hi guys
i have made myself a pvc carry case to help transport my spearguns by airline when i move back to nz in two weeks. thanks for everything i've enjoyed on this forum over the past year, i've learnt a lot from you all and i wish you all the best.
i've seen mention of making a pvc case in previous threads so thought i'd have a crack and thought i might add a wee post to show you how the case ended up and how inexpensive it is in case anyone else wanted to make one. it came up very well, and the only troublesome part for me was coming up with how to cover the hole that houses the handle. i couldn't find any decent suggestions anywhere on the internet for this part of the case... i finally figured it out by cutting up a large 'dura flexible coupling' and couldn't have hoped for a better result
what you'll need - (prices from reece plumbing)
2m pvc low pressure pipe 100mm @ $16.40 2x push on caps 100m @ $4.51 1x elbow 90deg 100mm @ 4.62 1x dura flexible coupling 100mm (rubber) incl 2x 100mm hose clamps @ $9.90 pvc cement for low pressure pipes (already had this at home, can't recall the price) hacksaw (blade x2) hand drill with metal drillbit medium file to smooth edges stanley knife medium flathead screwdriver
so for roughly $35-$40 AUD you can get something together that is tough, simple and probably takes about 2-3 hours.
i made it to fit 4 different guns, the hole i made was slightly larger than i needed for my main 2 guns as my wooden gun was a bit longer down the handle.
you will notice the rubber 'cover' in two different shots below. this is adjustable with the hose clamps as some guns fit right inside the pipe and others protrude. my 120 rob allen tuna, 120 torelli tigon both sit right in the tubing and you can put the rubber cover down flush, my beuchat 100 sits slightly proud but almost right in, and my jbs 140 woodie sits a bit proud at the back of the handle hence the need for the adjustable rubber. either way it is tough and well secured with any of the guns.
1) work on the elbow entry hole before you glue it to the main pipe. the hole is approx 210mm by 60mm as it curves around the elbow. for the torelli / rob allen / beuchat i originally had it at approx 190mm by 60mm but had to enlarge it due to the wooden gun. start about 20mm below the highest point of the 'join', not on the join itself. 190mm x 60mm cuts down through part of the join (see photo below before I had to increase the hole), but when i increased to 210mm i had to cut the whole way through the join which would weaken it slightly use the drill to start a hole big enough for you to use the hacksaw blade (use the blade out of the actual hacksaw just in your hand and be prepared to snap it a few times). * if you need to cut down into the 'join' mentioned above then skip to step 2 before you make the cut *
2) cut a piece of pipe off the end of the length minimum 90mm long. glue this into the elbow at the end that will be the bottom of the gun handle. glue both faces of contact before slotting it in. the pvc glue takes 24 hours to set fully but you can start on it after about 10 mins * if required make the cut for the hole down through the join so it cuts neatly through both the elbow join and the 90mm piece of pipe * once you have finished cutting the hole then put a cap on the end to check you are happy with the length under the handle and then glue it. i'd recommend leaving a space as wide as the hose clamp between the cap and the elbow as it effectively countersinks the clamp below the line of the pipe and will protect it from knocks.
3) get your rubber dura pipe coupling and cut it neatly cross-wise so it lies flat and gives you a long rectangular piece. at the top of your elbow take a hose clamp and hold it in place then trim the shape of the rubber to fit neatly against the join. once all flush tighten the clamp as tight as possible. it grips well and won't move a millimetre. this clamp will always stay in place in this position. the second clamp goes at the bottom of the join and this is the one you use to open and shut the rubber flap. trim the rubber flap to the desired length. note on one photo below i leave mine a bit longer to fit allow a 'kink' to accommodate the wooden gun that protrudes slightly from the elbow join. to slide your gun in the tube all you need to do is open the bottom clamp and fold up the rubber flap (leave the top hose clamp alone) then slide your gun in and shut the flap again and tighten up the lower hose clamp. it is remarkably tough, will give any handles good protection even if they protrude and should last a fairly long time. the clamps look like they will blow out before the rubber
4) glue the finished elbow section to the main length of pipe.
5) cut the main length of pipe to suit your speargun (or possible future guns) making sure you leave a 50-100mm extra buffer beyond the spear tip
6) get rid of all plastic filings from inside the tube and glue on the final cap. walla. done.
the only other thing i'd suggest is to leave the glueing as late as possible to make sure you have it set up right. it is sometimes hard to get the pieces to fit exactly flush once you apply the glue though
hope this helps a few people put one together. happy travelling
Attachments: |
File comment: flap shut as you would have with a gun that protrudes from the elbow joint (no gun in there)
photo01.JPG [ 253.41 KiB | Viewed 3351 times ]
|
File comment: flap shut as you would have with a gun that fits right in. note the gap below the elbow that the lower hose clamp fits into
photo02.JPG [ 251.02 KiB | Viewed 3351 times ]
|
File comment: this gun completely fits in the elbow join. see where i had to cut right through the lower join (note reel doesn't fit)
photo04.JPG [ 257.55 KiB | Viewed 3351 times ]
|
File comment: lift flap and slide in
photo03.JPG [ 256.78 KiB | Viewed 3351 times ]
|
File comment: note position of the hole, top and bottom. this is before i cut right through the bottom join as described
photo05.JPG [ 238.45 KiB | Viewed 3351 times ]
|
Last edited by rangiatea on 19 Sep 2013, 16:26, edited 2 times in total.
|