't work.

 

[Cesaroni Technology]

We have a 2.6" nose cone. Plastic so not crystal clear...

 

[Ez2cDave]

Anyone here know of a source for transparent or clear 3" OD diameter, blunted ogive or pointed ogive nose cones (perhaps, even a parabolic shaped)? I've searched online for them but have not come up with any. I also searched the Forum here to no avail. I will keep trying nevertheless.

Hello, Ralph !

Take a look at this website . . .

https://www.eztopsworldwide.com/smalldomesCDN.htm

Good luck on your project !

Dave F.

 

[jqavins]

I need it to be clear as possible for the 360 camera I want to install in it.

For a camera, would a section of tube be adequate? I'm wondering why the nose cone, and a cylinder is probably a lot easier to find.

The one reason I can think of is to point the camera straight up. If that's the idea then the hemisphere options are probably your best choice for minimum optical distortion.

We have a 2.6" nose cone.

Wow, I didn't know you guys have anything besides motors. Now I have to go check out the rest.

≡≡≡≡≡ Mere moments later ≡≡≡≡≡

OK, I checked your Products page, and I still don't see anything but motors.

 

[M Dive]

CTI: I couldn't find nosecones on your website(s). Can you provide a link?

 

[Cesaroni Technology]

For a camera, would a section of tube be adequate? I'm wondering why the nose cone, and a cylinder is probably a lot easier to find.

The one reason I can think of is to point the camera straight up. If that's the idea then the hemisphere options are probably your best choice for minimum optical distortion.
Wow, I didn't know you guys have anything besides motors. Now I have to go check out the rest.

≡≡≡≡≡ Mere moments later ≡≡≡≡≡

OK, I checked your Products page, and I still don't see anything but motors.

No you won't find them on our website, but most of our dealers carry them. 38, 54, 2.6" and 75mm. Currently the 75mm are only available in black.

 

[OzHybrid]

you could try this clear printing method. Not used it , but looks promising.
https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:1312109

 

[Blast it Tom!]

I have often thought about starting a thread asking the same thing. Not just for cameras, but actual really clear nose cones, not just domes. There's a lot that could be done besides cameras, thought that is certainly the most utilitarian. But a strobe could be mounted in one, or a kids' themeed rocket, stuff like that...

 

[Maxwelljets]

We have a 2.6" nose cone. Plastic so not crystal clear...View attachment 463141View attachment 463142

I heard rumors you were discontinuing these. Is there any truth to that?

 

[Ralph M Bohm]

Hello all,

I've read all of the posts and there are quite a few. So, I'll answer a few of them

I've thought about a plastic bell jar for something like this, e.g.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07DN38YV3

This looked good and I might have gone with that if I could trust my cutting it without shattering it. Then the next post looks like it may work better...

If you're willing to live with a hemispherical shape for your nose, there is a world of clear plastic domes out there. Just search for "clear plastic dome. E.g.: https://kitkraft.com/products/3-76-2mm-clear-domes. I would think these are likely to be more optically pure than plastic wine glasses or stuff like that. If you search for "camera domes" you can find really good quality stuff, but it tends to be expensive.

Whether this works in your application depends on the shape of your camera. If it needs a lot of space above the lens, then hemisphere probably doesn't work.

This, I may try to utilize. I may ask myself why I would want to capture sky but the camera I'm looking to incorporate will have a 270-degree arc and 260-degree horizon. Actually, let me post a link and image of it here:

360fly camera

 

[jqavins]

The link seems to just come back to this thread.

 

[OzHybrid]

The link seems to just come back to this thread.

Think he meant this. I guess the frame format is circular( normal camera would be rectangular 4:3 or 16:9) so you can pull a normal format frame from it in any direction.
https://www.360fly.com/

 

[OzHybrid]

If you just want an optically clear dome, these are readily available. If you want a dome at a very specific size, it's pretty easy to do it yourself with a hot air gun( normally used for a paint stripper) ideally adjustable temperature but not critical, and air line, the plastic of your choice (3mm acrylic is easy).
Commercially, you'd heat the plastic in an oven , then transfer to a table with an air feed and a valve to control that in the center, a clamping ring and a bunch of clamps to clamp it quickly while still hot.

Gives a good demo of it.

Warning THIS Is NOT SAFE. I never said it was. All below at your own risk. Leather gloves, Safety Specs, Ear muffs.... If you're not happy with this method, I didn't MAKE you do it. This is for people who trust their own judgement on when to cross the road and do not NEED a green man to MAKE that decision for them.

You can do the same with a piece of 1/2 " ply with hole the correct dia cut. Sand it so only one side has the finished dia and the other is fully smooth radiused. So the bottom side will have a dia say 3/4" bigger. cut another piece of ply with a hold at that bigger dia and finally a last backing piece with your air hole and valve( a NON safety air duster works well).
Get double sided foam tape and tape your perspex (with the paper removed) to the Bottom of your finished radiused mold. apply more foam tape to perspex and seal to next larger hole section. Then attach that to the bottom. Now drill and bolt through all.
Put some leather gloves on. Heat the perspex up with the hot air gun. Keep it moving not too close. Get it all at the same temperature and a good wobble on it. Inject air and it will start to form a dome. You can adjust the shape by continuing to keep it hot as you inject the air in the area you want it to go. This is a finesse move for advanced players. You can use the mold bits as a template to drill your next dome.

All usage at your own risk and no expensive equipment needed.

 

[Ralph M Bohm]

Sorry about the bad link,

yes, it's here:
360fly Panoramic camera

but, on Amazon, I found it for <$60.

In the meantime, the clear housing/nosecone is still up in the air.

But, This is what I found at a Dollar Store. After cutting of part of the glass, this, looks a bit obscene might be something to try:



The bottom opening measures almost exactly the 3" needed to mate up to the airframe. Now, all I can do now is hope this camera will fit inside and THAT, may be a problem as I did not get the dimensions before purchasing it. I THOUGHT I did but, well, we'll see...

 

[OzHybrid]

I'm assuming it's plastic Glass. A glass Glass may fall foul of the materials permitted rules.

 

[jqavins]

After cutting of part of the glass, this, looks a bit obscene might be something to try:

If you're hoping to use the images from directly forward, that looks like a really bad idea. Try the camera on a table covered with the glass ad see what you get. I feel confident that you won't like it.

Cut off the rest of the stem. Use progressively finer and finer sanding sponges to polish it back to clear. And then you still won't like it, because of the thicker material inside the glass where the stem was.

I'm assuming it's plastic Glass. A glass Glass may fall foul of the materials permitted rules.

And also against the good sense rule.

 

[Ralph M Bohm]

The dead center portion is actually irrelevant so that "tip" is unimportatnt for me and as long as the vehicle is oriented verticle or nearly so, that should allow me a successful 360-degree view of the horizon. But, you brought up a good, other point that might keep this NAR/TRA attempt separate and make this camera thing a separate project.

Ralph

 

[Ralph M Bohm]

I'm assuming it's plastic Glass. A glass Glass may fall foul of the materials permitted rules.

This is acrylic. I would never think to use real glass.

 

[Cesaroni Technology]

I heard rumors you were discontinuing these. Is there any truth to that?

No we are still producing them. Hoping to have something up on our website soon.

 

[prfesser]

I know that some companies are 3D printing lenses for glasses. I don't know what they do to get rid of bubbles etc. It'd be worth looking into, to see if something similar can be done at home.

Best -- Terry

 

[CalebJ]

Sorry about the bad link,

yes, it's here:
360fly Panoramic camera

but, on Amazon, I found it for <$60.

Do you already have the camera and have you been able to get it to work well? I was curious because the reviews (recent ones, that is) on Amazon are pretty horrendous and imply the product is discontinued with zero manufacturer support. If you've gotten it to work though, it might still be a great option at $60.