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PVC Bending

The document provides instructions for bending PVC pipe by filling it with sand before heating and bending. It describes heating the pipe evenly while rotating it over a flame until it becomes flexible. Once soft, the pipe can be bent into shape on the floor before draining out the sand. Safety tips are provided, such as working in a ventilated area and avoiding burning the plastic which produces harmful smoke.

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Francis Al Maghanoy Gabison
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67 views

PVC Bending

The document provides instructions for bending PVC pipe by filling it with sand before heating and bending. It describes heating the pipe evenly while rotating it over a flame until it becomes flexible. Once soft, the pipe can be bent into shape on the floor before draining out the sand. Safety tips are provided, such as working in a ventilated area and avoiding burning the plastic which produces harmful smoke.

Uploaded by

Francis Al Maghanoy Gabison
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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PVC pipe is a great material for making things.

  If you ever need to


bend the pipe, here's how to do it.

The trick is to fill it with sand before heating the plastic and bending
it.   Normally, the pipe would pinch closed in areas where it is bent, but
the sand prevents that.  When the heat forming is finished, you just
drain out the sand. 

Step 1: Safety While Heating PVC

We love plastics for what they do for us, but plastic manufacture and
decay tend to pollute the environment and negatively affect our health.

Vinyl Chloride, one of the components of PVC, is carcinogenic. When


it is locked up in the polymer, however, it is much safer to be around.
In my years of experience working with PVC, I have not noticed any
adverse effects on my health from being around it.

Always work in areas with good ventilation. If you do get caught in a


cloud of smoke, hold your breath and move to clean air.

When heating PVC with a gas stove or propane torch, try not to let it
burn. Smoke from burning PVC is bad. With experience one burns it
less and less. Don't panic the first time you do burn some. It scorches,
but doesn't immediately burst into flame. Move the material away from
the flame and try again. Don't breathe the smoke. Smoke avoidance
comes naturally for most people.

While heating PVC over a gas flame, keep the plastic an appropriate
distance from the flame to avoid scorching the surface before the
inside can warm up. It takes time for heat to travel to the center of the
material being heated.

Keep the plastic moving, and keep an eye on the state of the plastic.
When heated, the PVC material is flexible, like leather. Beyond this
stage, you risk scorching it.

A word from James, the plastic engineer -- "Just a word of warning,


PVC can handle some high heats but if it catches fire, you wont be
able to put it out, it does not need oxygen to burn so don't do this
inside".

I do work inside, but my house is made of cement and has good


ventilation. MAKE SURE THAT YOU HAVE GOOD VENTILATION.
PLAY WITH FIRE -- CAREFULLY.
Step 2: Fill the Pipe with Sand
Cover one end of the pipe with masking tape to hold the sand in.   Fill
the pipe with sand, tapping the taped end of the pipe on the ground to
compact the sand inside.  When the pipe is full of compacted sand,
tape over the top end.  You are ready to heat and bend.
Step 3: Heating and Bending

I use a gas stove for heating and bending sections of pipe. 

Hold the pipe from both ends.  Keep the pipe moving back and forth
over the flame, rotating the pipe all the while so that the area to be
bent is evenly heated. 

Keep the pipe at a reasonable distance from the flame to keep from
burning it.  Heat penetrates slowly through the plastic.  Be patient. 
Haste can result in burnt plastic.  Don't try to heat it too fast.

When the plastic softens up some, the pipe begins to sag from its own
weight and the weight of the sand inside it.  It gets leathery.
At this point, turn off the stove and bend the pipe into the shape you
want.  Do it on the floor, if you want to keep it all in one plane. 
Step 4: Some Finished Shapes

These are a few bent pieces of pipe.  The ends of the pipe are still
taped. 

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