Heat Forming CPVC

[Steve@Advance]

Anyone ever tried heat forming CPVC pipe?

Building a tube guide for a customer. It uses 5 ft pieces of CPVC pipe to guide thin wall copper tube from the roll into the machine.

They want the end of the pipe belled for easy loading and to help guide the tube without kinking it.

My thought is to chuck the 1/2 inch pipe in the lathe, heat it with a mapp gas torch, and use the center to flare it.

Think it will work?

 

[TimV]

I've had good luck with boiling water--similar to steaming wood. I'd be worried about melting and/or setting it on fire with a MAPP torch. Could probably be done but water's easier if you can get the piece into a sufficient quantity.

 

[V35B]

I have formed it several times by heating. You can do it with an electric heat gun, or the torch. Just keep the flame moving and dont touch it to the pvc. You can actually get a blanket made to heat it for bending, and also a little propane furnace. Im your case, I do as you planned.

 

[caterpillar guy]

Installing a bin dryer one time,I used the cutting torch and bent it by heating. This was the gray pipe for electrical conduit. Bent it so it didn't stick out from the bin wall as it came up around the cement floor also it fit up to the bottom of the panel well this way. This was on about 2 inch pipe. For just half inch to flare as you want will work fine with minimal problem. If you need bigger just use a larger center. OF a longer flare use a big punch in the tail stock and push it in farther to flare it on a longer taper. then use you center to bell the outer end more.

 

[JWA]

Sounds like a plan, nothing ventured, nothing gained. IMHO

 

[Bret4207]

FWIW- I just used a hunk of 1.5" PVC pipe, which I think is pretty close to CPVC in real world terms, to direct the exhaust gasses from a tractor under another vehicles engine bay to try and help warm it. (My reddy heater died) The pipe sagged like a noodle within 10 minutes. I don't think it takes a lot of heat to soften that stuff to a temp where you can form it.

 

[kencombs]

CPVC is not as easy to do as PVC. If possible, change the material to PVC. Easy to heat, bend or expand. CPVC was created for hot water use, so it resists all of that.

 

[Mule Meat]

 

[DoubleO7]

cpvc gets soft at around 200/220
pvc gets soft around 140/160

I have used a elec. heat gun to warm up a thin wall pvc pipe.
I have used a toaster oven to warm up several at on time.
Then use a comical mandrel of what ever would work and jam it into the end.
This was done on pvc.
Sched 40 half inch cpvc will half to be very pliable before flaring.
The longer the flare the better, I would think.

 

[Janicholson]

Use a fitting such as the image to make a bell. Some machining might be needed to make the transition. Jim

 

[Hobo,NC]

@ 13:35, May not help this is PVC. Map may be to much heat.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bFMH5EOT8bk

 

[Keith True]

CPVC has memory.It likes to go back where it was.I've flared it before,trying to do something I shouldn't have.When
making CPVC connections you slide a ring on,push an expander tool into the end,and expand the pipe in three
steps.Then slide the fitting in,and be fast,the pipe starts to shrink back down as soon as you pull the expander tool
out.Then you slide the ring up over it.The ring doesn't clamp,it just keeps the pipe from stretching if you yank it
sideways.I'll never go back to steel rings and crimpers again.When heating CPVC there is a fine line between pliable
and ruined.Gray PVC conduit you can do lots of things with.

 

[DoubleO7]

(quoted from post at 20:19:23 01/29/22) CPVC has memory.It likes to go back where it was.I've flared it before,trying to do something I shouldn't have.When
making CPVC connections you slide a ring on,push an expander tool into the end,and expand the pipe in three
steps.Then slide the fitting in,and be fast,the pipe starts to shrink back down as soon as you pull the expander tool
out.Then you slide the ring up over it.The ring doesn't clamp,it just keeps the pipe from stretching if you yank it
sideways.I'll never go back to steel rings and crimpers again.When heating CPVC there is a fine line between pliable
and ruined.Gray PVC conduit you can do lots of things with.

Never ever seen steel rings used to connect cpvc pipe. Only seen socket weld with glue type connections like for pvc pipe.

 

[Keith True]

You're right.I keep thinking of something else as CPVC.I have a building that a tenant had somebody plumb for air.It
was done with sch.80 CPVC,and I remember the guys that did it used a hydraulic tool to press the pipes and fittings
together.I never liked the idea of plastic for air supply,but it was done by the outfit that installed and set up the
compressor.

 

[a49deere]

What about using pvc bell end made for electrical conduit? Glue on and done. Sound about what you looking for

 

[Keith True]

What I was talking about is NOT CPVC. For some reason I had it in my mind that's what it is.I do know the difference,but for some reason I confused it with the radiant heat tubing.