Joining two IBC tanks together ?

[CompoSimmonite]

I'm restarting the thinking about my idea for an amphibious mobility scooter. I know max width (850mm) and weight (150kg) to conform with the rules so intend making the basic "hull" in fibreglass and then putting it in a water tank with concrete blocks to duplicate weight of mechanicals, plus me (120kg ) , to determine ride height when floating. Large boat fenders would be solidly attached when in the canal, pond etc for additional buoyancy but not for design testing.
I think two IBC tanks with tops cut off and joined together would be the perfect size. Intention would be, if possible, to retain the steel cage for support.
Question therefore is how would people actually join the tanks together ? Would DIY plastic welding be sufficient or would getting them done professionally be safer bet ?
If anyone can suggest an alternative to two IBC tanks please let me know. Requirements would be cheap, solid (therefore rules out inflatable pools), not metal so plastic or fibreglass and approx 1200mm x 2000mm x say min of 750mm high.

 

[hotponyshoes]

I would think you could cut one end off each cage and tie the ends togeather with some tube that slips over the top and pop rivits or weld it.
For the tanks themselves I would think sikaflex on a 50mm overlap would be plenty.
You could always plate around the joints either side if you felt like it.
Personally I would just go sikaflex and a couple of washers/pop rivit at the top both sides to stop it trying to tear open if you make any waves.

 

[hotponyshoes]

Or do like the farmers kids round here do in the summer.
Hay bales in a rectangle with silage sheet as a liner

 

[Ton-up]

Weld the frames together, and put a pond liner or dpm plastic liner.

 

[drjim]

intex above ground pool? How deep do you need?

 

[hotponyshoes]

if all you want to do is work out the waterline there must be some mathematical way of doing it rather than trying to lift 150kg in and out and trying to stack blocks in it?

 

[drjim]

That's where an inflatable/pop up pool would work - put the thing in the liner then build and fill the pool - no lifting.

Or become friends with someone who has a pond!

 

[gaz1]

fibreglass boat hull

 

[sloderby]

I'm restarting the thinking about my idea for an amphibious mobility scooter

Gotta love this forum, where else could you start a thread like that & receive immediate sensible suggestions without anyone even questioning the sanity/practicality of such a thing!
Just one thing - send pictures it sounds intriguing!

 

[Fastdruid]

if all you want to do is work out the waterline there must be some mathematical way of doing it rather than trying to lift 150kg in and out and trying to stack blocks in it?

Something, something, Archimedes, Eureka!

On the assumption of an IBC being https://www.directwatertanks.co.uk/1000-litre-fssc-food-grade-ibc-steel-pallet-un-approved

54.3 Kg, 1000mm (w) x 1200mm (l) x 1160mm (h)

On the basis of two of them, plus 120Kg it will weigh ~228.6Kg which means to float it will need to displace 228.6l of water which is close to 1/8 of a single tank (or 1/4 of a single tank). If a tank is roughly 1.2m tall that means it'll float with the waterline roughly 15cm from the bottom of the actual tank.

 

[8ob]

Cant see this working, the cage on an ibc is there to retain the liner when full. Using it as a boat the cage wont support the liner and it will implode.

Bob

 

[Wedg1e]

Use cardboard boxes to approximate the shape, odd pieces to create bow taper or whatever's needed, then cover the lot in parcel tape. GRP resin won't bond to the tape so wet-out and lay up, rip the boxes out once the resin cures and hey presto, one hull. Granted it'll be smooth on the inside and rough externally but I doubt you'll be aiming for any water speed records where surface drag will be an issue

 

[johnik]

brings back memories when a workmate who was in the sea scouts asked for help in building a bicycle that could be riden across a lake for a compertition
we used 40 ? gallon plastic drums attached to the bike frame with paddles on the rear rim, didnt work too well but it was a heap of fun.
years later we tried the fiberglass roof from a hi top transit, that ended the same way

 

[Fraserb]

I thought the idea of the ibcs was to make a big bath so he can float his Hull in rather than actually using them for the Hull.

 

[Jan-DIY]

Because it’s made from HDPE, welding is an option.
make sure do get clean ones.
But why not just use the tanks as a structural shell and put a foil in for get it tight?

 

[hotponyshoes]

I thought the idea of the ibcs was to make a big bath so he can float his Hull in rather than actually using them for the Hull.

Thats the way I saw it too.
He's made/making a fibreglass hull and he wants something cheap to test sink it in?

 

[Jan-DIY]

That is also what I read.
but not a native speaker…
Possible that I missed something.

 

[CompoSimmonite]

Cant see this working, the cage on an ibc is there to retain the liner when full. Using it as a boat the cage wont support the liner and it will implode.

Bob

Don't want to use the cage for anything other than to hold the potential joined IBC test tank together

 

[CompoSimmonite]

Use cardboard boxes to approximate the shape, odd pieces to create bow taper or whatever's needed, then cover the lot in parcel tape. GRP resin won't bond to the tape so wet-out and lay up, rip the boxes out once the resin cures and hey presto, one hull. Granted it'll be smooth on the inside and rough externally but I doubt you'll be aiming for any water speed records where surface drag will be an issue

In the past I rescued a bath out of a skip and was going to use that as a mould however it got in the way when other projects took priority so I chopped it up and put in wheelie bin !

 

[James1979]

Fire brigade put 3 ladders in a triangle and put a tarp in them and fill with water. You could drive it onto the tarp, put the third ladder in then fill? Saves a lot of lifting

here: https://www.nfuonline.com/cross-sec...e-fire-service-access-on-farm-water-supplies/