Do you need to buy special *pipe* for this (as opposed to the fittings)? Never tried solvent welding before, but I notice Wickes carries a special packet of pipe labelled 'solvent weld pipe' - I'd always assumed you could use any waste pipe (ie the spare stuff I have lying about in the garage). Is that not the case?
Thanks David
You need the stuff that is capable of being dissolved by the solvent! Polyethylene etc. pipe will not. To test, apply some solvent and see....
Push fit and solvent weld are slight different outside diameters. Push fit
32mm is 34.5mm OD and solvent weld 32mm is 32mm. SeeIn article , Phil writes
Solvent weld is ABS or uPVC, pushfit is Polypropylene, it should be marked on it. Former is BS5255, latter BS5254 but ABS/uPVC or Polyprop is easier to remember :-)
Solvent weld and pushfit are slightly different sizes. IIRC, solvent weld is larger diameter. Also, try to get uPVC fittings -- they weld better than ABS.
Well well, you learn something new every day! Thanks everyone.
Oh bugger it, guess who's already bought ABS...
Having attracted the attention of the solvent-weld cogniscenti, here's a follow-up!:
I've read before on this ng that you can't undo a solvent welded joint; however I'm not letting that stop me :-) My application is not in fact as a waste pipe, it's actually a launching trailer for a sailing dinghy, which is made almost entirely from 1.5" pipe - ie, the joint doesn't need to be water tight. I have to replace a broken 90-deg bend, and if I can't get the old one off I'll need to chop the pipe either side of it and insert straight couplings and two new bits of pipe, which I'd rather avoid for aesthetic reasons.
Is there really just no way of getting them apart? saw/disc sander/manual sanding maybe?
David
It really isn't worth faffing around and the straight coupling fix (note: not bodge) will look fine with solvent bits. Shame you didn't mention the structural use as uPVC is heavier made (about 2x the thickness) and will make a better job but if the original is ABS then there would be no gain. If the original bits look cheap and nasty then it's ABS, if well formed and thick looking then more likely uPVC. For info, uPVC is intended for hot water discharge, is made thicker and so resists bending & stress better; the bits are cheap so maybe go buy the tougher stuff.
I'm assuming this is quite a light dinghy.
I reckon your best bet is to cut the affected bit out, use a couple of straight couplings to attach new pipe and renew the bend. /Nota bene/ the pipe adhesive is not a stable formulation, and whwatever you do, will turn into snot within the year. Look aroung for other projects which need doing ang use the adhesive while it is still usable. A similar strategy applies to epoxy adhesives look for jobs before you mix it, check neighbors and friends, it is always useful to be owed a favour.
If you can successfully separate the joint, you will probably find that you can also walk on water, rendering the dinghy redundant. Also, you will never find yourself short of wine, loaves or fishes.
John Schmitt
I'll take that as a challenge then!!
Thanks David
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