I really don't know the answer to that one but my guess is you can't. Whatever you're making, you might want to look into getting some PVC joints for the corners or bends.

Sorry, I meant to add - you could call a plumber in your area as they work with PVC piping and/or call Home Depot or Lowe's, they might know the answer.

Long and short of it is, no. There is a bending tool for electrical conduit similar to what you're thinking - heat box and rollers. But that pipe is made of softer material and is not meant to carry hot water as PVC is.

This is my trellis made from pvc pipe. My kiwi vines are going to provide me with some much needed shade this year!!! It's about 18ft in lenth and arched and attached to the house, my water system guy made it for me cuz I was exclaiming/whining how much money an arbor would of cost(too much for me)so he made this with heavy duty gage pvc.
He also put in the most amazing watering system! He has done golf courses!!! But my little 1/2 acre was a challenge to him, good thing he likes challenges!!!Did it for a VERY reasonalble price!

Here is a link that might be useful: {{gwi:156421}}

I didn't think PVC was intended for hot water. Corners won't work, I want to make flower stems & don't want them to be straight. I'll look at the electrical conduit.

First, hot water??? what are you putting thru the flower stems???? I am confused.

But ladies and gentlemen I beg to differ. Look at all the pvc that is arched and used for greenhouses. Also, lets not forget the birds made with pvc pipes. They are cut and heated and bent and stretched.

http://www.vickysbirds.com/index.html
I am looking for the directions I have somewhere.

I also found this site that has a lot of related items we might like to check out.

pvc hinges
http://www.pvcplans.com/hinges.htm

We actually did this way back when in Scouts, we made snow shoes with PVC pipe, this was a gray colored PVC.

Someone made a form, plywood with nails outlining the shape, on both sides of where the PVC would go. They used a heat gun to get it pretty flexible, and pushed it down between the nails, and then when it cooled they took it out of the form and wa-la, a snow shoe shape ready to be strung up with leather lacing.

Unfortunately my husband can't remember exactly what kind of PVC, but then it seems most days he can't remember his own name!

The Scouts had a ball with these, and we ended up selling ours at a yard sale to a grampa who took up to his cabin.

Does this make any sense?

Lynne
who has a fried brain from the 25 degree plus over normal temps

Yes, long lengths are "flexible" as is shown in Calam's pic but it's being held under tension. I can make a 50' circle with the stuff too but you can't bend a 45 degree angle in in a 6 inch length.

Lynn, I don't intend to put hot water through anything, I was just responding to nicethyme's comment about hot water & pvc. I just want to make a flower with a curving stem.

for your flower stem could you use a piece of old green garden hose and run a heavy wire/coat hanger through it to bend into the shape you want?

Diane

Is copper refrigeration pipe an option?

Hello everyone, It's my first time here and I would like to contribute.
I have bent PVC for several projects. You can use the following method:

Materials
-Kettle for boiling water.
-A large bucket with cold water.
-Leather Gloves or a pair of rags.
-PVC pipe, no longer than 7'

Put the kettle in the stove and boil the water. Once the steam starts to come out, put your gloves on and hold one end of the pipe directly on the sprout so the steam goes inside the pipe.
After a few minutes, it will start to get soft and pliable.
Work the PVC in the shape desired and put it into the cold water, that will make it retain the shape.
Reverse the pipe and work the other end.
If you need an extension longer than 7', bend several pieces and join them with PVC couplers.

A heat gun also works, but it's very common to "pinch" the PVC while bending since it's hard to heat the pipe equally on all sides and that will create an unsteady flow of water. The steam will give you a more uniform heating.

Hope this helps!

calamity that trellis is amazing...how long have those kiwi been growing there? Does kiwi vines flower? I know they sure taste good, my daughter loves them! Anyway sorry this is off topic as i know nothing about bending pvc pipe...i would think you could get some thin rebarb however and curve it by hammering in the curves and spray paint green...might be a option and since you can buy them in thin pieces would look very much like a stem and it's cheap you can get it at lowe's. just a thought.

Ymaddox: That is a male and female vine that I did last year, so it is in it's 2nd yr on the trellis, I bought the house 2yrs ago and so don't know how old the vines are, they have bloomed but as of yet no fruit, it grows very fast!!!

Lone wolf, the key issues that you did not mention are what diameter and schedule pipe. These are most important as they will indicate the thickness and coating of the pipe being used.

I'm not sure I understand "pinch" as you're describing, this is something that happens with poly pipe cannot fathom the same thing happening to rigid pvc

The only way that I know of to get a smooth bend is to fill the pipe with fine sand before you bend. The will let you get a gradual bend with enough inside support to not collapse on itself.

Thanks everyone, I am going to try some of these ideas with some 1" pvc.

Awesome trellis!! I would wrap or drape clear/white Christmas Lights from it after the plants fill in for a awesome night time sitting/dining area.

What a great idea for a trellis. If I ever move back up north I want to make a greenhouse using pvc.

Tropicalfreak

I just found this tool while doing a search, I have been thinking about trying to build a greenhouse out of PVC piping.

http://www.thepipeviper.com/ might be worth checking out, the price doesn't seem too bad

You can actually bend PVC in hot/very warm water. I worked at a PVC furniture manufacturer and the guys back there would stand behind the tub with their hands in the water all day bending PVC. Very strange but it works and it won't break as it would if you were to just take it and bend it by yourself. Heat is the key to getting it to bend without breaking.

I would really like to know if anybody knows how to make the really cool pvc birds that are sold at the nurseries. I bought 2 that look like the white cranes from a local nursery but of course would like to make some more myself since they cost $30 each plus tax. The ones I have turn on a metal post and also bob up and down. They look really cool in my garden.

There was also a post a while back about someone who had a garden trellis for their kiwi plants but I can't see the picture.

Can anybody help me with these.

Thank you
Sandy
Florida

There is also something similar to http://www.thepipeviper.com for bending pipes without collapsing the pipes, it goes outside, not inside the pipes when you are bending.

Here is what you can do to heat up the pipe first:
For larger diameter pipes you can make a quick wood trough so that the boiling water can soak the pipe thoroughly.
For small diameter pipes, you can wrap a thick towel around the pipe so that the boiling water can have time to heat up the pipe evenly.

dcarch

I had someone fixing my ell and in order to bend the pvs he heated it with a torch. not on it long enough to melt it. I guess it would also depend on what size you are talking. 1/2 bends easily.

There is an old thread about things made with pvc pipe here:
http://forums2.gardenweb.com/forums/load/accout/msg081555186434.html
It includes photos (if they are still up) of pvc greenhouses I think and arbors.

I made my pvc pasture gates with pre-molded pvc corner sections. Some people used these for their creations and I think some bent the pipe using heat. It should be mentioned (and is mentioned in this thread) that heating pvc releases toxic chemicals.

"-----It should be mentioned (and is mentioned in this thread) that heating pvc releases toxic chemicals. "
Please do the proper research regarding PVC toxicity.
There have been some additives used in PVC that was banned. PVC is in general safe.

Remember the huge problem with silicone implants? which caused Dow to go bankrupt? Many lawyer got very rich, and many people lost their jobs? Later, it was found that silicone had nothing to do with any suspected health issues.

dcarch

The EPA has listed PVC as a carcinogen. Burning or heating it is believed to release dioxins.

I'm not up to speed on adverse health consequences regarding silicon implants, but many toxins once believed to be safe have proven otherwise. Asbestos and lead are good examples. They are both relatively harmless unless one disturbs them, ie by removing asbestos and thus releasing dust from this material into the air or by sanding lead paint, or unless one has persistent contact with these substances for instance workers in plants where these substances were used. Dangers of contact are heightened for very young children as well as unborn children.

Here is a link that might be useful: dangers of polyvinyl chloride

They sell many curved sections, bent at various angles, to create bends of varying degree in PVC pipe. Ninety degree corners are but one option.