Homemade Dive Float

[divermike1011]

So I needed a dive float for this weekend's dives and I didn't want to buy one from a dive shop out here (100+). I went to the hardware store and bought a length of PVC pipe 5" in diameter and about 2.5' long. I also bought two end caps, the ones that are flat and an 1/4" threaded aluminum dowel to attache the dive flag to.

I drilled out a whole in the top cap for the dowel and secured it with some nuts and washers as well as a generous helping of waterproof epoxy. The other cap I drilled a 3/8" hole in to thread my tie-off rope through. I also drilled a 3/8" whole through a 4 lbs lead weight I had lying around (I wanted to make sure the bottom of the float was heavier, picture it floating vertically in the water. I tied off the rope through the weight and then splashed a generous coating of epoxy over everything to both secure the weight to the bottom and keep the water out. I attached the cap ends with PVC cement and after it dried painted it with a primer of rattle can white enamel followed by several coats of rattle can fluorescent yellow paint.

How does look? Extremely homemade I will try and post pics tomorrow and I will report back if it actually floats when I take it out on Friday. The wife is making me a dive flag for the pole.

Michael

 

[davetowz]

looking forward to the report. Did you test in a pool or anything yet? Need pics

 

[Didje]

:worthless:

 

[USVet96]

:worthless:

Got em

 

[bane51031]

Pics would be great sounds like something I could use?

 

[divermike1011]

Pics are in progress, out here in the hinterlands the internet isn't always reliable. Stand by, lol

Michael

 

[divermike1011]

 

[divermike1011]

 

[divermike1011]

Beta testing will be tomorrow am at Shark's Cove. Will report if the damn thing actually floats

Michael

 

[Thalassamania]

One of the best home made floats I've ever seen was made with two snow saucers, epoxied and bolted together to make a flying saucer kind of thing. The top saucer then had a bog hole cut in and a big plastic container with a screw on cap was inserted and epoxied in. A small whip antenna for a flag was mounted and a battery pack was put in the dry plastic container to run the light on the tip of the antenna. The tow line was at one edge and it pulled like a dream.