Re: [PSUBS-MAILIST] Books on how to build submarines

[Ray Keefer <Ray.Keefer@Sun.COM>]

Hi Curtis,

See below for my comments.

CurtisUehara@aol.com wrote:
> 
> Emile,
> 
> Thank you for your answer.  My computer turned off when I was writing an answer to you and I hope this doesn't appear twice on the list.
> 
> I looked at the books on the psubs page and I am not interested in navy history or engineering books.  I have Manned Submersibles and read it a lot.  It doesn't tell me how to get started making a home made submarine.  Do you know of such a book that will tell me that?



There are no books to tell you how to build your own home made submarine. Closest thing to that is the PSUBS Web Site. Next to that you read through those history and engineering books constantly refering to Manned Submersibles to glue it all together. A set of plans and a note book is a good idea too.

Kittredge plans are just that plans. No instruction book. Capt. Kittredge is
good at answering specific questions. John and Harold Maynard have building
experience and can give details. However there is no instruction book.
A good step-by-step process is shown in the pictures of Dale Heinzig's Snoopy
(http://www.psubs.org/psub_pic/dale.html) or John Farrington's web site
(http://www.prismnet.com/~jrf/SubPics/index.html).

Plans for the Kent Markham's ambient subs and scuba tows do come with 
instructions though the details are sketchy in parts. 

Overall the expectation is that a builder will come to the project with a bit of puzzle solving talent, dogged termination, and the unfailing belief that you can figure it out. Building a submarine is not a weekend project. It will take
months for an Ambient sub and at least a year for a 1 ATM sub.




> 
> I believe I can build a submarine.  I am a machinist and a welder and have made many things.  I am also a PADI certified scuba diver for 11 years with much experience in the ocean.



Excellant.


> 
> I looked at the pictures of subs on psubs and they are very interesting.  I would like to write to the people that built them, but I do not see their names in this group right now. 



Their names and addresses are in the archives. Give them a try if you want to communitcate specifically with them. Otherwise try the personal_submersibles@psubs.org alias.



> Do the people who write to this group now have submarines yet?  Can I ask them questions?



Some do. Some are under construction. Most don't. You can ceratainly ask questions here.


> 
> I know the leader of this group is Ray Keefer. 



Leader? Not in any formal sense. I mostly facilitate this forum. The 
contributors are the real leaders.



> Mr. Keefer, may I ask you how you started building submarines?  I think I can do it, but I would feel better if I had advise from people who know how to get started.
> 
> Thank you,  Curtis Uehara



No, I haven't build a sub yet. I just finished my first sail boat. I have a second one under construction that I have to polish off to give me space in my shop. After that my plan is fiberglassing up an Ambient pressure sub in simular size and design as Kent Markham's Delta Wing sub. Then on to a K-350 or K-600.

Regards,
Ray