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<div dir="ltr" data-setdir="false">Hello Mikael,</div><div dir="ltr" data-setdir="false"><br></div><div dir="ltr" data-setdir="false">You can purchase submarine plans from PSUBS and that is the quickest way to get started. You will need to invest in many tools and have a location where you can use those tools including stick and/or tig welder, drill press, lathe, grinders, sanders, and much more. To weld and machine a "safe" vessel you will need more than just beginner experience with the tools, particularly welding the pressure hull. Anything you can't do yourself safely you will need to contract a service to perform for you.</div><div dir="ltr" data-setdir="false"><br></div><div dir="ltr" data-setdir="false">SCUBA certification is strongly recommended. None of the communications we use require special training or licenses.</div><div dir="ltr" data-setdir="false"><br></div><div dir="ltr" data-setdir="false">All materials used for the submarine are expensive and I think you would spend upwards of $50-60k for the finished project.</div><div dir="ltr" data-setdir="false"><br></div><div dir="ltr" data-setdir="false">Operating costs are similar to a surface boat however you will need a good trailer as well. Weighing in at 3-5000 pounds, you won't be pulling it with a Tesla coupe so expect to purchase a four-wheel drive full size truck to tow/launch/retrieve the submarine.</div><div dir="ltr" data-setdir="false"><br></div><div dir="ltr" data-setdir="false">Propane tanks are not appropriate. The issue is not a scarcity of information but the fact they are not fabricated from the proper steel nor are they intended to be used for external pressure.</div><div dir="ltr" data-setdir="false"><br></div><div dir="ltr" data-setdir="false">You are in the correct place to ask questions so just keep asking whatever comes to mind and learn as much as you can BEFORE spending any money.</div><div dir="ltr" data-setdir="false"><br></div><div dir="ltr" data-setdir="false">Jon</div><div dir="ltr" data-setdir="false"><br></div><div dir="ltr" data-setdir="false"><br></div><div><br></div>
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On Wednesday, June 28, 2023 at 05:40:45 PM EDT, via Personal_Submersibles <personal_submersibles@psubs.org> wrote:
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<div><div id="ydp7e432cbbyiv7441595743"><div><div class="ydp7e432cbbyiv7441595743WordSection1"><p class="ydp7e432cbbyiv7441595743MsoNormal">Hello, all,</p><p class="ydp7e432cbbyiv7441595743MsoNormal"> </p><p class="ydp7e432cbbyiv7441595743MsoNormal">First things first, I’d like to introduce myself. I’m Mikael, a college student studying mechanical engineering. I’ve had an interest in building my own submarine for about 3 years now, after building small ROVs with my robotics team and competing in the MATE championship. </p><p class="ydp7e432cbbyiv7441595743MsoNormal"> </p><p class="ydp7e432cbbyiv7441595743MsoNormal">The sub I want to build is a 1atm submarine that can carry 1-2 people and dive to about 150-200ft. The main purpose of this would be an engineering challenge to myself. </p><ol style="margin-top:0in;" start="1" type="1"><li style="margin-left:0in;" class="ydp7e432cbbyiv7441595743MsoListParagraph">What general advice would you give me to get started? </li><li style="margin-left:0in;" class="ydp7e432cbbyiv7441595743MsoListParagraph">How do I do this safely? I think I need to address the elephant in the room of the recent Titan tragedy – how do I avoid having that happen to me? There’s the obvious, design with plenty of safety factor, build in redundancy to life support and surfacing systems, etc. What else do I need to be aware of? In particular, what are the less obvious/more obscure issues that might crop up?</li><li style="margin-left:0in;" class="ydp7e432cbbyiv7441595743MsoListParagraph">What skills do I need to pick up before embarking on this project? I have a little bit of experience with machining, I’d need to get better to make parts I’d trust with my life. I can only assume I’d need to learn to weld. Are other skills like SCUBA necessary? Do I need to learn HAM radio for any communications devices?</li><li style="margin-left:0in;" class="ydp7e432cbbyiv7441595743MsoListParagraph">Ballpark, how much would this cost to build? To operate? What costs are involved in the process that I likely wouldn’t expect?</li><li style="margin-left:0in;" class="ydp7e432cbbyiv7441595743MsoListParagraph">How do you source/fabricate your pressure hulls? I’ve heard of people using propane tanks, but also that doing so isn’t really the recommended strategy, because detailed information on them is scarce. I have no idea how else you’d fabricate something like that on a hobbyist budget.</li><li style="margin-left:0in;" class="ydp7e432cbbyiv7441595743MsoListParagraph">What books/reference material should I pick up? So far I’ve picked up Manned Submersibles, Concepts in Submarine Design, as well as the ABS rulebook and the Design, Construction, and Operating Guidelines from the PSUBS website. </li><li style="margin-left:0in;" class="ydp7e432cbbyiv7441595743MsoListParagraph">What other questions should I be asking? </li></ol><p class="ydp7e432cbbyiv7441595743MsoNormal"> </p><p class="ydp7e432cbbyiv7441595743MsoNormal">Thank you very much for any help you can provide! I know that’s a lot of questions.</p><p class="ydp7e432cbbyiv7441595743MsoNormal"> </p><p class="ydp7e432cbbyiv7441595743MsoNormal"> - Mikael</p></div></div></div>_______________________________________________<br>Personal_Submersibles mailing list<br><a href="mailto:Personal_Submersibles@psubs.org" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Personal_Submersibles@psubs.org</a><br><a href="http://www.psubs.org/mailman/listinfo.cgi/personal_submersibles" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">http://www.psubs.org/mailman/listinfo.cgi/personal_submersibles</a><br></div>
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