PVC as a Wood Substitute

We here at PVCFittingsDirect.com love working with PVC Pipes and PVC Pipe Fittings. So much, in fact, that we decided to see how much you could do with PVC outside of plumbing and irrigation systems. Man, were we shocked to find some of the things that people have made with PVC Pipes and PVC Pipe Fittings. We’ve been posting some of the videos of the things we’ve found and today we are going to give you some instructions on how to make a bird feeder out of PVC Pipe and PVC Pipe Fittings.

What you need are two threaded end caps or clean-out fittings, a 4” PVC Pipe about 3-4 feet long and 1 y-joint. Attach one clean-out joint to the top of the PVC Pipe, and the y-joint to the bottom. Attach the final threaded clean-out joint to the bottom of the y-joint. Since these are threaded, you can fill the feeder when you are finished. To mount the feeder, you can just brace it to a fence or tree with wires, or drill holes on either side of the pipe and run a wire to hang the feeder from a tree branch.

Once you are all done, hang it up and wait for the birds to come for a quick bite. You can also get creative and use additional y-joints to make more feeding spots for more than one bird at a time.

What is PVC?

PVC is an acronym for the chemical compound “Polyvinyl Chloride”. PVC is a very eco-friendly compound because it is made up of 57% chlorine, which means it requires less crude oil to produce than most other plastics.

While there are many uses for PVC, it is most commonly used in PVC Pipe or PVC Pipe Fittings for irrigation and plumbing systems. Because it is non-reactive, lightweight and strong, it is the ideal material for these applications. In the US, PVC Pipes make up 66% of the Pipe Market for distribution of water and 75% for sanitary sewer applications. Metal piping is preferred for specific applications that require a stronger material or easy disconnection.

Most PVC products are 100% safe, but it is important to be aware of potential risks when shopping for PVC Pipe and PVC Pipe Fittings. In some applications, an additive may be added to the PVC to allow the piping to operate in sub-freezing temperatures. These additives are typically called plasticizers and have been known to leach out of the pipes into their surroundings. Pipes with these types of additives are generally marked as such, but if you are unsure ask a store clerk for help.

There have also been some risks associated with producing PVC due to prolonged exposure to vinyl chloride, but those have since been eliminated since the creation of the closed loop production process.

About PVCFittingsDirect.com

I guess this should have been the first post, but I had to post those videos right away. We here at PVCFittingsDirect.com wanted to take a chance to introduce ourselves and let you know what we are all about.

PVCFittingsDirect.com is a one stop shop for PVC Fittings, PVC Pipe Fittings, and PVC Tools and Cement. We pride ourselves in offering quality products in a wide variety of types and sizes in both Schedule 40 and Schedule 80.

With our secure website and our “no hassle” return policy, you can shop with confidence knowing that every purchase will be private and satisfactory.

Additionally, we pride ourselves in having a great deal of expertise in working with PVC Pipe and PVC Pipe Fittings. Throughout this blog, there will be posts about how to correctly work with PVC Pipe and PVC Pipe Fittings, How to Cut PVC Pipe, How to Paint PVC Pipe and more. Subscribe to our blog to get the most up to date content about PVC Pipe and PVC Fittings. We’ll throw in some more cool videos along the way.

How to Repair a Metal Piping System with PVC

The idea here is to be able to repair a metal piping system using PVC Pipe and PVC Pipe Fittings. What you need to do first is make sure that the PVC Schedule you are using is rated for the application you will be using it for. So basically, you are going to have a male a female threaded adapter (one copper and one PVC) that you will screw together when you are finished. For instructions on how to connect the PVC Pipe Fitting see our previous posts.

To attach the metal fitting, you will follow a similar procedure to PVC pipe only with a few slight differences. After making sure that the pipe and fitting are clean and dry, use an emery cloth to sand the inside and outside of both the pipe and the fitting until shiny. Apply and even coat of flux to both pieces and join them with a twisting motion. Next, take a propane (acetylene) torch and begin heating the joint. Once you see the flux begin to boil, it is time to apply the solder. Apply the solder around the entire joint being sure to fill it entirely. If the solder stops flowing, continue heating the joint and then go back with the solder. Watch this video for a more detailed view of how to properly solder a copper joint.

Made With PVC!

Searching around I came across a video that consists of how to make an air gun out of PVC fittings. Having a 10 foot PVC pipe and sawing it to your desired size will make this activity easier. Just remember play it safe and enjoy yourself!

If you are more into something constructive you can always use special PVC pipes and construct a mini elevator for your laptop. The possibilities are endless. These are just two of the many resources that PVC pipes produce other than irrigation and plumbing.