Needed a watering can the other day. Looked around, you know, trying to find something solid, maybe actually made here in the US. Felt like searching for a unicorn. Everything felt flimsy, shipped from who knows where. Got fed up.
So, I figured, why not just try and make one? How hard could it be, right? Seemed like a straightforward thing. I like tinkering anyway, keeps me busy.
Getting Started
First thing, I needed materials. Didn’t want to buy much. Looked around the garage. Found an old, sturdy plastic gallon jug – one of those thick ones that used to hold juice or something. Perfect. Cleaned it out real good. Didn’t want old sugary stuff messing with my plants.
Then, the spout. That was the tricky part. Scrounged around some more. Found a length of semi-rigid plastic tubing. Maybe half-inch diameter? Looked about right. Also grabbed my trusty drill and some waterproof silicone sealant I had left over from fixing the sink last year.
Putting It Together
Alright, action time. First step, figure out where the spout goes. Decided to put it high up on the side, near the top but angled down. Drilled a hole in the jug, just slightly smaller than the tube’s diameter. Wanted a tight fit.
Next, I had to wrestle the tube into the hole. Took some shoving and twisting. Got it in there, angled how I wanted it. It stayed put, mostly.
Then, the sprinkler head part. Didn’t have anything fancy. So, I took the end of the tube, heated it up carefully with a lighter just to soften it a bit. Pinched the end almost closed. Then, used a small drill bit to make a bunch of tiny holes in the sealed-off end. Crude, but hey, it’s a sprinkler, right?
Sealing the deal. This felt important. Took that silicone sealant and put a generous bead all around where the tube entered the jug. Inside and out. Smoothed it down with my finger. Had to let that cure properly, left it sitting overnight. Patience isn’t my strong suit, but leaky cans are useless.
Testing and Fixing
Next morning, time for the test. Filled it up with water. Held my breath. Walked outside.
- Did it leak around the spout? Nope. Sealant held. Good stuff.
- Did water come out the end? Yes.
- Did it sprinkle? Sort of. More like a few sad dribbles and one strong stream from a hole I apparently made too big.
Okay, back to the drawing board on the sprinkler head. The pinched end wasn’t great. Cut that part off. Found a plastic bottle cap. Drilled a bunch of small, neat holes in the cap. Used more sealant to fix the cap onto the end of the tube. Let that cure too.
The Result
Second test run. Filled it up. Success! Water came out in a nice, gentle shower. Not the prettiest thing you ever saw. Looks like, well, a jug with a tube stuck to it. But it works. It holds water, it pours water on my plants without drowning them.
And you know what? It feels kinda good. Made it myself, right here. Used junk I already had. It’s sturdy enough. Maybe took more effort than clicking ‘buy now’, but sometimes the process is the point. It waters plants. Job done.
