Re: [PSUBS-MAILIST] Underwater tent...

[Warren Greenway <opensourcesub@yahoo.com>]

Yeah, I cracked a smile! Thanks for sharing that! I
think that my first "manned tent" will be similar in
dimensions. 

Warren.

--- Steven Mills <cirtemoeg@juno.com> wrote:
> Wow, we're talking a long time ago, but here goes.
> 
> First, I'm assuming that the setting and morphology
> of the pond
> aren't significant.
> Suffice it to say, , the only problems I encountered
> were in the
> construction,
> the materials available to me,  and my own
> inexperience and not so
> much the dynamics of the pond.
> 
> My tools were pipe benders, hacksaw, pipe threaders,
> and the ol'
> Sears craftman's tool set [ the old "good" tool set
> of a time passed ].
> The materials were ;  conduit and plumbing fittings,
>  construction
> grade clear visaquene plastic, pitch for sealant,
> rope, string, small
> canvas bags used with sand and gravel for weight and
> trim, and
> homemade pinch clamps to hold plastic to frame at
> various points
> to keep it in place [ without damaging or poking
> holes in the plastic.]
> Basically, the stock came from a loose assortment of
> parts from
> my granddad's barn.  The base frame was sized and
> cut from
> stock galvinized 1inch diam. conduit, the top frame
> was sized and
> cut from half inch galvinized stock. I rammed and
> packed the pipe for
> the base with sand using rebar and pieces of burlap
> wadding.
> The top frame was left hollow.  I made four tents
> the last being
> successful at 4feet by 6feet base at 3feet in
> height. 3 half round
> frame members with a longitudinal supporting member
> and vertical
> supports at each end.  Despite its weight it was
> slightly positive
> bouyant.  So, I added sand filled canvas bags lashed
> to the bottom
> frame. When I needed to replenish the air or take it
> to surface I simply
> unlashed the bags and it would rise slowly with a
> little help.
> It was crude and it did leak, but there was always a
> good size pocket
> of air to enable me to explore a short distance and
> return for air.
> I would say it gave me about 20 minutes under before
> I had to surface.
> I could sit in it, but the plastic would fog up a
> lot, but a splash of
> water
> cleared it up. Visaquene is hygroscopic so it would
> opaque and degrade
> out of water while being stored. It was fun while it
> lasted. It was
> destroyed
> when my cousins and a few neighbor kids thought it
> would be fun
> playing 'depth charge' with large rocks [ and with
> me in it !  ]
> 
> Well, did that help?... or at least  crack a smile?
> 
> Shallow, tidal, and near shore dynamics is a
> different story compared
> to a pond. You've got your work cut out for you
> that's for sure.
> 
> cheers, --Steve
> 
> 
> On Sun, 18 Apr 2004 21:34:22 -0700 (PDT) Warren
> Greenway
> <opensourcesub@yahoo.com> writes:
> > That is similar to the proposal by Michael Savage
> > in his book Millenial Project. So, what I want to
> know
> > is this: How large was your electrical conduit 
> > underwater tent? I'm still very interested in 
> > collecting data on swell-induced pressure
> variations
> > in such a habitat.
> > 
> > Warren.
> > 
> > --- Steven Mills <cirtemoeg@juno.com> wrote:
> > > ...and, if you feel real ambitious or want to
> add a
> > > split-level
> > > to that underwater tent, may I suggest this :
> > > 
> > > http://fun.supereva.it/artificialisle/index.html
> > > 
> > > 
> > > Or, perhaps we should all chip in and build a
> pSubs
> > > headquarters
> > > and convention center ?
> > > 
> > > :- )  --Steve
> > > 
> > > 
> > > On Sun, 18 Apr 2004 09:37:53 -0700 (PDT) Warren
> > > Greenway
> > > <opensourcesub@yahoo.com> writes:
> > > > Cool! Thanks! One thing about that link that
> is
> > > > interesting is that they are measuring PAR. I
> told
> > > the
> > > > company I was working for that underwater PAR 
> > > > measurments would become important in the near
> > > future.
> > > > They laughed. Hmmm. I designed a PAR
> instrument
> > > once
> > > > before! 
> > > > 
> > > > Warren.
> > > > 
> > > > --- Steven Mills <cirtemoeg@juno.com> wrote:
> > > > > 
> > > > > This isn't exactly a tent for habitation or
> > > > > saturation diving. But it is
> > > > > similar to something I built as a 14 year
> old
> > > kid
> > > > > quite by accident.
> > > > > I'll forgo the story behind it, but I ended
> up
> > > > > building a small quonset
> > > > > style tent using electrical conduit pipe for
> a
> > > frame
> > > > > [ that's all I had
> > > > > available to me ] the bottom part of the
> pipe
> > > frame
> > > > > packed with sand.
> > > > > It wasn't elaborate or incorporate any
> venting,
> > > but
> > > > > was great on a
> > > > > hot summers day and watching blue gill and
> bass
> > > [ or
> > > > > were they
> > > > > watching me  : )  ]  It was in a pond about
> 15
> > > feet
> > > > > under.
> > > > > 
> > > > > --Steve
> > > > > 
> > > > >
> > > >
> > >
> >
>
http://sofia.usgs.gov/publications/ofr/00-361/sharq.html
> > > > > 
> > > > > 
> > > > > On Sat, 17 Apr 2004 15:16:18 -0700 (PDT)
> Warren
> > > > > Greenway
> > > > > <opensourcesub@yahoo.com> writes:
> > > > > > Yeah, I was thinking of something
> > > similar...But
> > > > > here's
> > > > > > the catch. Make your panels out of the
> fiber
> > > > > > reinforced
> > > > > > recycled tire material and use belting and
> > > > > adhesive
> > > > > > to hold the pieces together. I like the
> > > concrete
> > > > > > approach, but I wonder how you would
> assemble
> > > it?
> > > > > > Would you pour the sections on a barge and
> > > lower
> > > > > them
> > > > > > into place over a temporary structure? I
> have
> > > > > wondered
> > > > > > about building on the bottom, but it seems
> > > that
> > > > > the
> > > > > > uncertain and silty nature of the bottom
> would
> > > > > make
> > > > > > it more desirable to float on a
> tether...Hmmm.
> > > 
> 
=== message truncated ===



	
		
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