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Thread: Underwater Viewing Box - Bathyscope Build

  1. #1
    Technical Fellow Kelly_Bramble's Avatar
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    Underwater Viewing Box - Bathyscope Build

    I thinking I want to build myself a Underwater Viewing Box or tube (Bathyscope). I want to build it from materials available from my local hardware stores (Lowes, Home Depot, Ace).

    So, how would you folks go about building this thing...

    Ideals please!

  2. #2
    Senior Engineer Marky's Avatar
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    Hi and welcome to the forum...1st time here? I would just find a plexiglass box online.

  3. #3
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    Having done my fair share of diving and scuba stuff here's what I would work around with lotsa good quality Silicone adhesive...

    Might want to make the Acrylic wiindow the same diameter as the pipe so it is trapped between the end-cap and end of the pipe and cannot push back in. Section A-A does not show it that way. Ooops

    {edit}
    In case it is not obvious, the second pipe is for a small camera with remote plunger or timer. Trust me, you will want one.
    Attached Images Attached Images

  4. #4
    Project Engineer CCR5600Design's Avatar
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    I thought it was against forum policy to answer homework problems...





    Ron

  5. #5
    Senior Engineer Marky's Avatar
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    Nice Ron!! lol

  6. #6
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    Awww, c'mon guys, going by his spelling, he sounds alike a 5th grader with a home project for show and tell next week. Give the kid a break.

  7. #7
    Technical Fellow Kelly_Bramble's Avatar
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    Ok then…… aren’t we a bunch of funny people. eyes:

    I’m debating between rectangular, round/tubular, or round and cone shaped…

    Yes, this project is homework and needs to done before my next fishing trip – with grandchildren.

  8. #8
    Technical Fellow jboggs's Avatar
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    How about a reverse periscope? The grandkids could sit in the boat and watch the fishies.

  9. #9
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    Quote Originally Posted by Kelly Bramble View Post
    needs to done before my next fishing trip
    And that's exactly why I started diving at about age 12 after grandpa took me fishing for the first time.

    Goggles, fins, snorkel and Hawaiian-sling and fish in minutes not hours.

  10. #10
    Lead Engineer RWOLFEJR's Avatar
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    I like the reverse periscope idea...!

    Maybe grab a worn out trolling motor and use the shaft and clamp to mount your hicky so you can easily swing it up... and also it'd hold it down. Every fisherman has a used up motor... or has upgraded to a more powerful unit, and has an old trolling motor laying around.

  11. #11
    Goldfever51
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    Seen your question so I signed up to post a video I just finished last week... it is a 20 minute video with step by step instructions for 24" x 4" and 12" x 3" viewers. These are pretty easy to build and take about an hour. Hopefully this is kinda what you had in mind? Keep in mind that you can make these as long or short as you want and use different diameter pipe and couplings.



    IMPORTANT NOTE: I've had a few people say that ABS Cement used in the video dries to quick for them. If you are not familiar with ABS pipe and cement (hardens in less than 10 seconds), I recommend using silicone to glue the coupling to the pipe. If you do, lightly sand the inside of the coupling and the outside of the pipe (the part that the coupling will cover) to give the silicone a better surface to bite on to. Then only put silicone on the outside of the pipe, by doing so the silicone will not push into the coupling and possibly oozing onto the Lexan lens (if you put the silicone inside the coupling the pipe will force it inwards toward the lens).

    Once you have slid the coupling onto the pipe put some weight on it until the silicone has set up - for some reason, when you use silicone to glue the two pieces together want to slide back a little (not sure why, but it might happen). A brick or similar item should do the trick.

    Best Regards and Enjoy!

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