ABS vs. PVC- marine application- building a shark cage

[Cass]

OK so you want to have it be able to fill with water...then install some 4 ways here and there at the top and bottom and it will fill....

 

[Cookie]

This is from someone from another site having some fun.

 

[Sponsor]

 

[Cass]

I would suggest you install a door so that you can let the sharkes in so you won't ruin a perfectly good shark cage...after all others will want to use it when your done with it.....

 

[Redwood]

Have you considered PEX tubing...

 

[davesnothome]

Pex is the way to go....use the 1/2" it should be fine. Get the stainless clamps so they dont rust. A bunch of plastic tees and it will be lighter
and flex alot better. If they hit it hard, they,ll just bounce off...that stuff is
really tough. If you get the blue, it wont even be noticeable in the water....
Mount a camera on the cage itself, so we can all watch.

 

[Cass]

Sounds like something Cheech & Chong would have done...

 

[hj]

cage

quote; I would suggest you install a door so that you can let the sharkes in so you won't ruin a perfectly good shark cage...after all others will want to use it when your done with it.....

You also might want to put a sign over the door with "FISHINGWITHAGUN'S SHARK ROACH COACH" on it. You might want to change your name to FishingwithTNT around sharks.

 

[fishinwithagun]

Hi all, well I don't think this is an "everyday plumbing question", but I am desiring a pretty specific application for pipe and need to know what you all think.

I am building a shark diving cage, and want it to be inexpensive. This rules out aluminum or other metals; you know, things that sane people would use. Anyway, I am looking to construct it out of either PVC or ABS, but I'm not sure what would be best for this application. The cage will be held together at the corners with fittings- tee connecting to street elbow- the structure will be a 7x5x5 ft rectangle. Every 14 inches up the vertical frame will be a tee connecting horizontally to the opposite side of the cage. Probably going to go with 2" pipe.

The question is: Given the fact the piping will be used in the water(but not kept there permanently), have some sun exposure, and possibly be bitten/rammed by a shark, is it better to go with PVC or ABS? I basically require durability.

Thanks!

Ryan

PS. This is not a joke. Can I please get some serious replies?

Hey all-

Well, I just wanted to follow up on my original post. I built the shark cage out of sch 40 PVC a few months back and today got to take it out- and pictures to prove it was "not a joke". Anyway, thank you to those who did offer advice and constructive criticism.

Now, I have not had the opportunity yet to tangle with any great whites or makos, which would perhaps be the best chance to test the structural strength of the cage. But today's encounter with these blue sharks (4-6 ft long) was a nice warm up. So nice in fact that we decided the cage wasn't needed...

The last picture is a photo of the cage under construction some months ago.

Thanks,

Ryan

 

[Randyj]

I don't understand the desire to use PVC or any kind of plastic. For safety, economics and durability I'd use cattle panels reinforced with at least 1/2" rebar not more than 24" apart. I assume that one concern is the weight of the diving cage but you've got to sacrifice some things for safety. IMO, any significant lenghts of plastic pipe is going to be far too flexible for this application. Cattle panels will be somewhat flexible but will at least keep a sizeable shark from easily going through the fence.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L3PluNR5lXs

 

[Toolaholic]

THE S.F. ZOO, tiger exibit

In the past they used 1/2" pvs for the tiger tiger cage . A worthless punk was killed by the escaping Tiger. Poor animal was shot. I believed the failure was traced to a cleaner primer mix up .

 

[hj]

cage

Try playing with some great whites without the cage and have the survivors tell us how it went. I suppose you have NOT seen the videos where great whites bend the bars of a steel cage. One bite on a PVC pipe, and it will be history, and the rest will follow it in short order.

 

[Erico]

Hey all-

Well, I just wanted to follow up on my original post. I built the shark cage out of sch 40 PVC a few months back and today got to take it out- and pictures to prove it was "not a joke". Anyway, thank you to those who did offer advice and constructive criticism.

Now, I have not had the opportunity yet to tangle with any great whites or makos, which would perhaps be the best chance to test the structural strength of the cage. But today's encounter with these blue sharks (4-6 ft long) was a nice warm up. So nice in fact that we decided the cage wasn't needed...

The last picture is a photo of the cage under construction some months ago.

Thanks,

Ryan

You go in the cage, cage go in the water. Shark in the water.

"Farewell and ado to ye fair Spanish ladies
Farewell and ado to ye ladies of Spain
For we've received orders for to sail back to Boston......"

 

[Jadnashua]

Both of those plastic pipe are so soft, if the shark decides to bite, it will be like tissue paper. A good bump will likely crack it as well. This is a really dumb idea, but might improve the gene pool results...just don't cause society to spend a bunch of money on you to care for you if there's anything left at the end...

 

[ilya]

Nice knowin' ya, Ryan.

 

[Frenchie]

Not seeing the point of a cage, if it's made out of PVC, you might as well do like Rutzen or Hartman:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G4LgFyDkWoU

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bDbbgKt2VFc


just tap em on the nose when they come check you out.