10 Life Hacks With PVC #14

10 Life Hacks with PVC #14

[WATCH VIDEO]

[WATCH VIDEO]

Here is the 14th Edition to our “10 Life Hacks with PVC” Series. We built and tested these projects with success. I hope you can benefit from some of these awesome life hacks.

Hacks Included:

1. Diving Sticks

2. Outdoor Shower

3. Briar Stepping Pole

4. Pool Hide-a-Key

5. Water Volleyball

6. Kids Chair

7. Garden Square Guide

8. Flashlight Holder

9. Puppet Theater

10. Foam Glider Launcher

If you would like the video version of this Instructable and the embedded video does not appear, here

is an alternative link

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Find other awesome projects at www.specificlove.com

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Lifehacks are great techniques, tricks, shortcuts, or novelty ways to reuse, repurpose, recycle, and upcycle certain products in uncommon ways to make life easier.

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Step 1: Diving Sticks

Diving Sticks

Need:

- 1/2 inch PVC pipe

- (2) End cap

- Sand

Optional:

- PVC glue

If you like to play in a pool, this is a great way to make some diving sticks.

First get some 1/2 inch PVC pipe. It can be any length you want, but 8 to 12 inches works great.

Add an end cap to one side. It is good idea to glue the end caps, but it is required.

Next fill the pipe about 2/3 with sand and add the second end cap.

The sand should allow the pipe to stand on one end on the bottom of the pool.

If you do not add the sand, the pipe will float on the top of the water, which is another fun toy.

Have fun at the pool.

Step 2: Outdoor Shower

Outdoor Shower

Need:

- 1/2 inch PVC pipe

- (3) End cap

- (1) 4-way connector

- (2) Elbow

- (1) 45-degree connector

- (1) Hose connector

Optional:

- PVC glue

Have you ever need to take a shower outside?.

Maybe it was at a summer camp or you were just covered with mud at home.

Here is a great way to construct a simple version that will connect to the hose.

On the base, you need to start with a 4-way.

Connect two pipes with end caps going out the sides (18-24 inches each). These will help prevent the shower from falling.

Then connect an 18-24 inch rear pipe with a hose connector. This will connect to the hose when ready to use.

On the front, add a short pipe and an elbow facing straight up. Then add a 5 to 6 foot pipe. Top this pipe with an elbow. Add a short pipe, then a 45-degree connector, and then a short pipe.

The final end cap needs to be modified before installing. You will need to drill a bunch of holds in to the cap with a 1/16-inch drill bit. Then you are ready to install and use.

Have fun with your new outdoor shower.

Step 3: Briar Stepping Pole

Briar Stepping Pole

Need:

- 1-inch PVC pipe (about 3 feet)

- Paracord or Rope (6-8 feet long)

- Drill

Have you ever been hiking or working outside and find it difficult to get through the forest because of the briars? Here is a good way to help.

Take a 3 foot long piece of 1-inch pipe and drill a hole in each end.

Then connect a long piece of paracord or rope to each side.

The center of the rope should be able to reach from your pipe (on the ground) to your hand positioned in front of you (in a standing position).

Now when you want to go through the briars, just push them down with your foot on the pipe. As you take the next step, slightly lift the pipe and slide it forward and then back down.

This should allow you to get through the briars with minimal scratching.

Step 4: Pool Hide-a-Key

Pool Hide-a-Key

If you use a short piece of pipe and 2 end caps, you can create a Hide-a-Key.

The size of the pipe will depend on the size of the key, but 3/4 or 1 inch will work with most keys.

The great thing about PVC with end caps is that it will float.

Once the key is inside, you can take this setup and store it under the ladder in your pool. The pipe will push upward on the bottom of the latter, keeping it in place.

Step 5: Water Volleyball

Water Volleyball

If it is a little to hot outside to play regular volley ball, then lets try Water Volleyball.

Need:

- 1/2 inch PVC pipe

- (3) T-connector

- (2) Elbows

- (4) End caps

- PVC Hose connector

- Drill

Optional:

- PVC glue

You will need to cut the pipe into seven 2-foot long pieces and two 3-foot long pieces.

On the 3-foot pipes, you will need to drill several holes lengthwise down the pipe as straight as possible.

I used a 1/16 inch bit because the holes need to be real small to keep the pressure up.

Connect the drilled pipes with a T-connector facing down.

Then add the elbows to the ends of these pipes.

In both elbows and the center T-connector, add a 2-foot pipe. (The center pipe is for support only.)

On the outer down pipes, connect the remaining T's and pipes to created the base.

On one of the base legs, attach the hose connector.

Add the End caps to the remaing 4 open pipes.

Attach the hose and have fun playing Water Volleyball.

Step 6: Kids Chair

Kids Chair

Need:

- 3/4 inch pipe

- (8) End caps

- (2) Long bolts

- Fabric (old pants)

- Drill

- Needle and thread

Here is an easy way to make a kids lawn chair.

Cut eight pipes about 12-inches long.

Using the elbows, make two squares of the same size.

At the side and center of each square, drill a hole though.

Now interlock the squares with each other and add the bolts throught the drilled holes.

The chair should be able to fold and unfold easily.

Now hold the top two pipes in about the sitting position and make a note of the distance. Then rap the fabric over the top two pipes and sew it in place.

The chair should support most children, but I recommend a stronger version for adults.

Step 7: Garden Square Guide

Garden Square Guide

If you like to garden, then you know that sometimes it is difficult to get the right distance between every plant. Here is a great way to help.

Need:

- (24) 1/2 inch pipe

- (4) elbows

- (8) T-connector

- (4) 4-way Connector

For this design, first make a square using the pipes and 4-way connectors. This will be the center square and make it easy to complete the full design.

Add a pipe to the remaining open connections.

Then add a T-connector to those pipes.

Add the remaining pipes with an elbow in the corners.

Now you can use this planting square to help you keep the exact distance between each plant.

This design can vary to meet you needs.

Step 8: Flashlight Holder

Flashlight Holder

Here is a simple way to store a flashlight on a wall or desk.

Find the thickness of the flashlight and then get a short piece of pipe that will fit around the base but not slide over the head of the light. In our case, we used 1.25 inch pipe.

Make sure to test fit the pipe and flashlight together and in the planned area for best fit.

On the top and bottom of the pipe, cut a downward angle from back to front. This will allow the flashligh to be placed in and removed easier.

On the backside of the pipe (at the top and bottom), drill a mounting hole.

Now screw the pipe into place for your new flashlight holder.

Step 9: Puppet Theater

Puppet Theater

Need:

- 1/2 inch PVC pipe

- (8) Corner Connectors

- (2) T-connector

- Bed Sheets

- Tape

- Safety pins

This is a very simple design.

You will need to create a very large box (cube) using the corner connectors at each corner.

I made this version a little taller than it is wide, but you can make it any size you wish.

On the front pipes, I cut and spliced in some T-connectors. This holds the front lower curtain to keep the people hidden in the theater.

I then used some tape and safety pins to hold the bed sheets in place around the pipes.

The great thing about this setup is that you can modify it easily to fit your needs.

Step 10: Foam Glider Launcher

Foam Glider Launcher

This idea acutally come from one of my viewers.

It is a very cool design that uses rubber bands to launch the foam planes much faster than most people can throw them.

This is made primarilly with 3/4 inch PVC, but it does need two small pieces of 1/2 inch pipe.

In our version, you will allso need:

- (2) 90 degree elbows

- (2) 45 degree elbows

- (4) T-connectors

- Zip ties

Once assembled, you will use the zip ties to hold the rubber bands in place.

You will also need to add a screw or something to the bottom of the planes for the rubber bands to grab.

The real design goes to my viewer and he made a video to show how this works:

Step 11: More PVC Life Hack Videos:

More PVC Life Hack Videos:

#1

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#2

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#3

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#4

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#5

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#6

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#7

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#8

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#9

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#10

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#11

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#12

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#13

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#14

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Find other Awesome Projects at www.specificlove.com

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Lifehacks are great techniques, tricks, shortcuts, or novelty ways to reuse, repurpose, recycle, and upcycle certain products in uncommon ways to make life easier. Just remember that PVC is only a form of hard plastic. It can and will break if too much weight or force is applied and injuries can occur. Please use caution when using anything made from PVC. Use of video content for personal projects is at your own risk.