Help with Arches

[Dcroc]

Went with the sleeve method using eight 1" sleeves over 10 feet of 1/2" schedule 40.  Problem I'm having is when I bend the half inch to form the arch, it kinks and breaks. Using a 10' 1/2" pvc pipe, how high should I expect the arch to be in the center?  Maybe I'm trying to bend them too much, and am looking for more height than I should be with that length pipe?

[jlowe]

I have had no problem using 1/2" PVC as arches for 3 years now. I too use the sleeve method. Are you sure you are using schedule 40? How high are you bending? I think I usually have about 5 feet between each foot, giving about a 4 foot arch height.

[Deacon]

Are you using the thinner wall PVC or the thicker wall (schedule 40). I used 10ft (1/2") sticks of grey electrical conduit, PVC, and had arches about waist high with good results.

[George Simmons]

+1 on the grey electrical PVC.

[sticks4legs]

I used schedule 40 white PVC, drilled a hole at each end, put a metal eye and nut through the hole and then just used a ratchet strap to get the shape I wanted. Once I had the shape I used small gauge TBar ceiling tie wire between the eye bolts to hold them in place. Ratchet strap isn't needed if you have a helper.

I origianally had 2811 pixel strips inside the white PVC with disappointing results. Version 2.0 has the strip on the outside with 1 1/2" white split wire loom pulled overtop. Results are much better and brighter.

Sounds like to much curve on the half inch. And since you are doing sleeves you can just put the ratchet strap in the pipe ends.

Edited August 27, 2014 by sticks4legs

[Mega Arch]

I use 10 ft sections of 1" sch40 grey electrical PVC. Typical stockade fence is constructed in 8 ft panel sections. So wedge the PVC between the fence posts and have the sun mold it. (Or better yet, have the Son mold it.....) About 3 days of Oklahoma 100deg weather and it makes an 8 ft long arch with a 32" rise. Just perfect. Don't wait until winter to bend it - to hard to work with... Do it now.

[George Simmons]

I origianally had 2811 pixel strips inside the white PVC with disappointing results.

Should you want to try that again, use 1" white PEX. You'll love those results.

[Mega Arch]

I thought about pex, but I don't have any experience with it. I plan on wrapping these with led strands, not rgb or ccr. Was wondering if I would get a sag from the weight and dis form the arch with pex.

[George Simmons]

I wouldn't recommend pex for that much weight. But for pixels or a ribbon I've seen nothing better.

[1983ss454]

1" PEX drilled in the back with CCP's installed

[Mega Arch]

That is super. Time & budget about gone this year. But I'll have to step up soon. That's great!

[Gork68]

if you heat the pvc it becomes just like a garden hose. bend it to what you want then when it cools it hardens back to the shape it is in. I used boiling water to soften the pvc. works like a charm! I made mine like a half circle.

10'/pi = radius == 3.18 feet high or roughly 3' 2"

[sticks4legs]

if you heat the pvc it becomes just like a garden hose. bend it to what you want then when it cools it hardens back to the shape it is in. I used boiling water to soften the pvc. works like a charm! I made mine like a half circle.

10'/pi = radius == 3.18 feet high or roughly 3' 2"

I've also seen people heat sand with a torch and pour it inside the PVC. Makes pipe flexible with a little stability. Just pour out the sand when done

[1983ss454]

if you heat the pvc it becomes just like a garden hose. bend it to what you want then when it cools it hardens back to the shape it is in. I used boiling water to soften the pvc. works like a charm! I made mine like a half circle.

10'/pi = radius == 3.18 feet high or roughly 3' 2"

I've also seen people heat sand with a torch and pour it inside the PVC. Makes pipe flexible with a little stability. Just pour out the sand when done

Seems like way too much work for something that putting them together make into female end in a circle and leaving them In the sun will take care of

[Vince4xmas]

1" gray PVC have had no need to heat up the pvc. Each arch has two sections with a pipe coupling attaching each side at the top. Then drive 3' 3/8" r-bar in ground 1 foot deep and slide PVC over one side, bend into arch and slide over other rebar. Disassembly allows for each 2 piece arch to be stored horizontally over garage until next year.

[rednosetbird]

sound like a big arch. I must a agree wit you one the 1" gray PVC pipe.  The piece I use is about 8' long. next I took 1/2'' rebar about 16'' long drove one side in the ground on a 45 degree angle leaving 6'' sticking out of the ground. Step 2. I bend the arch till I like how it looks and then drive in the piece of rebar. I think mine are about 2' off the ground. Then I put on the sprinkler pipe sleeves with the lights on them. I don't have a lot of room so my arches are on the smaller side. By the way when I bend my arches its only about 40-50 degrees out. I hope this helps you out. So thumbs up to gray electrical pipe!

[sticks4legs]

Seems like way too much work for something that putting them together make into female end in a circle and leaving them In the sun will take care of

Agreed for circles and large arches. There is a guy in YouTube that makes awesome candy canes this method