Custom jig for shaping offsets with heated PVC

[frizbeedog]

View attachment 1685

Standing in the pit.
90 deg. today, freshly heated pipe in hand. (propane torch) Ha! :smile:
Man....this might take a while to cool.
Dang! I forgot to wet a towel, and no straps. Think fast Friz.

....and then an epiphany.

 

[mdshunk]

That's using the noodle.

I've used a piece of pegboard with golf tees to fabricate many identical offsets and kicks, etc for new construction work. For the bend in your pic, I wouldn't have even heated it. I'd cold bend in a bender or over your knee for that little bit and have an identical result in 1/10th the time.

 

[BryanMD]

It may just be an optical illusion, but that 90 sure likes like a real small radius.
Someone who would torch the pvc might use a plumbing 90 too

 

[frizbeedog]

That's using the noodle.

I've used a piece of pegboard with golf tees to fabricate many identical offsets and kicks, etc for new construction work. For the bend in your pic, I wouldn't have even heated it. I'd cold bend in a bender or over your knee for that little bit and have an identical result in 1/10th the time.

I need to learn that one. That was 1.25" pipe BTW. Can you do your method for that size?

Would not have been a problem if I had not busted out the 1.5" KO. Some bonehead, me, didn't restock the reducing washers. So I went for the nearest available KO.

I like my torch.....shh, don't tell anyone. :wink:

 

[frizbeedog]

It may just be an optical illusion, but that 90 sure likes like a real small radius.
Someone who would torch the pvc might use a plumbing 90 too

Angle of the pic. I noticed that too. When it kinks, it's to small a radius. :smile:

 

[mdshunk]

I need to learn that one. That was 1.25" pipe BTW. Can you do your method for that size?

Oh, no, wouldn't work for that size. The picture was sorta "bug eyed", and what I thought was a 4x4 post caused me to think that was 3/4". No, you can really only cold bend 1/2 and 3/4 with a bender or over your knee. Bigger than that you're heating it.

 

[ultramegabob]

I have seen a thing for bending PVC called a "Pipe Snake" its a spring thats the same diam. as the inside of 1/2 or 3/4 pvc, slides inside the pipe and makes for nice bends over your knee while retaining the internal shape of the pipe, costs too much money for what it does though...

 

[mdshunk]

I have seen a thing for bending PVC called a "Pipe Snake" its a spring thats the same diam. as the inside of 1/2 or 3/4 pvc, slides inside the pipe and makes for nice bends over your knee while retaining the internal shape of the pipe, costs too much money for what it does though...

Yeah, I saw those at the supply house. "Pipe Viper". I can bend offsets in 1/2 and 3/4 just fine with an EMT bender. You need to pretty much bend a 90 to get 30, however, so cold bending a 90 (and having it look right) is pretty much out of the question. The use of the Pipe Viper probably would let you cold bend a pretty good looking 90.

 

[frizbeedog]

Yeah, I saw those at the supply house. "Pipe Viper"

I noodled around with one on display at the supply house. I wasn't impressed.

Look how sharp the bend is on the last pic. in the link you provided. If that's the outcome of that tool, might as well go with the water pipe 90 trick. :roll: :grin: