PVC Water Pipe Cycle Stand

[DiddyS]

This is a question about PVC piping, even though I intend to use it to make a simple work stand for my bicycle! (For anyone interested it is described at

chap who built it says he used Schedule 40 PVC water pipe and glued it together. I presume Schedule 40 is some American standard and I imagine this is water supply pipe (hot or cold?), rather than for the waste water.

Can anyone suggest what sort of piping I should ask for here in the UK and what the correct fittings and adhesive would be?

Also, as the stand will have to live outside, is this sort of pipe affected by sunlight? I know some plastics become very brittle after they have been left in sunlight for a length of time. If sunlight does affect it, would a coat of ordinary paint protect it?

Any helpful comments would be much appreciated.

Derek.

[John Rumm]

Search

for order code 11930

That should take you to ~20mm overflow pipe which is far more rigid than ordinary plastic barrier pipe that you will more commonly find.

Paint would help. Note that some of the pipes are PVC, and some ABS. The latter will have less problem. There is also a push fit version (might be good for a folding version of the stand!), and that uses polypropylene (order code 11151)

(would not a ali kick stand be simpler?)

[Lobster]

Anyone into sailing dinghies will have come across cheapo launching trolleys for small boats, made from water pipe in much the same way. You need waste pipe, not supply pipe - I don't think that would be rigid enough. It comes in 1.25" or 1.5" diameter, available from B&Q etc or any plumber's merchant.

Joints are either "push-fit" or "solvent-weld"; if you want a permanent structure, definitely go for solvent-weld: basically you paint the joints with a special solvent before assembling them, and this melts (welds) the plastic together. Push-fit are just that - the joints have rubber o-rings inside which seal and grip the pipe. I'd have thought they wouldn't be rigid enough for your application TBH. NB you can't mix and match the two types as there's a slight but critical difference in the specified diameter.

Dunno, probably yes to all the above. But bear in mind that this piping is in use all over the country on the outside of buildings for many years without ill-effect - given the amount of wear and tear that your frame will receive in comparison with am actual water pipe, I'd have thought it would have worn out long before sunlight gets to have an effect.

hth David

[Cicero]

=================== The pipe and fittings described are readily available as others have pointed out.

I would suggest that this type of build is just too light (and a bit 'bendy') to make a safe working stand. You could copy the basic design using

22mm copper tube to make a much stronger stand although it would be quite a bit more expensive especially if you had to use compression fittings. On the other hand if your plumbing skills are good enough soldered end-feed fittings would make a neater and cheaper job.

Cic.

[Dave Plowman (News)]

You could use copper tube and solder fittings - or bend it with a suitable pipe bender where this is neccesary. Probably mot much in it cost wise.

[Grunff]

Schedule 40 is indeed an American standard, for pressure-rated PVC and ABS pipe. Unfortunatlely, no equivalent pipe is readily available in the UK.

Other have suggested using drainage PVC/ABS. While this is readily available, I don't think it's strong enough for this application (wall thickness is 1.5-2mm).

Your best bet is 28mm copper pipe with soldered fittings.

[DiddyS]

Hi, Thanks for all that info. It's given me something to think about. The stand will be used mainly for supporting the bike clear of the ground for cleaning it and lubricating/adjusting the chain and gears, etc. rather than for any heavy work on it, so it may be strong enough in plastic. On the other hand copper does sound good. I've soldered end-feed fittings in the past without any problem so that is certainly worth thinking about. The link to BES Ltd will be useful as they're not far from where I live and they let you collect to save delivery charges. Many thanks, Derek.

[.]

friend of friend used to use polypipe filled with builders foam for all sorts of convenient structures for film and TV work.

a poly pipe 'sword' filled with foam still comes keen when one is struck about the head or body and I suspect that foam filled poly pipe would make a decent bike stand. personally, I'd buy a purpose made workstand like this

this

(cheap as chips)

hth

[Call me Bob]

This thread originated on uk.rec.cycling and the stand in question was specifically for a recumbent bike. The homebrew requirement is because conventional bike work stands, like the ones above, are designed (unsurprisingly) for conventional bikes, and won't support most recumbents.

When I get the time I intend to bash something up for my own recumbent. I'm planning on a different tack though - I have a surplus office swivel chair that I want to use for the base. Make some custom support arms made from timber that will mesh with my bike frame, fix to the seat base and hey presto, a height adjustable, swiveling, work stand.

That's the theory, anyway. Ahem.

"Bob"

[Grimly Curmudgeon]

We were somewhere around Barstow, on the edge of the desert, when the drugs began to take hold. I remember Grunff saying something like:

Indeed, the wall thickness on the stand shown is about twice that of

20mm overflow pipe.

[Dave Plowman (News)]

I'll bet 15mm will be ok with good design. I built a cradle for a 28" TV with it and it's been fine. The weight of that and a bike won't be a million miles different.

[John Stumbles]

There's a fine naturally-occurring cellulose based material which is pretty strong, readily shaped and quite durable outside if properly treated.

[Dave Fawthrop]

| On Sun, 08 Jan 2006 17:56:51 +0000, Grunff wrote: |=20 |=20 | > Schedule 40 is indeed an American standard, for pressure-rated PVC = and | > ABS pipe. Unfortunatlely, no equivalent pipe is readily available in = the | > UK. | >=20 | > Other have suggested using drainage PVC/ABS. While this is readily | > available, I don't think it's strong enough for this application = (wall | > thickness is 1.5-2mm). | >=20 | > Your best bet is 28mm copper pipe with soldered fittings. |=20 | There's a fine naturally-occurring cellulose based material which is | pretty strong, readily shaped and quite durable outside if properly | treated.

I once saw some square rainfall fall pipe, in a shed which looked very strong.=20 |=20

--=20 Dave Fawthrop

17,000 free e-books at Project Gutenberg! Yorkshire Dialect go to

[Rob Morley]

I think it's considered a bit old fashioned these days.

[Dave Plowman (News)]

I'd say it would also take a great deal more skill to make a good looking stand out of wood...

[Grimly Curmudgeon]

We were somewhere around Barstow, on the edge of the desert, when the drugs began to take hold. I remember "Dave Plowman (News)" saying something like:

A nold pallet, some 4" nails...

Bosh, bosh bosh, sorted.

[Lobster]

I was just trying to work out what the hell a "nold" pallet was...(!)

David

[Dave Plowman (News)]

I like nold. Is it copyright or can we all use it?

[Rob Morley]

How about a napple or a norange?

[John Cartmell]

Napple is wrong - but norange, like nadder and napron (not to be confused by eke names or ewts), is quite correct.