Home made WTC's....

[u-33]

The replacement Gato kit arrived today and is already on the slipway...whilst I'm plucking up the courage to make the Big Cut along the hull, I guess I'd better spare a thought about building a watertight radio compartment. My finances won't run to an all singing, all dancing Lexan WTC, but I do have yards of grey plastic water downpipe which fits into the hull admirably. Apart from the fact that I can't see into it, which isn't a real great problem (is it?) how can I make up some watertight end caps?

I don't possess fancy tools and equipment like lathes and pillar drills any longer (ex-wife saw to that) so the only tools I have are basic hand tools.

Any ideas?


Cheers,



Rich

[anonymous]

Your basic requirement is to

Your basic requirement is to produce plastic disks to be smooth enough to seal with an O ring or gasket.

It is not easy without even a pillar drill. If you search the threads here you should find some ideas. I think Fung Pang had a nice idea of spinning a disk in a pillar drill with a Dremel grinding wheel touching the outer edge. You may be able to do this by spinning the disk on some kind of axle if you don't have a pillar drill.

If you can at least cut the end of the PVC smooth and square then a gasket can be made to seal using , say, threaded rods to tension the end cap outside the WTC.

Other ideas anyone?

(I used to do these sorts of thing but now that I have a Taig (Peatol) lathe it is much easier and quicker. Just cutting a slot for an O ring is so easy. Saying this does not help you though!)

David

[u-33]

Thanks for that Davy...what I

Thanks for that Davy...what I have just come up with is this: our local fishing tackle shop sells plastic tubes for anglers to protect their expensive rods. They are quite cheap, about £5 each. These rod carry tubes have threaded ends with a screw on end cap..if I bought a couple of these I could use the screw on caps with maybe a rubber 'O' ring inbetween the screw on end cap and the threaded portion. With an application of waterproof grease and a bit of luck, this may do the trick.

How does that sound?

Cheers,

Rich

[raalst]

sounds very interesting.
I'll visit

sounds very interesting.
I'll visit the petshop soonish

I use drainpipe, but I have not found a lathe-less recipe
for a WTC yet.

ask around on you model boat club for someone with a lathe !
that might be the easiest way out.

[u-33]

I'll be visiting the fishing

I'll be visiting the fishing tackle shop tomorrow to have a look around Ronald, if I find anything that's going to be useful I'll report back here.

Rich

[Guest]

The place I have found

The place I have found for all sizes of WTCs and there caps is your local plumbing store /hardware store.

I have searched and searched for all kinds of WTC candidates and have found that the simplest easiest to build and by the way comes in a variety of diamiters and thickness or schedules as is done here in the states is the good old PVC pipe family.

Now how to make a removable cap with an O ring that is not threaded,since its not a good idea to twist open the inner tray and components.

Here is what I do ,select the size and lenght of WTC you need,get the slip on end caps for that size eiether bulb end or square end it just a mater of prefrence in this case,also get the slip on straight couplers.

Cut the WTC to your size then cut the coupler in half leaving no inner shoulder so that it slips all the way or at least to it leaves an inch or a step on the WTC end glue it in place with the PVC glue at the same time install the cap this will insure proper alighnement of the two parts and you can also inncrease the lip but be sure no glue gets on the cap!.

Then get the proper O ring to fit snugly on the pipe and install it on the end of the cap where the ledge is from the coupler.

Get the cap and slip it on.Now there are several ways to attach the cap tightly one is to use overcentering pull locks that are the best way in my opinion or the single centering bolt method as Robbe does and has worked well for many years but be sure to make your tray strong!.

The above method can be done very cheaply and you dont need to see the insides at all ,just instal a water sensor,by the way by the time you get your sub out of the water and opened up it wont mater if you see the insides or not ,your already wet.Lexan is also much more fragil and dificult to work with and very expensive.

Just install a pressure test port or one way valve usualy a fillister valve I believe also at the hardware store.

Try it it works!
The above is my opinion.
There is another alternative WTC that is clear and round and has some realy great end caps and built in special seals ,Ill post it today.

Dave

[u-33]

Now you talking Dave, that

Now you talking Dave, that sounds great to me. Can I ask..any chance of a pic or two? A picture is worth a thousand words...or something like that!
Thanks so much for that, much appreciated..

Cheers,

Rich

[raalst]

I recall soembody over here

I recall soembody over here who made a fantasy sub from a pvc drainpipe
yet another way.

take a piece of pipe, glue on two endcaps, so the whole thing is closed off.
saw a big half-round section out of the pipe, glue in a few stumps on the inside of the hole to carry the lid when replaced. replace lid.
then add duct tape over the sawing gaps!

costs you a bit of duct tape each time, but it truly worked great !
needless to say, it was a dynamic diver.

[Rogue Sub]

I had my PVC WTC

I had my PVC WTC for my dumas akula at the regatta last year and it ran nearly non stop without any issues. I think the whole thing cost me 30 bux

[Guest]

Here is the PVC WTC

Here is the PVC WTC ,in this case its done with a 6 inch schedule 20 the 40 is even thicker and larger.
The 4 inch 20 is the most used on my subs,even the ballast tanks are PVC but with baffles.


No lathes or making discks its all done for you just put it together and no leaks too the deep she will go.
The stainless latches are screwd onto the outer walls and bridge the gap when latched they pull the 2 parts together very strongly yet are opened with a pull.
The O ring can be seen installed.
This is the WTC Ill be useing for the ROV project Ill be starting soon.

[david h]

Hello,

you could easily make your

Hello,

you could easily make your endcaps out of Acrylic (Perspex). Make them clear so that you can at least see down the ends. The only power tools I needed access to were a pedestal Drill and a bandsaw. they work beautifully.

regards.

David H

[subdude]

What has worked well for

What has worked well for me for many years is standard schedule 40 PVC pipe. I cut the length, then sand the end smooth by taping fine sandpaper to the workbench and using it as a big sanding block. Once the ends are smooth, I use a jigsaw and cut 2 disks of lexan to size just larger than the outside diameter of the pipe. Hold the disk up to the end of the pipe and drill a series of holes thru the disk and into the wall of the pipe lengthwise. Tap the holes in the pipe, and install pieces of threaded brass rod as studs. Cut a gasket from sheet rubber, and sandwich it between the end of the pipe and the lexan disk. Lightly grease the gasket with silicone grease, then use brass nuts to hold the endcap on.

If desired, you can mount an equipment tray to one endcap, so that all the goodies slide out with the cap, just like the Engle "Tech Rack".

Complete basic WTC for under $10. Sorry, no pics easily available, but if you're in Carmel this weekend, take a look at my Holland. It's been running that WTC for probably 10 years now, never leaked yet.

[Rogue Sub]

That is a fine idea.

That is a fine idea. Would make a pretty WTC aswell

[u-33]

Wow! So much information...thank you

Wow! So much information...thank you all, guys, I appreciate this ever so much. I'll be off out today, sniffing around the plumbing shops, fishing tackle shops and model shops.

Thanks again...

Rich

[Rogue Sub]

Dont forget to show us

Dont forget to show us what you come up with

Kevin