Making joints for PVC ducts

[Gerard Pauwels]

Has anyone tried making joints with the template software developed by Stan Harder? [harderwoods.com/pipe.html] Looks like I could save a lot of money on ductwork . . . or maybe just spend a lot of time making ugly, leaky joints;)

[The joints on his website look great, I'm just wonder about the learning curve.]

Anybody tried it?

Gerry

[nic obie]

When I made mine I first cut the short piece and fitted it to the outside of the supply pipe using a drum sander to tapper the walls. Then holding the short outlet pipe where you want it, use a can of spray paint and spray the inside of the pipe. This will mark what you need to cut. I used a dremel tool with a spiral bit to cut the hole and glued them with a hot melt glue gun using amber colored glue sticks that I found at Ace hardware.

I did mine years ago and haven't had any problems yet.

[Gerard Pauwels]

Nic. Sorry to take so long to respond. Clever idea. Relatively quick and the hot glue can fill minor gaps. Given the cost of joints, I'm surprised more people don't make their own--or haven't commented.

Thanks
Gerry

[Nate Folco]

I uses his patterns to make all of my 'Y' s. I had some big gaps but I think it was due to my lack of ability with metalwork. It was cutting and bending the tabs that made the gaps so using PVC it would be better. I also went over every joint with AL tape to seal everything.

Other than bleeding at least once on each 'Y' it was pretty easy.
I used snap-lock, but I'm sure it would work just fine with PVC.



http://www.ncwoodworker.net/pp/data/500/medium/4DC.JPG
http://www.ncwoodworker.net/pp/data/500/medium/DC1.JPG

[Chuck Lenz]

I'd worry about the rigidity of a plastic joint made trhat way. For the time spent on makeing something like that I think I'd still be beter off just buying long radius elbows and Y's. It may cost more, but it would be more rigid, I'd get a better seal, and the flow would probably be better. Sometimes trying to save a buck isn't what it's cracked up to be.