Huge Repair Project

[SEAL]

I tried to find a solid plastic dowel, but I couldn't. Does anybody know where to get them?

At this point I probably won't mess with the 175 until the school year ends. I have other projects that need priorization. I can bring it to the war though, and maybe Drenchenator or someone can figure out what's wrong with it, because like I said, it seals perfectly.

[Fishfan]

You could get a metal dowel.

[Andrew]

A corrosion-resistant (stainless steel, aluminium or brass) metal dowel would be very strong, but plastic should be cheaper and much lighter. I can get plastic dowel on ebay over here. I'm guessing US ebay should have something aswell (sometimes they are listed as rods or shafts). I wouldn't go for acrylic though, it seems too brittle. ABS, butyrate or nylon maybe?

[HBWW]

If it's plastic, it's gotta be something real solid. I'm not great on my plastics, but nylon, ABS, and, if they make it, PVC, seem to be some of the best options.

Typically, I use a hollow 1/2" aluminum dowel which is quite light but also durable. The hollow part however, is too big, so I have to use epoxy to hold a bolt in. Larger bolts have heads that are too big and don't fit in 1/2" sch. 40 PVC, the pump shaft most of us use.

[Drenchenator]

I've seen wooden and metal dowels in local stores, but never plastic. McMaster has many different kinds of solid plastic rods. For this application, most plastics would be good enough (PVC, ABS, nylon, polycarbonate); the decision mostly comes down to how much you'd like to pay.

I wouldn't use acrylic since its impact strength stinks. It would just shatter after a while.