PVC and Conduit Poles

I can’t drop the $$$ for new fiberglass poles this year so I’m going to upgrade my current set. My brother and I have been learning by failure and have made all the easy mistakes a couple times already.

Anyway, I’m going to get 10’ PVC (1") and 10’ conduit (whatever fits in 1") and piece them together in the 14’ range. My question is how do I keep the poles from sliding up or down? I’ve thought about PVC glue but don’t know how it would adhere to the metal. Thought about putting a small set screw to hold it in place but I don’t want to create a snag for the net. What’s the secret?

CFS Champ 2015

Drill holes and use a rivet gun. I ran tape around the rivets to keep the net from hanging if it ever hits the pole.

18’ Hewes Bayfisher

Also, I found this…

http://old.charlestonfishing.com/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=127552

Seems like a legit site, you guys should check it out.

Stainless steel pan head screws. If the conduit breaks/rusts out, just remove the screws and replace the conduit. Duct tape around the conduit will keep it centered in the PVC.

Growing old is MANDATORY, Growing up is OPTIONAL!

Use 3/4" 10 ft conduit, and 3/4" 10 ft PVC. Slide the PVC over the conduit bout Hal way. Then, u have 15 ft poles that can stick in sand or drop in the mud. Mine r 8 yrs old, and going strong. Good luck. I didn’t use anything to hold it together. Had to hammer some if them with a rubber mallet. It will not come apart. Like Clemson’s defense!

quote:
Originally posted by ripnlips

Use 3/4" 10 ft conduit, and 3/4" 10 ft PVC. Slide the PVC over the conduit bout Hal way. Then, u have 15 ft poles that can stick in sand or drop in the mud. Mine r 8 yrs old, and going strong. Good luck. I didn’t use anything to hold it together. Had to hammer some if them with a rubber mallet. It will not come apart. Like Clemson’s defense!


This post made my day, GO TIGERS!!!

Use Epoxy. First heat the PVC up with a heat gun then put the epoxy in the PVC and slide the conduit as far as you can, about 1 to 1 1/2 foot. In 10 years I have never had one to separate.

You should not need any glue, epoxy or screws. Bring the conduit with you to the pvc section and get the pvc that will not easily slide on. I believe it will be called cpvc, it’s been a while so I can’t remember exactly. I used 10’ 1/2" conduit with 5’ pvc tops filled with foam. You will have to beat the pvc onto the conduit a few inches, but mine have held up for 10 years now. We routinely shrimp in 10’-12’ of water and the 1/2" does fine. Be sure to crimp the ends of the conduit as well.

Get 3/4" conduit and same on pvc heat pvc with small lp torch slide on let cool made 15’ poles have used them 6 years hammer end of conduit closed will go in better than glass poles cost about $25 bucks for whole deal.

My advice - use pvc on the bottom and emt on the top. Reasons are three: 10 feet of sch40 pvc are more rigid than 20 feet and won’t wobble so badly. Emt won’t rust out so quickly. And most importantly, with emt stuck in mud if you don’t or can’t pull it straight up it will bend and when it bends it will “kink” and be dang near impossible to straighten. FWIW - I have used the same 14 foot 1 inch pvc poles for 12 years and never had a problem with wobble and or bent poles.

186 Bone Flats Boat
140 Suzuki fourstroke

I agree with the above post. I used this setup for many years before
switching to fiberglass. Just wondering what pvc/emt prices are now.
I know they weren’t bad when I did mine but that was 15 years ago.
Check with Rick at Titan. His ad’s on the website here. He sells
fiberglass if the cost of pvc/emt is anywhere close I would go with
the fiberglass.

Fiberglass are no more expensive than making your own. Buy a set use them for a season or any number years and sell them. The difference in the price you paid and the selling price will be less than the cost of homemade. But if you insist on making them, use thin wall pvc not schedule 40 and drive the emt in. You can use a construction adhesive (liquid nails) but not necessary. The homemade are heavier, will bend, rust, scarr boat, and sink, but will work ok.

Rob
Triumph 17
Honda 75