Underwater Pumpkin Carving 101

[BASSMAN]

A few of us volunteers @ PDZA, have volunteered to carve pumpkins underwater. No contest, just for fun.
Other than, making sure the pumpkin is emptied of it's innards. Are there any other helpful tips, for an unexperienced uw pumpkin carver like myself?
I recently found out, there might be some media coverage too.

I plan on doing a practice pumpkin, at home, first.

[bucknaked]

Dont hold your breath

[Furnari]

...and don't stab through your drysuit
Our local dive club did this over the weekend. I was shore support, but it looked like fun. Punkin's float, so be ready for that...

[eliseaboo]

Yeah, when we do it we put weights in the pumpkin to keep them down. But you need a shockingly large amount of weight to keep them stable enough - I think we put in 5 and were still struggling. Have one buddy hold it while the other carves, if you're brave enough Remember too you can't talk underwater, so either have a plan going in, or be ok with a really wonky-looking pumpkin. Oh, and have fun! That's the most important part.

[fmerkel]

The little specialty carving tools now available in the holiday aisles selling that stuff (skinny serrated blade, scraper, etc.) are a bit safer and actually often more effective than dive knives.

[coulterboy]

Keith,

Don't know if your carving gig at PDZA happens before the 27th of this month. But, if you wanna hone your skills before that day, UWS has a pumpkin carving contest on the 27th at EUP with a $10.00 donation that goes towards the Parks and Recreation Dept. Contest starts at noon. Maybe you could learn a lesson or two on how the other guys do it. My guess is that your gig at PDZA happens before the 27th.

[BASSMAN]

Carving on Saturday the 20th, thanks for the weight idea Elise! I will get a few carving tools also.
Thanks so much for the input!

[Dusty2]

If you can use a sharpy and draw out your design before hand it's a lot easier that way.

[BASSMAN]

Thanks for the tips, it helped a ton!

Here is the final product...

Last picture in the slide show is mine...


http://tacoma.slideshowpro.com/m/?album ... arpening=1

[ArcticDiver]

Thanks for the tips, it helped a ton!

Here is the final product...

Last picture in the slide show is mine...


http://tacoma.slideshowpro.com/m/?album ... arpening=1

The link gave me a splashscreen telling me my Win7 machine was an "unsupported device". Looked like the slide show was only available to some mobile devices.

[BASSMAN]

Try this one..


http://blog.thenewstribune.com/photo/20 ... nt-6869085

[Tom Nic]

Really cool pics! And Congrats on making Sunday's News Tribune!

And I want a Tiger cub.

[lavachickie]

Yeah, when we do it we put weights in the pumpkin to keep them down. But you need a shockingly large amount of weight to keep them stable enough - I think we put in 5 and were still struggling. Have one buddy hold it while the other carves, if you're brave enough Remember too you can't talk underwater, so either have a plan going in, or be ok with a really wonky-looking pumpkin. Oh, and have fun! That's the most important part.

If you REALLY want a challenge, make the participants cut n gut them underwater, too! You're taking most of the challenge out by entering the water with gutted pumpkins.

[BASSMAN]

If you REALLY want a challenge, make the participants cut n gut them underwater, too! You're taking most of the challenge out by entering the water with gutted pumpkins.

Really? And how did that work out for you?

[lavachickie]

Didn't say *I* did it, just suggested it to others so I could watch.