Making a lobster pot with MDPE pipe

I wondered if I could make a lobster pot from MDPE water pipe using a commercial one as a pattern. The problem was that MDPE pipe can't be glued, so how to make the joints. I think I solved the problem.

[@jonathantyler1807]

Hello Peter
I too have tried and failed many times to successfully weld the two pipes together. The difference I see here is that the MDPE pipe has a black ID and blue OD. Does your pipe have a different inner core? Also, where did you purchase the pipe?
Well done though. You may know this, but It is worth drilling a series of holes In all of the rings. This helps the pot to "right itself" as it descends. The larger holes on the bottom fill with water first, and the smallest and fewest holes in the top ring. The air stays in the top ring the longest helping it to stay on the way down.
Hope this helps.
Jon

[@noskanow]

Hello Jonathan, thanks for your interest in this post. Yes, the MDPE pipe I bought does have a different inner core. I bought it from my local building supplier. During my experiments I found that if I melted the inner black core it didn't fuse which made life very tricky. It was only the blue outer which welded and if I nicked the inner black core with the iron the joint failed. Yes, I did drill holes in all the rings for the reason you suggest and when I tossed the pot over the side it seemed to go down reasonably stably. I weighted it with concrete bricks I made by filling an ice cream tub with postcrete and standing a bolt in it. Then whne it was set I bolted the bricks to the base of the pot. Unfortunately however, I have not been able to get out to it since. The weather has been atrocious and the pot has been on the sea bed for a month now through force 6 gales and massive spring tides and ground seas. A binolular search from the cliff tops reveals that its dahn flag is still there where I put it so I'm waiting to get out to it again to see what's left of it, if anything! Watch this space and I'll post when I manage to get out again.

[@jonathantyler1807]

@@noskanow Many thanks for the reply peter.
I will renew my efforts and try again. The blue pipe that I have does not have the black inner core. When I spotted the difference I thought it could have been that.
Yes, if you could post the results of your catch, that would be very interesting to see.
If you ever decide to increase the pipe size to the 25mm pipe, then instead of using copper as a link between the two pieces, then a short piece of the 20mm pipe fits really well. The ID of the 25mm pipe is 20mm.
Look forward to hearing from you.
Jon

[@stephenevans5336]

Did you manage to complete the pot? It would be very interesting to see the finished product. Thanks

[@noskanow]

Yes I did and it's 10 fathoms down at the moment. Next time out I'll take a pic if I remember.

[@stephenevans5336]

@@noskanow thank you, I’d be very interested 👍 perhaps more importantly, does it work? Cheers

[@noskanow]

@@stephenevans5336 Hello again Stephen. There's a Force 6 gale on a spring tide at the moment so I can't get out to the pot but it will be a good test of its construction! Watch this space and I'll do a concluding post with pics, and maybe video, when I can get back out to it.

[@stephenevans5336]

@@noskanow thank you Peter 👍

[@technicstim]

Hi mate id like to know the sizes for the off cuts so my 9yr old can make some please also is it 8 or 10" necks ? and size of bases please

[@noskanow]

I'm afraid I don't understand your questions. What offcuts, what necks and what bases?

[@technicstim]

@@noskanow well the sizes of the blue tubes did you measure them mate ? and the bases of the pots what did you use ? and the necks are 10" or 8"

[@noskanow]

@@technicstim No I didn't measure anything. I just bent the MDPE pipe to the same sizes as the rings on the commercial pot I copied and then sealed them into the ring. I wanted to make the base out of perforated plastic but couldn't find any so I made it out of plywood and drilled loads of 1" holes in it. Not ideal because it made the pot more buoyant than you'd like. No idea what size the throat is I'm afraid, I just made the throat out of heavy duty plant pots and cable tied them in the top ring. I weighted the pot with concrete bricks I made by filling an ice cream tub with a mixture of Postcrete and pea gravel and standing a bolt up in it. Then when it was set I bolted the bricks to the base - worked fine. The commercial pot and my copy are both out at sea right now, half a mile off in 10 fathoms. I'll post a report when the weather lets me out there to haul them. Hope this helps.

[@technicstim]

@@noskanow thanks mate looking forward to next video already