Make sure you get the Sealed (closed top) barrels with the 2 screw caps. At any given time you'll find some available ranging from $5 to 20$ per barrel. You're best bet is to get these locally from Facebook market place. Jetski was designed by Jonathan Globerson Waveblaster Jetski | 3D CAD Model Library | GrabCADĭisclaimer, the links to amazon are affiliate links The Plastic barrels, were designed by the_Natrix 55 USG Closed Top Plastic Drum | 3D CAD Model Library | GrabCAD The entire project was first designed in Fusion 360. Here is a quick demo of what I designed and built: Most of it is extremely straight forward but my first attempt did end up leaking air so pay attention. In the next steps I'll show you what materials and tools you need and how to construct the lift. My 3.5hp Shop Vac has no problem pushing the air to the bottom of the barrels. Many Shop Vacs available on the market allow you to connect to hose to the suction end but also to the exhaust (blowing) end. When air comes in, it will want to go up and displace the water, present, through a large (4inch) hole at the back bottom of each barrel. The 'air in' hose is connected to the bottom cap, with a pipe connected, that goes to the back/bottom of the barrel. The 'air out' hose is connected to a simple ball valve (turns out to be airtight) Once the barrel is on it's side one tap (top one) lets out air and the other tap (at the bottom) takes in air. Mine lifts the jetski with me on top without issue.Įach barrel has two caps (most sealed barrels are configured that like). Since these barrels won't be fully sealed they will carry a little less but two barrels easily carry most if not any of the jetski's out there. How does it work? Well, a regular 55 gallon fully sealed barrel has buoyancy of about 416.35 lbs. Except for the Dock Hinges that hold the lift in place, most materials are available at your local hardware store (and possibly eBay or FB marketplace). Open the lever and the lift will gradually drop, press the remote and a shop vac will lift it up again.Īll of this with not much more than some lumber, some barrels, PVC, and garden hoses (oh and a Shop Vac that can blow air). That is a lift that can be operated (remotely) with a simple lever and a Shop Vac. In this instructable, I will instruct on how to build a pneumatic Jetski lift.

What is a pneumatic lift