How to Make a CamelPack With an Old Plastic Bottle

by willrandship

9.9K2421

Intro: How to Make a CamelPack With an Old Plastic Bottle

In this instructable, you will make your own camelpak that you can carry around with you on your back. The biggest problem with carrying water bottles around, I've noticed, is that one: it's uncomfortable in a pocket, and two: that it takes forever to refill. This instructable uses a half gallon jug, so you don't run out as fast, plus you can exchange lids to another at any time.

PS. Sorry about the bad pictures. My camera is the worst thing ever to have 3 MegaPixels

STEP 1: Parts Needed

There are four parts that go into the CamelPack. This is an apple juice bottle pictured here, but you could probably do it just as well with some smaller surgical tubing and a two-liter bottle. Also not depicted here is a clothespin. The wooden kind works well.

STEP 2: Tools Needed.

You will also need, for tools, a drill, a pocketknife, and a backpack.

STEP 3: Cut a Hole in the Lid.

To do this, use the pocketknife to slowly whittle out a circle in the middle of the lid. stop when it is slightly smaller than the tube. Remember, you can always cut more, but you can't put it back. Make sure it fits tightly before moving on.

STEP 4: Drill Air Holes.

If you don't drill these, then you will constantly have to let the bottle reshape itself. Take the lid off of the tubing, put it under the drill press, and drill two holes with the 5/64 bit. They should be barely visible through the seal, but the air coming in will push this back, and it will block the water fairly well to not splash.

By the way, for those attempting this with a two liter bottle, only one hole is probably necessary.

STEP 5: Tape It Up.

Stick the hose back in the lid, screw the lid on the bottle, and adjust the hose so it barely scrapes the bottom of the bottle. now tape around the hose with the electrical tape, but be careful not to cover the smaller holes with the tape.

STEP 6: Add the Clothespin and Finish!

Take your clothespin and attach it to the hose on the end, being careful to make sure no water can leak out. Then, stick it in a backpack, preferably in an isolated pocket by itself, because no seal is perfect, and it may leak a little. The pocket should also have two zippers. Put the hose through the handle on top, and it is finished. Enjoy your CamelPack!

21 Comments

Nothing2it96 10 years ago

Hot glue would work better than tape and would look better.

bholzhueter 12 years ago

I bet if you put another cap on top of that with staggered airholes there would be almost no leakage unless it was upside down.

willrandship 12 years ago

Perhaps. I'm not sure if it would have enough airflow to do any good, though, but if it did, there's already such a cap built in! The little plastic sealers on the inside of the caps would be easy enough to rotate 180 degrees after cutting.

ThinkBeforeYouSpeak 14 years ago

You said it is 3mp, but the pictures it takes looks like my .3mp camera. Yes that is POINT3 megapixels.

willrandship 14 years ago

That camera is now garbaged. The battery pack slider never stayed on either. Maybe it was point 3, but it DID have a big 3 on the cover somewhere. It was a horrible camera, but for a while it served well as an SD card reader!

willrandship 14 years ago

It has left this life for the landfill 6 miles from my house. That better?

willrandship 14 years ago

Well, actually it's probably still hiding behind my desk with a 1G SD card in it and I can't find It! maybe my brothers rat carried it away...

willrandship 14 years ago

well, this rat died a while ago, so I don't think it's one of the ones your biology teacher has.

This camera went missing a long, long time ago...

ThinkBeforeYouSpeak 14 years ago

Actually, I was using it, and it broke. I broke it. Then I hid it where you will never find it.

willrandship 14 years ago

hm...I wonder how you got into my house....

ThinkBeforeYouSpeak 14 years ago

I take it you haven't seen the ibles that have to do with "breaking and entering".

codester 15 years ago

Nice job. The air-holes are def key. btw, 3 mps isn't bad, it's probably your sensor size. Good job though.

willrandship 15 years ago

It's not the megapixels, it's the color and brightness. If I don't have it set to uber high detail, then it looks really orange.

gibson_se 14 years ago

It may be that your camera is taking strange pictures, but it doesn't look like you have a whole lot of light for the camera to take in... Maybe you've already tried everything and this is the best your camera will do, but my best guess from the images is that a lot more light would help. ( ie take pics outside on bright sunny summer days, or gather up a couple of desk lamps and aim them at your subject from different angles)

Jeremia was a bullfrog 15 years ago

Great instructable. When I got my materials i wondered if the tube safe to drink out of? (are there any chemicals inside)
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