How To Bend PVC & Make Incredible Shapes

[@jasonfryer7002]

Man the plumbing applications for this are endless....completely go around corners with one piece!!!...no 90's or 45's needed . Soooooo glad I saw this.....wooow Thanks

[@petebarnstrom1495]

That's an interesting thought... I wonder if the bend would alter the integrity of the pipe enough to matter?

[@thiagoennes]

If you fill the pipe to the brim with sand (cold) you will have no problem using the heat gun! Buckling occurs because you are compressing a side of the tube and stretching the other side, the sand allows you to do that safely! :)

[@darbinorvar]

I did try that but the heat gun does not provide enough even heat, or enough heat to do the job, especially on the thicker pipe.

[@josephprozinski9311]

I would try hot sand on the inside and heat gun on the outside of the thicker pipe. I'm betting the combination will help a lot with getting more bending. You are running into the same problem with each on their own on the thick stuff. It doesn't heat sufficiently enough through the entire thickness, so if you go at it from both the inside and outside it should fix the problem.

[@lasivianleandros3558]

Darbin Orvar Hot water will work as a much better heat transfer than the heat gun. 😊

[@SteifWood]

Cool idea, but what about using an infrared heat gun, like the *Speedheater* (kzbin.info/www/bejne/nYurlY2bepKBmJI). Def smtgh I'll try out on 4-6" PVC pipe when I mount ducts for my new dust collecting system.

[@glennleader8880]

That would only be useful on short pipes, and you might also met the duct tape if you're not careful. Sand all over your oven :)

[@miconelsondvm5383]

What a gem of a post, and the comments are equally helpful. I did this and it works flawlessly on 3/4"; larger sizes I had some issues with, but I'm thinking that was more my lack of experience. I did have one suggestion: Have you considered using just plain external caps in place of duct tape? I did and it was very easy, no gunk to clean off. Thanks for posting this, it's awesome.

[@enriquejanero3762]

I was going to suggest the same thing. The caps are not expensive.

[@Michael-dn9uz]

As a contractor this is very very helpful in the field. Thank you for sharing!!

[@davidvickers2272]

For your larger tubes, use drain pipe rather than the schedule 40. The thinner walls will heat and bend easier.

[@chuckgoecke]

I've done this many times, starting with cold regular unheated sand. I just used a heat gun to heat the PVC, carefully and slowly. The kinking is due to there being nothing inside the pipe to prevent it's collapse and kinking during bending. Sand inside keeps this from happening. This is exactly how the makers of musical instruments, like brass horns bend the brass, except with more heat. Fill the pipe with sand that will easily be cleaned out. I've made Aquarium piping for things like auto-siphons that keep a constant water level. That's basically 2 "U's connected by an inverted "U".

[@ellieprice3396]

I like this, especially making an artistic lamp base from PVC. With care you could possibly extend the circular base upward in one piece to create an interesting floor lamp with three or four drooping bulb receptacles. Thanks for keeping the music low enough to not intrude on your explanation.

[@scottpowel2415]

Great technique! For thicker pipes maybe use two batches of hot sand. Let first batch preheat the pipe a little, pour out warm sand, then fill with the second batch of hot sand. With several rounds of your truck, you could probably bend the really big pipes (4" or 6"). Thanks for sharing!

[@balajiiyengar4]

With the same process even iron pipes were bent 40 years ago for the British bikes exhaust pipes, my dad used to tell me.

[@larryfromlincolncountywa3989]

Good one! I have also used hot/warm sand inside copper and stainless tubing, along with a heat gun or torch, to make shallow bends without caving or crimping it (handy if you have to put in a fuel or brake line in an older car or for running copper line to a refrigerator ice maker or to a sink, etc.). Also, and I've not personally used it, I have seen examples of using bendable wire springs as an outside diameter "form" for bending smaller diameter pipes, tubing or stiff plastic tubing.

[@LarryElterman]

I can attest, this really works! I tried it, and it worked great! Fantastic. I have some additional tips. Make sure and use very fine sand so it easily goes into the funnel and does not get stuck up. The sand had better be real sand made of tiny rocks. Some kinds of sands might not work i suspect. When heating the sand, how do you know when its hot enough? Simple, drop a drop of water into the sand. If it sinks into the sand, not hot enough. If it explodes off the surface, you are good to go. Hey, don't hold the pipe in your hand while pouring in the sand like Darbin did (even if she was wearing gloves), thats dangerous stuff! Set up a jig to hold the pipe so the hot sand gets nowhere near your body. Also, as you pour the sand into the funnel its good to have a stick or something to tap the pot with so the sand pours easily into the funnel. I bought a cheap aluminum pot just for the purpose and shaped it so it had a spout. That helps.

[@frangitofrangito]

Excellent. I've seen people use a propane torch on PVC pipes which is a big no-no as it releases toxic fumes. They don't seem to think it's a problem either, which exacerbates the problem and gives views the impression that it's safe to do so when it isn't. Good job.

[@mustafaampattu]

I always use external fire for bending pvc popes, but it is not perfect bend. This is new idea. Thank you very much

[@Stranger_Than_Fiction299]

Thank you for posting! Thanks to the commenters too! Very helpful for my project.

[@roberthorwat6747]

I have been looking for videos explaining this method and yours is THE BEST!!!! Concise, straight to the point and easy to follow. And very well presented too! 11/10😊

[@ELELECTRICISTA]

In this video I explain how to do it with a very easy trick kzbin.info/www/bejne/hWiQZp6nid-da5I

[@dieselrotor]

Very clever ! I use PVC tube at times to run electrical wire on custom truck and semi builds and have always slowly heated with a gun and was not very happy with sharp bends. Thank You for posting. Now I too have to figure out other projects to use this with LOL !

[@shaikharkongor7165]

Thanks lady, that's a good idea, you're a smart person.👍

[@samTollefson]

Years ago I would stick a 10' length of 1 1/2" metal conduit into the tailpipe of my truck, slide 10' lengths of 3/4" and 1/2" PVC into it, and let the truck idle for 5 or 6 minutes then pull out a 10' piece of spaghetti! I used this trick to run conduits around stepping stones, rocks, etc. to install landscape lighting in existing landscapes. With todays catalytic converters I don't know if they would produce sufficient heat, perhaps a heat gun would do it. I remember making floor lamps by wrapping 1/2" PVC around some 4" PVC to make a spiraling shape.

[@JohnJ25]

Never too old to learn, this is simple but brilliant 😊 Btw I'm in my 60's

[@BP-ii5wd]

GOD Bless You

[@1942nn]

Love this video. Effective, quick method is shown clearly without unnecessary blah blah. THANK YOU.

[@MikeGrayM70]

I think the kink comes from lack of internal pressure inside the empty pipe. Filling it with sand gives something for the inside of the pipe to push against so it doesn't kink. Hot sand is a great idea though. Preserves internal structure and provides the heat for bending. I don't think heating PVC gives off toxic fumes. My understanding is that happens if you burn it. :)

[@yotamgosh]

This is the correct answer! You use sand when bending steel pipe as well. Only then the application of heat comes from the outside in the form of a torch. I know this comment comes in a bit late, but I just got a heat gun, and came across this video, so maybe this will help more people

[@Stelios1fan]

Thanks for the video. This could really come in handy. I'm adopting a dog with spinal issues and was going to build a wheelchair for him using pvc pipe (lots of videos on KZbin) but there are one or two places that I thought putting a slight curve in the pipe would make it more comfortable.

[@ianherries6350]

The sand should be a fine silver sand preheated to remove any moisture, then filled, tamped down and refill and repeat until it will not receive any more, then the heat gun is used to saturate the bend radius area and then bent. Quenching the pipe with cold water rags to set the bend. { Safety Note " damp sand can result in steam within the pipe"} Regards Ian.

[@Faith-wz7hu]

I'm planning on making a small project for my cat and this will be SO useful. I hated the idea of blocky elbow joints but with this I can get the smooth curves I want. Thank you!

[@jhamama-me]

With the thin pipes i found that if you evenly heat them for long enough ( heat it till you think its enough , then add an extra 2 minutes ) you can actually mold them around objects without getting kinks. I recently used this technique to make basketball hoops for a project ! Just flattened it on either side and put some holes in to get a hoop. Awesome video though

[@hascleavrahmbenyoseph7186]

Brilliant! I've never seen PVC, or any other piping bent in this way. Thank you for sharing this idea.

[@Makebuildmodify]

What a great idea! I will definitely use this trick! I've only used a heat gun for this type of bending. I usually quench the PVC once I get the shape I want.

[@dallas69]

Hot Sand PVC Bending Thank You you fixed my hot tub 2" drain alignment problems! I was going to cut PVC fittings and re glue weld but that would have caused possible cracks and leaks. Hot Sand PVC Bending is a super fix.

[@sylvialategan6345]

Hi Lynn we still use a "Spring Bender" where I live.. never seen it done or how they heat the PVC. But u put the spring inside the pipe heat then bend.. as far as I know..

[@markschattefor6997]

+Sylvia Lategan Just like these; www.google.nl/search?q=buigveer+voor+pvc&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwi_y8CIqo7XAhXIblAKHZChAN4QsAQI1gE&biw=1920&bih=971 Bending without heat; kzbin.info/www/bejne/r6a0mnykpqyWnJY

[@sylvialategan6345]

Malcolm Whinfield that's cool Malcolm.. thanks for the link's.

[@aic53]

What a great PVC hack! Bending the smaller pipes looks like a heap of fun!

[@pongchan8982]

You can put suitable size round spring inside the tube to keep it round when you are blending it

[@Stevenowski]

Chan Pong , What kind of blender do you recommend? It won't fit in my Blendtec or my Vitamix and my KitchenAid. Do you have some other type of blender we could use that I am not aware of? 😉😆

[@MapBot11]

I used the sand trick for bending aluminum piping in a college project. It fills the normally empty volume of the pipe and keeps it from collapsing. I'm not sure heating the sand is necessary, but it definitely isn't hurting the cause.

[@ksp1278]

I could maybe use this idea for bending pipes for dust collection. I am intending to put a shop vac inside a cabinet I am building around the table saw. This might allow me to connect the shop vac to the table saw without using one of those ridged shop vac hoses (which add air resistance and reduce suction).

[@jimweisgram9185]

Nice, however you want sweeping curves, not sharp curves, for better airflow

[@sarahdeason493]

Love this tip ❣❣❣ Reading comments, many have offered additional comments, however I think your method is perfect for someone who will only be needing to bend PVC on an irregular basis ... Less expensive than most with no additional tools ... You have come up with a great method for your needs !!! I love it ❣❣❣

[@mountainman4410]

Use the caps that are made for the ends, instead of the tape. They are cheap and reusable. Also, heat the sand on a flat pan in the oven @400F it will heat faster and more evenly.

[@euphoricbacon]

I did this. Heated on flat pan @405 for half an hour. Couldn't get any bend out of a 1/2 inch thick by 22 in long pvc pipe 😫 What am I doing wrong!!!!?

[@a_m_aa8364]

ومواصير cpvc كيف تسخن

[@dianavestal850]

so helpful! I have been trying to make PVC pipe mini green houses for my plants this winter, I ended up just using multiple joints but now I know how to make what I want and had envisioned, Thank you!!

[@wazer85]

Thank You. This was something I never knew that could be done. 😊

[@jasonduncan3532]

For the love of all things covered in gravy. This is awesome.

[@g-loctv6114]

Oh man I didn't know you could do this. This is going to make my next project much easier! Thank you!

[@cdon2day]

Exactly what I was thinking about doing in order to make irrigation rings with half inch diameter pvc, and you have shown me it works, thanks!

[@Chris-dg7vk]

Very nice very informative thank you very much good job take care and God bless

[@tikonc]

for the thicker tubing, you can heat it up with a heat gun and when you are ready to bend it, insert a piece of reinforced tubing inside the PVC pipe and it will bend well without kinks

[@garyvallone5393]

As a plumber I will use this to custom bend pvc

[@rictic1929]

Wow. Great idea my mind is going crazy with new ideas with this way of heating the pipe. Thanks

[@gingie5246]

I fill the pvc with water and use a heat gun slowly and I don’t get buckles

[@boughttheticket]

I used hot sand heated on the grill to bend a 10' x1.5" tube into a railing for a circular stair. The tube will be filled with a rebar and grout. It was easy to bend a 6" radius using 400 deg f sand. Takes 5 minutes for the sand to heat the pipe and then it gets really wimpy. and takes a long time to cool. Good formwork is needed for a complicated bends or duplicate pieces. I am seeing a double curve outcoor recliner in the future.

[@paulvonrentzell5189]

I used this system to build the Audry II puppets for the broadway musical "little Shop of Horrors"

[@JTBivens]

Well that is just awesome.

[@goodgoat6019]

I have seen people putting a spring in the pvc pipe to support the inner wall and then using a heat gun while bending. Heating sand may be a little extra work but the results look great. This should be done outdoors while using a respirator.

[@Campers_Anonymous]

This is actually extremely valuable- forget having to buy fittings for $2 a piece Well done- thanks

[@jefflewis8336]

Not as cheap as a pot full of sand, but there’s specialized tools for bending PVC like this - electricians use them for forming PVC conduit. I have used a Greenlee PVC heating blanket model 860-1 several times. Just wrap the pipe in it where you want to bend, plug in the heater for 5 min or so, then take off the heat blanket and bend. If possible, you can set it up quick with a dunk in cold water. It is still possible to link with too sharp of a bend, but pretty easy to work with. Like other posters said - for more extreme bends, packing it right with sand will prevent collapse. This is how many metal pipes are formed without collapse.

[@Ty-mc4hu]

I'm gonna use this for a cosplay!

[@solahinsourjah2721]

happy to see this kind of video, I am also working in a project I have to bend a lampshade stand using PVC, many time I tried to bend PVC, but I was not a success, finally, I found your video, thank you very much.

[@Sabbatheist]

"I used regular sand that I had on hand Heated up in a pot till it was pretty hot." A poet who doesn't know it...

[@jdowies]

But.. her feet show it. They're Longfellows.

[@shawnsg]

The most beautiful thing I've seen all day.

[@humblewarrior6585]

Mc Atheist...There is a God in Heaven and He Loves you. BUT...There is also a Hell with a lake of Fire that you will go to and experience burning torture for Eternity if you DONT REPENT and Serve Jesus Christ !!! ***YOU'VE BEEN WARNED***

[@parajacks4]

Soldier Of The Cross Logic and reasoning doesn’t work for you, so you go straight to FEAR! You are as low as a worm but with less grip on reality.

[@igotstoknow2]

@@parajacks4 Our lifetimes are nanoseconds compared to our eternities. A million Earths can fit inside our Sun. With abundant creation, it is logical and reasonable to conclude God the Creator exists and the physical realm is to prepare us for the nonphysical eternal realm with or without God.

[@internettroll7604]

Nice idea, I will be trying it. If you spray the outside of the pipe with some cold water once iit is in the shape you want, it might cool off and solidify it faster so you don’t have to wait for the sand to cool.

[@VIDEOEPPO]

Absolutely simple and super technique. I am excited already the way I could use this tip!

[@Orxenhorf]

It's that the sand inside is providing support to the pipe walls as you bend it that is preventing the kinking. The same way that musical instrument makers sometime fill a tube with ice before bending it.

[@zey223]

Water should work better and easier due to higher heat transfer ratio (fluids transfer heat much faster). Once you get over glass transition temperature (~70°C for PVC), the macromolecules of the polymer brake bonds among them so there is no compression effort on the inside part of the curvature. Since there is no compression no buckling will happen.

[@alfredomarquez9777]

Yes, heat transfer would be higher with water , but the sand has other properties, like a lower rate of cooling. That helps to give time to perform the bending.

[@Cradley684]

In the UK I use soil pipe offcuts for all sorts of customised brackets etc, cut it down the one side and then flatten it out with a heat gun on a flat surface really excellent saved load's of money. Its a very strong quality plastic.

[@Sebastopolmark]

I would think hot sand (internal heat) AND the heat gun (external heat) would work on the larger pipe.

[@andyandnancy]

Sebastopolmark my thoughts exactly.

[@alfredomarquez9777]

Someone called "Technicolor Christmas" said that even 2" pipe can be bent with this method.

[@sjay67]

I did the same as you. I used heat gun. So I have kinks in the down pipes. I used them anyway, however I am going to redo them using your method.. Good one thanks

Merci pour le partage de cette technique particulièrement astucieuse. Sincères félicitations.

[@pekkaT13]

Buena idea. Ahora puedo moldear un tubo plástico para limpiar mi secadora de ropa.

[@stevehammond9916]

First off , thanks for sharing...Your advise comes in handy as well as the comments that you've shared as well .

[@FredMcIntyre]

Thanks for the tip Linn!👍

[@daverobertson1361]

Sand in the tube also works with thin wall metal tubing such as copper. Sand keeps it from kinking.

[@theravedaddy]

So it was like -6 degrees out and snowing so i thought id use the sand in the cat tray........ ..........do not heat up the sand from the cat tray...... EVER.

[@13CRAZYDAVE13]

Dumbass😂😂😂😂

[@harrypehkonen]

I have used that sand-technique on copper pipe. Worked well, but you have to make sure the sand doesn't move around inside the pipe (plug the ends very well by squeezing and wrapping them). Of course heating was not required.

[@davidbathy87]

Why don't you use a bending spring this is what I've used in my job as a electrician.

[@danielcox6143]

Thanks. We hand the ball to the guy who got us here.

[@andyward8336]

I was a plastic fabricator for a number of years and we would bend pipe up to 300mm . We would make a jig the using a blowlamp ,heat up sections from a few inches to a foot put it in the jig and quench it with a wet cloth then repeat gradually along the length.

[@michaeldev5962]

An idea Shape it like a spring Make some holes on it attached a pond water pump at the bottom of the pipe And you have a cascadijg water fall of some sort😁 Ok maybe more like a raind drops? But the sound of the water landing on the pond would sound so cool

[@rongben4348]

Awesome, never had the idea of twisting pipes without L or U-sockets. Thank you for sharing.

[@ChrisLocke1969]

dunk in cold water when desired shape is achieved, rather than hold the shape forever waiting :)

[@janeth-octavioescudero7884]

Won't it crack?

[@WyvernApalis]

Cooling too fast can cause the shape to change

[@brianvenema2239]

I do this regularly at work with a heat gun, but hot sand is a great idea to eliminate hot spots, well done.

[@NEROSCUROlifestyle]

Very good idea!!! It's fantastic.

[@dooleymurphy]

Oh, bravo! I couldn't find flexible fiberglass rod in the sizes I needed. Thin PVC pipe will be structurally preferable and ten times cheaper! Thanks for sharing!

[@eaigraniteify]

Would boiling water do the same?? 🤷🏽‍♂️

[@suewarner435]

I have done it by just putting in the sand tape up ends and use the heat gun worked great no need for the pan to heat sand first.

[@alfredomarquez9777]

But hot sand helps a lot in getting a smooth curve.

[@dedetaryono3902]

No more elbow production with this trick

[@ronniestanley9090]

I used to bend pvc for electrical work. We simply stuck rubber plugs in each end to seal the interior. Then, we heated it and bent it. The way it works is the air trapped inside gets hot and expands. And, when you bend the air keeps the pvc from collapsing.

[@LivefreeanddiyTv]

That's pretty slick, nice hack! 🤓👍

[@cranfordducain15]

Do as you have with the sand with the thin pipe. For thick wall pipe, pre heat your oven to 140 deg. put the pipe full of hot sand inside for a couple of minutes an you can bend it as you want it.

[@craigkeller]

Use care when heating pvc, it can off gas some nasty fumes. Toxic.

[@robplotts9412]

Fantastic job. Ive bent aluminum pipe using the sand technique only thing that may help is packing the sand in tight with a tamping method. I know you dont have alot of time do to using warm sand but tamping it in will give more even bends with less thinning in the corners. Nice idea's though

[@justintime8176]

PVC Heating Blanket if your going to be doing a lot of these projects.

[@MidnightAmratha]

Try using a iron spring inside, you can heat the coil on an induction stove to get the same warming effect and the spring will let you retain the shape and avoid kinks, also since it is a spring you should have no problems pulling it out afterwards though it may feel a bit stubborn.

[@metaspencer]

Maybe do this in a well vented place? Heating PVC, I've read, can release toxic and carcinogenic vapors

[@FreeOfFantasy]

yes overheating/burning PVC produces HCl vapours. Also all the stuff the manufacturer mixes in to get it softer or tougher can be quite bad if heated. I would even go so far as wearing a filter mask with low temperature organic vapour filtering filters.

[@yalgret]

Look up DIOXIN. Pvc should be illegal.

[@CodeFoxAus]

Sam G, No it's not just when it is burned. Heating PVC (anything above approx 60 deg C) will also release dioxins and chlorine vapours. Exposure to dioxins can cause reproductive and both cognitive / physical development problems. Chlorine vapours can cause all sorts of respiratory issues.

[@dennis72355]

johnDon dumb like you should be illegal.

[@yalgret]

dsnake457 sch uneducated fool

[@Intro2Love]

The sand keeps the PVC from developing harsh kinks. After filling pipes with sand and capping the ends, a heat gun would work to form the PVC to shape.

[@ahkkhans]

Do you know the pvc pipe will lose its properties after heating with sand or any liquid ? ""If exposed to temperatures any higher for a prolonged period of time, the thermoplastic material begins to lose its rigidity and pressure handling abilities. Like any thermoplastic, PVC becomes more pliable when heated. When enough heat is applied strategically it is possible to bend rigid PVC pipe."

[@mattgibson6426]

Very useful thank you! Heat forming my own PVC pipe is going to save me a lot of money mashing custom aquarium fittings. Cheers!

[@jmpattillo]

Hate to be the safety police, but hot PVC can release harmful fumes. Probably best to do this with plenty of ventilation.

[@zash008]

John Pattillo wouldnt it only release toxic gas if its on 🔥 fire?

[@Channel_24_7]

Its awesome getting knowledgable stuff while watching her.

[@rickhinojosa5455]

I don't know what would possess a person to give a thumbs down on this video. Must be people who are jealous of your ingenuity. Great video. Short and to the point. You have a nice voice too!!🙏

[@abelteniente4926]

Ur a Genius! Nicely Done u kno theres plenty of plumbers out there can use this tip! Thanx

[@jimlcher8201]

I'm going to do this - but.. I'm going to try a couple improvements to your system. I will measure the sand to only fill the PVC to where I want the bend. I will use an IR thermometer to get the sand to the desired temp. I will put pipe insulation on the PVC. I will put a loose cap on one end of the pipe can pour boiling water in the other end before putting the sand in. Once I get the pipe bent enough to fit in the oven, I will fill the PVC with sand and put it in the (pre-heated) oven.

[@delcat8168]

Great trick :-) I've used sand to bend 10mm copper pipe, but never thought of hot sand for PVC. Thanks for posting this :-)

[@HiTechDiver]

Very cool; thank you. This hack will come in very handy for many projects I do.

[@patrickhadley1336]

Greenlee heat blanket. Look it up it heats the pipes any size pretty much. Use gray pvc it will bend better.

[@johnvienna1385]

That’s what I was thinking we used to run pvc in concrete foundation making any kinds of bends needed all day long using heat blanket for the smaller pipes and 2 foot and 4 foot heater boxes that rolled the pvc for even heating. Turning pvc into spaghetti. I swear you could make coil springs out of 3 and 4 inch pvc. You could even use old waterbed heaters as heat blankets

[@gregfeneis609]

The sand being inside the pipe does more to prevent kinks than the elevated temp. I have used table salt and sugar to make tricky shapes out of small metal tubing (no heat). Then I knock out and rinsed the tubes when the shape was right.

[@gregfeneis609]

If you're lucky enough to have a large volume convection oven, you can heat the pipe, shape and reheat as necessary. If you use a form, a few heat cycles should lock in the shape.

[@MCsCreations]

A tip, Linn: you can cut a 30cm piece of 100mm PVC pipe, then cut it vertically, put in the oven for a few minutes. Then you take it out and put it between two big enough ceramic tiles and put some weight over it and let it get cold. That way you make PVC board, that is a really great material for diy. :)

[@Devo491]

With larger diameter tubes, you should secure one end and PULL on the other as you bend it. And it will help, on any size, if you bend and fix thin plywood, around the pegs before you start. Gives smoother curves.

[@dryflycaster]

Thanks for a great Demonstration ! I have been tossing two projects, for my wife's car, around in my head for a while now; 1. A Cold Air Intake , and 2. A Bilge Fan Cooling Duct. This sand method bears investigating. Of course both projects would require larger 4" pipe. So a bit of trial and error will be required. I don't require the sharp bends like you demonstrated in this video so I'm thinking this process just might work quite nicely. A few gentle bend some flat black paint , installation hardware and done.