Floating duck house

Discussion in 'Boatbuilding' started by Wilber256, Feb 2, 2018.

  1. Wilber256
    Joined: Feb 2018
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    Location: Northeast MS.

    Wilber256 Junior Member

    Blueknarr, Probably won't (can't ) use the pallets if using the cans as that would make it run to deep in the water.
    So I can expect around five pounds of weight supported with each pound? It would be a lot better to find the plastic ones if I can.
    I live outside a small town of 6,000 mostly retired or senior citizens in rural Northeast MS. I may encounter problems finding enough cans to complete this project in time for spring. But then again it should not take over 25-30 cans.
    But you have given me the information on how to do this and the buoyancy of each can, that's a tremendous start and I thank you for it.
     
  2. Wilber256
    Joined: Feb 2018
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    Location: Northeast MS.

    Wilber256 Junior Member

     
  3. Wilber256
    Joined: Feb 2018
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    Location: Northeast MS.

    Wilber256 Junior Member

    Rwatson, Now that's cool!! Would you happen to know how much weight one of those bottles will float. I am not very good at math, come to think about it i am not very good at anything.

    I am not sure wether soda bottles in the us are pet I know that most plastics here are designed to degrade rapidly due to the vast amount of trash my fellow Americans are to lazy to put into the trash or recycle receptacle.
    I will see how many will fit on a 4x8 plywood sheet, just need to know the weight that each one will support.
    Thanks
     
  4. Wilber256
    Joined: Feb 2018
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    Location: Northeast MS.

    Wilber256 Junior Member

    I have some pics in my email, how do I send them to here? I tried to forward them by copying the address in the URL but it tells me it's not a valid email. About all I know to do. I have them in my phone and sent them to my email address and as going to send them via the iPad. Any suggestions?

    Decided to go take pics with iPad to save the hassle. You can see the pit/dock the gate is normally up so I don't have a lot of room from the water level to the gate bottom. The pond is about 4-5 in.low.

    So I have to be careful how tall I make the duck condo which normally is out in the pond execpt when feeding and or checking the houses. Also the condo will need to be low enough for ducklings to gain entrance. Then it is pulled via rope and pulleys back out of the dock into the pond away from the bank.

    Notice my work bench, that was the old duck house it had two rooms one on each side Now is holding the floor of the new condo. The new house will have 4 houses on the 4x8 plywood. Entrances are two on each side with dividers between the house porches to prevent fighting.

    Notice the black plastic pallet, one side, the down side has the 3 in. Pipe inside the open area, the flat side goes up and the plywood floor of the condo sits on it.
    Notice the pipe that will point up that is where I can add air. Maybe y'all can see my situation with the limitations. Thanks everyone
     
    Last edited: Feb 3, 2018
  5. fallguy
    Joined: Dec 2016
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    Location: usa

    fallguy Senior Member

    Use the UPLOAD A FILE link at the bottom of the reply window.
     
  6. Wilber256
    Joined: Feb 2018
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    Location: Northeast MS.

    Wilber256 Junior Member

    IMG_2439.JPG IMG_2440.JPG IMG_2441.JPG IMG_2442.JPG IMG_2447.JPG IMG_2443.JPG IMG_2444.JPG IMG_2445.JPG L IMG_2439.JPG IMG_2440.JPG IMG_2441.JPG IMG_2442.JPG IMG_2447.JPG IMG_2443.JPG IMG_2444.JPG IMG_2445.JPG

    Description is in my last post.
    Sorry did not figure this out until I had these posted.
     
  7. rwatson
    Joined: Aug 2007
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    Location: Tasmania,Australia

    rwatson Senior Member

    Each 1 litre bottle displaces 1 kilo of water, so 500 bottles would support half a ton.
     
  8. rwatson
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    Location: Tasmania,Australia

    rwatson Senior Member

    PS - are you aware that compressing air into anything REDUCES buoyancy.

    eg try picking up a spare tyre.

    Just make the flotation air tight.
     
  9. fallguy
    Joined: Dec 2016
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    Location: usa

    fallguy Senior Member

    Just use the air intake for a pressure test and make sure it holds air for a day. Then deflate it to zero pressure. Like Watson says, make the floats air tight, test at 10-15 pounds overnite - if the gauge moves more than a few pounds, its leaking. A couple of pounds can be temp related if the compressor air is warm and then cools the next morning, for example. Good luck.
     
  10. Wilber256
    Joined: Feb 2018
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    Location: Northeast MS.

    Wilber256 Junior Member

    Guys, I don't understand about not using air to help it float. When you go swimming you inflate whatever you are going to float on, if it deflates it will sink you. Take a automobile tire that has a leak, if you put it into a tank of water to look for the leak if it's deflated it's not difficult to sink the entire wheel and tire. Fill it with air then it becomes very difficult to completely submerge to leak check. So what you are saying is a pipe at atmospheric pressure will support more weight than being pressurized with 20 psi of air? I guess it's just the dumb ole country boy in me but I just don't get it.
     
  11. fallguy
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    fallguy Senior Member

    The compressed air weighs more in a confined space. In an innertube; the air creates greater displacement. The sealed tube displacement is a constant, but the weight is higher with compressed air.

    Trust us.

    Use your air intake for pressure testing for leaks; then deflate the system to zero.
     
  12. Blueknarr
    Joined: Aug 2017
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    Location: Colorado

    Blueknarr Senior Member

    Rwatson's beverage bottle idea is good. Simply secure lids to 1x2 with stainless steel screws, twist on bottle and fasten 1x2 to bottom. Beverage bottles short lived but plentiful. Paint pails would last longer but trickier to obtain. Neither solution is exclusive, you can mix buckets and bottles.

    Determining the buoyancy of the various sizes of bottles is easy. Their buoyancy equals their fluidal ounce ( a 16 floz bottle has 16 oz of buoyancy, 20 floz = 16oz, 2 liter is basically 2 quarts do 2 x 32 oz for 64 oz of buoyancy )

    Since you want the platform to be a few inches above water surface and only the part of float submerged contributions to buoyancy, you will need extra.
     
  13. Blueknarr
    Joined: Aug 2017
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    Location: Colorado

    Blueknarr Senior Member

    Buoyancy is related to density. Weight and volume combined.

    When an object is placed into water, it displaces, or moves some of the water out of it's way. If the odject weighs more than the displeased water, it sinks; if it weighs less than it displaces then it floats. Buoyancy is the term given to the ratio of object weight and its displacement.

    When a pool toy is inflated, its volume increases a lot, while it's weight increases slightly (the air blown into it weighs almost nothing, but it does weight something). So the inflated toy has great buoyancy. When a tire is inflated, it expands slightly resulting in a slight increase in buoyancy. Your pipes can't swell. So additional air only increases weight but not displacement. Slight decrease in buoyancy.
     
  14. Wilber256
    Joined: Feb 2018
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    Location: Northeast MS.

    Wilber256 Junior Member

    Ok Guy's I understand, I would have been scratching my head and butt both after putting 30 psi in that thing and it being deeper in the water than with 0. Just shows one is never to old to learn.
    I should have known this as I was a HVACR/Electrican/Plumber/Carpenter for over 40 years.
    I just never thought about it I suppose because I never had a reason too.
    Boy it would be nice to have a tank of helium. I gotta go find some bottles And cans. I am concerned about the height of 2lt soda bottles, if the pond level drops as it will in the heat of the summer and no rain in sight.
    I need ideas for 2lt bottle replacement. Thanks Guys, I really do appreciate your help.
     

  15. rwatson
    Joined: Aug 2007
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    Location: Tasmania,Australia

    rwatson Senior Member

    No you dont, just lay them on their side.

    Besides , the pond level has nothing to do with it.

    If its not deep enough to provide flotation for the island, it wouldn't matter WHAT you used to float, the island would still ground out.

    If you have limited vertical depth, your only option is to go wider. If you can't go wide, then you need to drive some pilings into the bottom of the pond and build platform off that.
     
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