HEY... I'M NOT THE ONLY ONE WHO BUILDS STUFF WITH PVC! Lawn Bag Frame Renald in Rhode Island shares his lawn bag frame that he has used for 4 seasons. Total cost $7. It is constructed from 1/2'' PVC tubing with end caps on the bottom of each leg for protection from tearing the bag. Total height is 37 inches. This frame has changed the degree of difficulty regarding the filling of this somewhat clumsy bag. The top rectangular frame minimizes contact and tearing of the bag. The structure is rigid and supports the bag for use when emptying a lawnmower collection bag. It even provides a hard surface for snapping small twigs. Grasping the legs diagonally across from one another from outside the bag provides an ideal gripping surface while transporting. Stability is also enhanced, which minimizes tipping over from the wind. The legs are not connected at the bottom as this provides an easy straight pull-out once the bag is full. The bag can be stuffed to the max and the frame never jambs inside from the pressure from the compacted debris. Swimming Pool Hose Reel hose on reel unwinding hose by gravity unwinding hose winding hose 1. The hose is vertically wound on the reel, the interior water of the wet hose can drain out from lower end opening of the hose even after the hose being wound in order. 2. To release any twisting and kinking of the hose in the water, an arm gets the hose untangled in advance of winding on the reel 3. The vertical reel can be removed from the base frame to unwind the hose by gravity (it's fast). 4. It also can carry and store a hose, brush, vacuum head and leaf rake. Thanks, Johnny PVC Bike Rack I made this first rendition of a bicycle rack with 1-1/2" pipe. I heated the pipe and flattened it to fit onto my hitch. The straps make it pretty stable. I will probably strap it down better as I come up with another idea. Paul Dunnellon, FL Football Equipment Stand John in Park Ridge, IL says, "I made a PVC stand that holds my football helmet and shoulder pads. It has a plywood shelf and hangs my football pants." Putter Stand Putter Stand With Head Cover In Office Ken in Maylene, Alabama told me "sometimes I like to take a mental break and putt a few balls while in my office. This is a putter stand that I made to put in the corner." Putter Holder Putter Holder End Cap Tab View "I also made this putter holder to hang off of the bag strap on golf carts. The way my bag is made, I have to dig past my driver and woods (with head covers) to get to my putter. Very inconvenient. So I made this inexpensive solution that gives easy and quick access to get to the putter." If you'd like to construct your own Putter Stand & Holder, Ken shares his plans in PDF format here. Mister This is a misting tunnel we made to take to the World Maker Faire in New York this year. It makes a hot day cool, and all you have to do is take a 40-foot walk. (Another example of what can be made by bending PVC pipe.) Thanks to the BendIt company. Pergola This pergola was designed and built by Diana Digs Dirt in Greensboro, NC. Materials included PVC pipe and caps for the vertical detail along the top between the 2x4’s. Enjoy the wonderful PVC artwork from Dave Schreuder in the Netherlands. He says, "I selected my first 'plant' which I made of 2 PVC pipes and coloured "artistical green." The height is 180 centimeters (6 feet) and the width is about 150 centimeters (5 feet). And the middle one is a palm tree in several green colours. The height is 150 centimeters (5 feet) and the width is 120 centimeters (4 feet). It looks great between the real plants in our garden. The third artwork (on the right) is called Yin and Yang Connected by Love." You can see more of Dave's art by visiting him at www.pvcobjecten.nl Kayak Frame thanks to Alex in Kentucky PVC Table Using plans from my PVC furniture manual, great-grandma Jan built this nice "friendship table" so she and her neighbor can visit over coffee & snacks in the evenings. Thanks for the photo, Jan Canoe Hauler Built by Dennis in Belleville, IL Laundry Bin Here is a Laundry Bin project that my daughter and I built out of PVC pipe. My daughter uses five bins, one for each member of her family plus another for towels and things. There is also a bar at the top to hang clothes on when they come out of the dryer. We also added a shelf to the top for stability but it was not painted yet so I did not include it. Barbara & Nicole Jacksonville, FL PVC Awning         This is an awning for house windows. They can really dress up a boring facade of any house for not too much money - excluding material which is the biggest cost. I found a supplier of Sunbrella "seconds" at $10.00 per yard and it takes about 1.5 yards for a 4 foot awning. Ripstop nylon was also used, parachute material would also work. Light weight canvas works, too. The end pieces are separate from main covering, as this was an experiment to see if it would hold up. This spans 4 feet and is a bit wobbly in the center. Anything larger and I would need to figure out a support mechanism or use two smaller ones. And I may reinforce the next awning with 1/8-inch staples. Materials: 1/2 inch PVC, 6 - 3 way fittings, 4 - 45 degrees connectors, 6 male to female adaptors Sarah P., RN This is an outrigger on our canoe. We take a lot of family vacations in our Toyota motor home and I am limited as to how much weight I can pull. Most of the time we bring the canoe and a pair of mopeds on a small trailer. The outrigger really makes the canoe stable enough to fish out of. Scott J., Peoria Il.   Ashanti and Rodney, both students at a Macon, GA high school, built this boat for their Pre-Engineering class. They used ¾” PVC pipe. They lined the frame of the boat with ½” Styrofoam and sealed the edges and corners, then wrapped it in 4-mil. plastic sheeting.   It had to be big enough to carry 2 people across the pond retrieve their flag and then come back to the dock. Underwater Camera Housing Scott in Florida says, "I’ve always wanted to shoot video while diving but underwater housings are very expensive, so I decided to make my own. These are pictures of a couple of different video camera housings built from PVC tubing. All have worked extremely well and the one pictured on the right made it all the way to 190 feet underwater before it finally failed. Another Version of Scott's Underwater Camera Housing This version is a little more customized. A wooden form is made in the size and shape I want the pipe to be inside to more closely fit the camera. The PVC is heated to 400 degrees F. for 5 minutes making it very flexible. While the pipe is still hot, the form is driven into the pipe and when it cools it forms in the square shape. Ham Radio Antenna Jeff, KB7NHD, set up a portable HAM radio station providing communications as part of a volunteer effort to support a local bike club's ride event in Springfield, IL. He built a portable mast using 1" PVC x three 60" sections attached to an old oscillating fan base. This mast supported his 2m / 70cm dual band antenna. Jeff drilled some holes in the top section just below the antenna mount to attach nylon cord he used to guy the antenna. He says this portable solution works out well for him and is quick to put up and take down and is easily fitted into his car for transportation. Another Ham Radio Antenna Set-Up Jimmy taught classes on how to build this Ham Radio antenna with PVC pipe. He says his design has been used on barges along the Illinois river and elsewhere. Many people in Emergency Management for Florida and other states use this and other of his designs because the salt water does not effect them as much as other antennas, mainly because of the use of PVC in the design. Jimmy Cary, WX9DX The link to Jimmy's detailed quad design is... http://www.hamuniverse.com/WX9DXQuadAntennaClass2007.pdf Denise first glued her PVC Playhouse frame in sections so it can be disassembled for storing. Frame assembled, ready for covering. Note how she used 4-way and 3-way fittings at each corner. Then Denise crafted this delightful cover made with outdoor fabric to avoid fading. Another fun cover. She says her grandkids really enjoy the Playhouse. You can see why. Thanks for sharing, Denise! BIRD GYM Angel in Cincinnati created a fun and playful gym for her parrot. And she came up with a matching... ...CEILING EXTENDER to adjust the height.  DOG BOWL STAND Angel also made this great project to help elevate dog bowls for larger dogs. She says it helps to keep her dogs from straining their necks. Thanks, Angel! PICKUP TRUCK BIKE RACK Juvencio and his grandson, Ian, made this nifty bike rack and they invite you to build one, too. Click here to view their step-by-step plans in PDF format. POOL TOWEL RACK Carlos in Miami made this simple pool towel rack with 1 ½-inch PVC left over from a Jacuzzi project. PORTABLE POOL SHOWER Carlos also made this handy shower for his swimming pool... ... and this POOL HANDRAIL that can be easily moved and stored out-of-the-way. TRASH BAG HOLDER Ed says, "I used 1-inch PVC pipe. A smaller size could be used also. However, for durability, the bigger the better. I used 1/2-inch boards for the cover, jointed to make a 15-inch x 15-inch cover. The handle is 1/2-inch PVC pipe. When planning, take into consideration the size of the trash bag. From there, calculate the dimensions of the Trash Bag Holder and the size of the cover." Canoe Rack for a Pickup. Great idea. Thanks, Gary! Dave sent in this photo for a fun Jungle Gym. His granddaughters love playing on it. Rick designed and built this small-boat trailer made with 1-1/2 and 2-inch PVC pipe. Well engineered, it easily folds up for storage! Sue just finished her PVC Gazebo made from Jim's plans. She modified the roof slightly and added a metal finial to the cupola for a nice finishing touch. Great job, Sue! Cyd sent this photo of her outdoor foot washer. It gave me an idea for my own version. You'll find free plans here. Maureen sent these photos of her fun PVC doll furniture projects. I spotted this target game the other day. It's made with 1/2-inch PVC pipe and fittings. The top two tees aren't glued so the legs can fold back for storage. The balls are regular tennis balls and the target is made with a Velcro material. Looks easy to make and fun to play. Take a look at this clever PVC pipe fence.   Allen Sent this Photo of the Mast & Boom Cradle He Devised for His Sailboat. Great Idea! Nursing Home Potty Chair Rope off Private Areas Knock-Down Booth at a Craft Show or Fair Indoor Fencing. Easy to Make with My Special Bending and Drilling Jigs. Fish Gutting Table on Puget Sound Dock Lifeguard Chair Glenn in Chicago got tired of viewing his neighbor's wall. So, with the neighbor's permission, he constructed this trellis. During spring and summer, he hangs potted plants on it. In the winter, it's used for Christmas lights, wreaths and snowflakes. "Sure cheers up the dining room," Glenn says. Yep, that's a four poster bed made entirely with PVC pipe and MDO plywood for the bedboards. The head and footboard are removable. Doug says it's rock solid. He tells me that plans for the bed, as well as other projects are now available. Shannon in NC sent this photo of her clever swing/gym she made for her parrot, Casey. Free Bunk Bed Plans are Available from Mark. Trailer from Bill in Tennessee. Pivots on Axle for Dumping. Covered with Netting, Painted and then Filled with Plastic Balls, this Play Structure Becomes an Indoor Ball Pit. Door/Ramp Swings Upward with Slip Tees as Hinges. Thanks, Craig. This Contraption is a Reclining Shower Chair Built for a Nursing Home. Even has a Toilet Seat Attached. Apparently It Works Like a Charm! Courtesy of Molly in California. Laundry Bin Made for a Nursing Home in California. (I Can't Quite Make Out How the Pedals Work to Open the Lids.) Anyway, Thanks Again, Molly. Time Capsule from Pat in Centralia, WA. Many Years Ago, a Company Sold a Bunch of These Things by Mail Order. Business Idea for You? Now This Will Get the Fire Department's Attention. Thanks to Ray in Arkansas. Tree Cover submitted by Bim in Oklahoma. He uses it to keep springtime cottonwood blooms off his small trees. Also ideal to keep deer and other animals from destroying newly planted trees and shrubs. Cover the PVC frame with fiberglass screen door material and fasten it to the pipe with cable ties. On a recent trip, I noticed this towel hamper at the hotel pool. Could be modified for use as a clothes hamper at home. Or? Tammie and her family built this sturdier version of my Bolo Ball game. Susan, a grade school teacher, made the bus and Sassy the giraffe framed with PVC pipe and fittings. She's also finishing up this neat cabana. Note the child's PVC chair. Six-Inch PVC Pipe Makes a Different and Interesting Entrance to a Beach Cabin on the Oregon Coast.     LET'S SEE YOUR PROJECT! John in Wisconsin built this handy Canoe Caddy. You can, too. Here's his instructions: You can buy these for $75 in the sporting stores, but why not build one in about an hour? It supports a boat up to 200 lbs. 12 ft. of 1-1/4" PVC pipe 4 elbows 4 caps (through which the axles are inserted) One metal axle and two wheels Some kind of strap to spread caddy legs when hauling boat (see the brown one I use) One leg to steady caddy when boat is placed on top two of the legs should be shorter to allow them to fold into longer legs add a strap of your choice to wrap around boat/canoe to secure during hauling. Wheels of your choice (replacement lawn mower shells are nice). Thanks, John! SUBMIT YOUR PROJECT PHOTO HERE HOW TO MAKE PVC FURNITURE AND OTHER FUN PVC PROJECTS Site Map Click Here for Dozens of PVC Project Plans from the PVC Workshop Files text and photos copyright © 2000 - 2012 by Brooks Owen All Worldwide Rights Reserved