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How to Bend
PVC Pipe
Which bend looks neater? Smoother? More professional?
After you've mastered the basics of making PVC projects,
here's how to form PVC pipe into the shape you want. Actually, it's pretty easy once you learn the way I've been
doing it. No need to spend hundreds of dollars on specialized PVC pipe bending equipment... everything necessary
to get set up should cost less than $35!
First, here's how not
to bend PVC pipe.
Now, the right way...
Basic Tools Needed
Heat Gun
PVC Pipe Cutter
1/2 or 3/4-inch PVC Pipe
To practice, cut a length of
3/4-inch diameter (1/2-inch works as well) PVC pipe, about 3 feet long, then lay it on a flat surface... garage
floor, sheet of plywood or whatever. (Read "Is Working with PVC Safe?")
Turn the heat gun on high, place the "business end"
about an inch, or thereabouts, from the section of pipe you want to heat. (Too close and you'll likely burn the
pipe.) Slowly turn the pipe and move the heat gun back and forth 3 or 4 inches in each direction.
Be sure to wear a good pair of leather gloves and work
in a well-ventilated area. You'll see that, in just a minute or so, the pipe becomes malleable. Turn off the heat
gun, pick up the pipe and slowly curve it to the desired shape.
Ooops!
See how the pipe kinks? Not good.
So
Here
are Three Inexpensive Solutions |
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Method #1
Sand.
Use clean sand that you can get from most any hardware store. Or
pick up a small bucketful of sand from a yard and garden
shop, from the beach, or wherever.
Next, fit a PVC cap onto one end of the pipe, fill it with sand and tamp it down
(I use a wooden dowel). Then place another cap on the opposite end.
NOTE: Do not
glue the caps to the pipe.
Heat the pipe as described above. The sand evenly
distributes the heat and, of course, keeps it from kinking. Bend the pipe, then let it cool for a couple of minutes.
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No Sand... Bad
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Sand... Good
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TIP: You can speed-up the cooling process by
wiping a wet sponge on the pipe.
TIP: Pull the pipe just a smidge beyond the desired radius. Because of the recovery
characteristics of PVC, the pipe will often "spring back" slightly after cooling.
Method #2
Instead of sand, you can insert a spring, such as the Pipe Viper.
For large diameter pipe, I insert a used garage door
spring. I acquired a couple of them free that were
discarded by a garage door supplier.
Follow the directions above.
TIP: Attach a wire, or
small chain, at one of the spring to aid in removal
after the pipe cools.
Method #3
Recently, I tested a nifty new tool called
PVC BendIt. If you
do a lot of bending – and don't mind spending a bit of
money – you'll find this little beauty indispensable. And, it's affordable.
Take a look at the bends I
easily made in the 1/2-inch and 1-inch pipe. Each bend took
about 40 seconds.
One of the things I like about
the BendIt device is you don't need
to insert sand or a spring when bending, which makes it easier and quicker to bend the pipe.
You should
check it out.
And tell 'em Brooks sent you. (No,
I don't get a commission. It's just a cool tool to own.)
Make Your Own
Bending Jig
Next thing to know is how to get the same radius each
time you bend the pipe when you make duplicate projects. Or, for example, the same curve for arms of a chair.
For that, you’ll need to build a simple bending jig. Cut a sheet
of plywood into a 3-foot square. (Depending on your project, the square can be bigger, or smaller.) On the plywood,
pencil in the radius you want to bend. Then, hammer in a few nails along the line.
Prepare the pipe as before, heat and, when ready, place the pipe
alongside the nails and bend. Repeat to make as many duplicates of the bend as you need.
TIP: Hammer a nail on the opposite "side" of the pipe at each end to hold the bend
in place while it cools.
To make a more permanent jig, cut a few short lengths (three inches,
or so) of 3/8-inch diameter wooden dowels.
Draw a two-inch grid pattern on the plywood, then drill holes at
each intersection. Tap the dowels into the holes. You can then move them around for various radii. The tighter
the grid pattern you draw, say one-inch instead of two-inch, the more variation you can achieve.
Here’s one more way to make a PVC pipe bending jig...
On the left-over sheet of plywood, draw your radius and cut it out
with a jig saw. You can make several different curves with the rest of the plywood. Then nail the piece to the
3-foot square sheet of plywood, heat the pipe and bend. Again, tap in a nail at each end of the pipe to hold the
bend in place while it cools.
Bending PVC Pipe Made
Easier... Much Easier
To make bending easier, quicker and to get all kinds of radii, I've come up with an simple-to-build bending jig that utilizes a "peg system." And
it's pretty slick.
The tool can be made with scraps. But, if you have to purchase the materials, the
cost should be under $20. I've put full color photos and
directions into a manual that details exactly how to
make the jig in just a couple of hours. You can read more about it here.
Anyway, with a bit of practice, you'll soon be
bending
plastic pipe into all kinds of shapes... just like a pro!
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Just imagine what you can do with PVC pipe. The
possibilities are endless!
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