The existing 40mm plastic waste pipe from my kitchen sink has a slight bend in it. I am shortly going to fit a new unit and the pipe may not line up. I think it would only need to be bent a few degrees,. I assume you would have to heat the pipe, but I don't know what you would use. Can anyone advise please?
A heat gun will do it if you are careful.
.andy
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I can. I have recently been playing with waste pipe as conduit. Obtain a hot-air paintstripper. Variable heat is really, really, really handy for this, unless you happen to luck out and get one with exactly the right temperature. Otherwise distances are critical. I've made leakless T-junctions and right-angles that cannot be broken by hand placed next to the junction.
Basic idea is to either heat the pipe, and bend it slightly, or cut (a hacksaw is good, the frizz gives a good indicator of melting point getting close) into correct angles, heat both ends and marry up the ends and let cool. If you have a slight leak, it can be easily buttered over using a knife and a shaving to weld a patch on. With a few minutes practice, it's not too bad.
If you want to make a bend, and don't care overly about appearance, but are more interested in strength, simply heat a band three-quarters around the pipe, and crumple it a bit. If you stretch it instead, then you end up with thinned walls. Overdoing each bend can be bad.
Obtain a 2m length of waste pipe, or a couple even, and have a go. It is not particularly nasty when you'r just bending it. If joining it, you probably want to do it outside.
Look at the surface of the pipe, it goes from matt, to slightly oily (bendable) to shiny (right temperature for welding.) Smell is also an important cue.
A hoover can be a handy thing, to set the pipe fast by sucking air through it.
I have not been able to make nice sharp right angles by any means, without wrinkling the wall it's hard to get a 90 degree bend in under
400mm or so.The easier way is just to make either a straight right-angle, or a couple of 45 degree bends next to each other if you need a tight bend.
Put a big pot of water on the stove and bring it to a hard boil. Dip the point of the pipe you need to bend into it until it softens off enough for you to put slight firm pressure on either side of where you need the bend and make the shape you need.
Bring the pipe out of the boiling water and run it under the cold tap in the sink or in a bucket of cold water to set the shape.
This method doesn't scorch the pipe and no cuts and patches need be applied. PVCu is very pliable when brought to a high wet heat, but it is easily burned when you hit it with dry heating.
For added safety margin against the pipe crumpling, fill it with dry sand, or something similar; that way it will tend to resist crumpling when bent.
Andy.
Hmm, I thought it was all polypropylene, which will laugh at boiling water with scorn. (starts to soften around 150C)
Rigid solvent type is the one that gives trouble, but the cheaper B&Q type stuff softens as soon as the sun shines on it.
Although it is possible to bend waste pipe using heat, it is not recommended as it can affect the long term performance of the pipe.
There are a number of flexible waste connectors and flexible waste pipes available which are designed to cope with the situation described.
Hepworth supply HepFlex waste pipe and connectors:-
-- Tel: +44 (0)1709 856 300 |Hepworth Plumbing Products Fax: +44 (0)1709 856 301 |Edlington Lane, Edlington Email: snipped-for-privacy@hepworthplumbing.co.uk |Doncaster, UK
macerators ? If so can you get it in longer (25m) lengths ?
Never understood why it isn't available here.
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clips. This stuff is available in quite a range of IDs and as it is twin wall and designed for pressure operation is very useful for waste functions which need a lot of movement.
Regards Capitol
Surely that doesn't have the appropriate BS numbers for waste systems.
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