I transformed a Gatorade jug into a floating Bluetooth speaker for river tubing. Check out my blog post for the full story!

Materials

Main Body

• Igloo Sport 1/2 Gallon Jug With Hooks
• Pioneer 5-1/4" Speaker
• 12V SLA Battery
• Marine weather stripping
• Amplifier Enclosure
  • Bluetooth Amplifier Board
  • 4 Pan head screws, 8-32 3/8"
  • 4 Pan head screws, M3 x 0.5 mm Thread, 5 mm Long
  • 4 Heat-Set Inserts for Plastic, Brass, 8-32 Thread Size, 1/4" Installed Length
  • 4 Heat-Set Inserts for Plastic, Brass, M3 x 0.5 mm, 4.3 mm Installed Length
  • 3D-printed “DAMGOO Enclosure Cover”
  • 3D-printed “DAMGOO Enclosure Base”
• Wire
• Spade connectors
• Velcro strips (to hold battery)
• 3D-printed “DJ Big Gulp Lid”

Flotation

• Roughly 10' of 1/2" Schedule 40 CPVC pipe (0.62" OD to fit into bracket)
• 8 45° elbows
• 4 Tee fittings
• Pool noodle
• 3D-printed “DJ Big Gulp 4 Leg Bracket”

Printing Tips

• 0.2mm layer height with 15% infill.
• No supports needed except for the “DAMGOO Enclosure Cover” – print it with the hump touching the build plate.

Assembly Tips

• Cut the mounting tabs off the speaker – I used a Dremel.
• Attach the marine weather stripping about ¾" from the top of the opening, just above where the contour of the inside changes.
• The PVC legs connect to the bracket at a 35° angle – only one combination of leg length and base perimeter will satisfy this requirement. I'd suggest dry fitting first and trimming if necessary. My legs are about 10" long.
• The main body isn't permanently attached to the flotation frame. You might need to apply a little duct tape to the main body so that there's enough friction to keep it from slipping out when you pick it up by the handle.