Anyone ever fabricate a push pole?

I can image you being able to build one that isn't too heavy or likely to break for less than what you can buy...

It would be pretty easy to make one out of aluminum, but you'd probably bend the shite out of it if you got mad at it.

Know anybody that welds? A stick of aluminum isn't too expensive.

Buddy built one but not sure what he used for the pole. It was about a 3" aluminum pipe. Filled it with foam for floatation. Bitch was strong.

You can buy just the aluminum foot part, then attach to whatever pole you want. I've had several made out of whatever straight tree close to 1.5" or so I could find. Put the foot on it with a couple sheetrock screws and use it till it breaks. Then cut another tree down. Cheaper than buying one.

Yes,

Its easy with PVC. Don't forget to put a long wooden dowel in the pipe for some rigidity. I glue them end to end to get the length

They last forever

My nephew makes them out of aluminum pole vault poles.

a nice painter's pole is much cheaper and actually much better. I have a retractable one that fits out of the way perfectly retracted to its smallest size right across in front of my chairs at the driver's seat. You'd really never know it's there.

Now, I just use mine in emergency situations, I'm a bass and crappie fisherman, to push off, ect., but a push pole is a must and for just those circumstances, they're great. I probably wouldn't go for bone fish with one, but I wouldn't be surprised if they didn't work pretty good.