# pvc push pole



## firecat1981 (Nov 27, 2007)

I'm looking at making a pushpole out of PVC, I tried to find a closet rod but I don't like how warped they are or how many knots they have in them. So I was thinking about taking 1.5" s40 pvc and then inserting 1.25" thin wall inside of it to stiffen it up a bunch, then using a well point as the stake end. what do you think? what else did you guys use for a foot? I'll take pics if you have them.


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## Salty_South (Feb 25, 2009)

I have heard of pvc poles being filled with spray foam to stiffen them up. I would be concerned with the pvc shattering. Those closet rods do the trick if you can find a good one. I found mine at home depot. It was 15ft of straight wood with 4 more ft. of curved wood that they sawed off for me. I did make the foot out of pvc pieces though.


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## anytide (Jul 30, 2009)

i've made several with about anything u can think of,,,1 1/4 pvc fits in your hand better-slide smaller pvc or 1 1/4" wood in that for stiffness,,well tips are nice ,,but seal up slits from inside, or it'll be full of mud!!!,,depending on length -i'd take a 1" pvc with 1" wood dowel inside fits perfect and stiff -pvc comes in 20' lengths also-let me know what you think about pvc diameter ,maybe i can mold you a nice looking foot :-/        -anytide


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## flafos (May 3, 2007)

I tried the pvc before and it was pretty heavy.


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## anytide (Jul 30, 2009)

whats the length your looking at ????
-'tide


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## wookalar (Nov 24, 2009)

dont know what your budget is but check out skinnywaterproducts.com they have pushpoles for less than 200 bucks


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## flyfshrmn82 (Oct 12, 2007)

> I'm looking at making a pushpole out of PVC, I tried to find a closet rod but I don't like how warped they are or how many knots they have in them. So I was thinking about taking 1.5"  s40 pvc and then inserting 1.25" thin wall inside of it to stiffen it up a bunch, then using a well point as the stake end. what do you think? what else did you guys use for a foot? I'll take pics if you have them.


I have a wooden push pole I'll sell ya.  Here it is on my boat.  I think it is 12'  w/ metal tip.  It is straight and strong, and the ends are sealed up to keep water out.  I've used it 2-3 time while I was waiting for my moonlighter to get in.  It's probably the nicest wooden pushpole out there.  Let me know if you're interested...


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## Delmer (Dec 26, 2009)

WOW I like that boat. What kind is it? sorry don't mean to seal this thread.


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## firecat1981 (Nov 27, 2007)

If I remember correctly that is a heavily modified gheenoe highsider.

I appreciate the offer fly, but I think I'll need atleast 14-15ft

Anytide, I've got big hands so i know the 1 inch is to small, 1.5 seemed to feel good to me, but may go with 1.25. Not sure what I'm gonna do just yet, I'll look at wooden rods again, but doubt I'll find one I like.


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## flyfshrmn82 (Oct 12, 2007)

> WOW I like that boat. What kind is it? sorry don't mean to seal this thread.


That is/was a hi-sider. Modified her about 3 years ago. Do a search on "The Jesnew."


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## T1mb3rW0lf (Jul 11, 2009)

lets keep this alive and maybe we can have some of the people who have some homemade pp's post pics and advice on what worked didnt work .. ;D


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## Brett (Jul 16, 2008)

Aluminum swimming pool brush pole...
Designed to be collapsable, it is and does, at the worst possible times.
Thinwall aluminum construction bends easily, and does at the worst possible time.

                                    ;D


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## firecat1981 (Nov 27, 2007)

I had a pool brush pole before, and it broke at the wrong time ;D
I had it staked through the rear u-bolt and it bent over and basically locked up in to the flats. I had to go for a swim and lift the boat to get us free.
Thats why I now own a C-stick!


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## oysterbreath (Jan 13, 2009)

> Aluminum swimming pool brush pole...
> Designed to be collapsable, it is and does, at the worst possible times.
> Thinwall aluminum construction bends easily, and does at the worst possible time.
> 
> ;D


Sorry...but we need pictures to confirm this failure please! ;D


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## Brett (Jul 16, 2008)

> Sorry...but we need pictures to confirm this failure please!


Unable to comply with your request...
                                                        guess whose pocket the camera was in at the time of failure!

                                                          [smiley=1-biggrin.gif]


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## flafos (May 3, 2007)

I just ordered a 20' aluminum pole from SkinnyWater Products. Less than 250.00 delivered to my door.


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## anytide (Jul 30, 2009)

Brett---todays bumper sticker -hurts my eyes


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## Brett (Jul 16, 2008)

This one?  :-?

Laugh igh  you're a ghart smucker!

Sorry about that Chief...more important, didja laugh?


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## anytide (Jul 30, 2009)

still ;D
-tide


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## Amsoil_Man (Feb 2, 2010)

> > Sorry...but we need pictures to confirm this failure please!
> 
> 
> Unable to comply with your request...
> ...


Bahahahaha Funniest thing I heard all week. I bet you where like -- Son of a....


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## wookalar (Nov 24, 2009)

go to perrypole.com and check out the pushpoles and stakeout pole setups they have.


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## firecat1981 (Nov 27, 2007)

some of you guys are missing the point here, if I'm asking about a PVC or wood dowl push pole then why would you suggest a $200 manufactured one? I can make the PVC one for maybe $20, and the wood dowl one about the same.


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## gnuraider (Nov 4, 2008)

> some of you guys are missing the point here, if I'm asking about a PVC or wood dowl push pole then why would you suggest a $200 manufactured one? I can make the PVC one for maybe $20, and the wood dowl one about the same.


I am with you on this one...I have my BIL (in the landscape business) keeping an eye out for a nice long piece of 1 1/2 - 2" diameter bamboo for me. Have also considered the wooden closet rod idea...Home Depot up here carries the 18' - 20' sections.

I like the idea of wood or bamboo over PVC, just seems like PVC would be heavy and brittle in the cold...but it gets colder here in TN that where you are in FL I assume.

Dave


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## Gramps (Nov 1, 2007)

I haven't used PVC for a push-pole, but working with long lengths before I don't think it would be a fun experience.  Once over about 14' it is floppy and heavy. I used a wood dowel for several months before buying a TFO pole and in all honesty I like the wood pole better (when poling from a deck or low platform)! It was lighter, easier to pole and I never worried about breaking it and this was poling from a makeshift rear deck on my 'noe Classic.

I would go the wood route for now, mine was about 16' long which did fine by me. No fancy tip or foot, just straight pole with a good soaking of marine rattle can varnish.  Helped me catch redfish in Cockroach Bay and I was sold. And if you hate it, worst is you're out $20 or so.


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## Brett (Jul 16, 2008)

Wood is good... 












But finding a dowel clean of knots and grain splits can be time consuming and frustrating.
It took 4 trips to 3 lumber supply stores to find a decent 1-1/4" 16 foot dowel.
I had to wait on a delivery to be the first to sort through the bundle.


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## james_bingham3 (Oct 22, 2009)

I'm using the expandable pool pole fiqure for $20 it works and when it breaks it'll make for a funny post.Just hope my 12yr old isn't on board to make fun of me


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## Guest (Feb 4, 2010)

Maybe try some PVC condit (Sp) from Home depot. I have a bunch as it's 80 compared to standard 40 pvc inner thickness. The pipe is also very cheap!


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## Yoreese (Oct 15, 2009)

Stiffy is making canoe poles that aren't that expensive and a very good product. They are up to 14' and poling from the deck that is plenty of length.


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## T1mb3rW0lf (Jul 11, 2009)

I am personally leaning toward 1 1/4 inch closet rod and I am hoping I can put that inside a 1 1/2 piece of pvc pipe cap one end and put a T on the other and fill the voids with foam. Not sure where that will be weightwise but I dont fish for a living and I would just be poling into and out of my spots ... comments .. ideas .. suggestions and personal experience replys welcome ...


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## gnuraider (Nov 4, 2008)

why not just use wood...seems to me that the PVC will make it alot heavier. Wood is heavy enough, but it's natural bouancy makes it light in the water. Not sure how the pvc setup would work.

For the "do more with less" I really like the closet rod push pole that Brett made.

Dave


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## firecat1981 (Nov 27, 2007)

Well I hit up 2 home depot's and a lowes again today and didn't find any good closet rods. I'm going with the PVC, I picked up the deck clips for it today.


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## firecat1981 (Nov 27, 2007)

Changing direction here. I decided against the pvc cause it has to much flex at 1.5 inches and I don't want to have a big old 2 icnh pip strapped to my deck. I also decided I don't want it to be clipped to my deck cause since my boat rises in the front it would have to hang off the side and that makes me paranoid.
I was at Home Depot the other day looking at pool supplies and they have new pool poles in that are more sturdy then the one I bought a while back. instead of smooth it's ribbed for added strength and 2 peices instead of 3. The one I saw was extendable to 16 feet and weighed like 3 lbs. So I figure if I only extend it to 14 feet the 1.5-2ft overlap will be enough to stiffen up the joint against failure. The material looked to be the same type skinnywater products uses in there poles except I can collapse this one, and it's only $23 so if it doesn't work out it's still cheaper then the closet rod I was gonna get.


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## Brett (Jul 16, 2008)

Make sure the core lock bolt is stainless.


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## lilredfish2 (Feb 19, 2007)

My recommendation is to go with the wood pole.  Cheap, light, and strong.  My present pole is 14ft long and  has a foot fabricated out of treated plywood, precut the plywood to shape you want , cut the 1 1/4 dia pole in the center and epoxy that piece in.  When dry and cured slap on a piece on each side of the center piece and epoxy everything together.  Cut and sand to final shape and coat the entire foot with epoxy.


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## firecat1981 (Nov 27, 2007)

if you've seen some of my posts you'll see I've been trying to find a semi straight, good piece of 1.25/1.5 rod for months at several stores with no luck, and even if I did that wouldn't solve my transport problems. The pool pole solves all my problems for one cheap price.


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## james_bingham3 (Oct 22, 2009)

got the same pool pole a couple months ago working good so far, a buddy has one of those ugly duck push polls from bass pro basicly the same thing and we shove his 17' mako around with it ,should be fine and for 23$ if it breaks go get ya another one


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