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Recycling PVC Fittings
http://byap.backyardmagazines.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=8&t=12771		 Page 1 of 2
Author:  PLJ [ May 25th, '12, 12:31 ]
Post subject:  Recycling PVC Fittings
At the risk of sounding like a total tight-arse, as opposed to a normal garden variety one, I would like to know if there are any techniques to enable the re-use of often expensive to buy PVC parts. I have boxes of assorted once-used fittings, mostly with old pipe glued into them, that lay around teasing me. If only I knew a way to separate these potential little gems from their attached pipe remnants I would not only save quite a bit of my hard earned cash but, often, would save the downtime cost of driving to my local town to buy that same part on occasions when I suddenly realise that I am a fitting short of completing a job.
Any suggestions gratefully accepted.

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File comment: 50mm PVC fittings begging to be given a new life
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Author:  arbe [ May 25th, '12, 12:42 ]
Post subject:  Re: Recycling PVC Fittings
Try cutting the fitting off as close to the part you want to keep.

Then put in some PVC cement and light it up.

While it is still hot and soft you should be able to remove it.

May take a couple of attempts, but too many may render the piece you are trying to keep useless.
Author:  bunson [ May 25th, '12, 13:12 ]
Post subject:  Re: Recycling PVC Fittings
You can trim off the "pipe part" to give a smooth face, then use a small drill bit to remove sections of the pipe, careful not to damage the part you want to keep and reuse. Once you've removed three or four sections, you can use a pry-tool (screw-driver, knife, high-heel shoe!) between the pipe and the fitting and lever the pipe away. This takes some time and for the time it's going to cost you it's probably cheaper to go a buy a new fitting, so I'd only be bothering with the expensive fittings such as the valve.
Author:  PLJ [ May 25th, '12, 13:32 ]
Post subject:  Re: Recycling PVC Fittings
arbe wrote:
Then put in some PVC cement and light it up.
Great, I now have something to try! Hold on, that sounds potentially dangerous - maybe this is your idea of payback for me disagreeing with you on another thread! :shock:
Author:  PLJ [ May 25th, '12, 13:40 ]
Post subject:  Re: Recycling PVC Fittings
Thanks, Bunson. I often find myself fiddling around with old crap when, if I placed any value at all on my time, I would just go out and buy a new one of whatever it is. I'm sure you would agree that it is not always about the $ value, though, because decisions on 'cost' involve other less tangible values.
I sometimes hate our 'throw away' society.
Author:  bunson [ May 25th, '12, 13:45 ]
Post subject:  Re: Recycling PVC Fittings
PLJ wrote:
I sometimes hate our 'throw away' society.
Me too, but there's products we throw away = waste, and then there's time which we throw away by doing silly things = waste. Waste = waste. Cest la vie.

I had a client who spent (literally) hundreds of hours scouring the internet looking for some free software to suit his needs when the commercial product was only $20. To him, he eventually saved $20 but to me he wasted his time.
Author:  arbe [ May 25th, '12, 14:02 ]
Post subject:  Re: Recycling PVC Fittings
PLJ wrote:
arbe wrote:
Then put in some PVC cement and light it up.
Great, I now have something to try! Hold on, that sounds potentially dangerous - maybe this is your idea of payback for me disagreeing with you on another thread! :shock:


Not at all. It is a method I have used myself when I have messed up something.

Disagreement? Meh - just two people putting their point of views forward. No skin off my nose.
Author:  mrhuston [ May 25th, '12, 15:43 ]
Post subject:  Re: Recycling PVC Fittings
Someone on another thread said that if you heat the glue up with a heat gun you can get them apart.

ii have only tried this once but it worked on the recently glued fitting i had.

Michael
Author:  Charlie [ May 25th, '12, 15:45 ]
Post subject:  Re: Recycling PVC Fittings
Is this some kind of gate valve PJL?

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Author:  PLJ [ May 25th, '12, 16:22 ]
Post subject:  Re: Recycling PVC Fittings
It is some kind of gate valve, Charlie, except the action to close/open the valve is to push/pull the plunger knob rather than to crank it around on a thread. I have seen them referred to as 'knife' valves. I have many 2" ones, some still in operation. My place is a failed yabby farm and these were the chosen valves for draining the ponds.
Author:  Charlie [ May 25th, '12, 16:46 ]
Post subject:  Re: Recycling PVC Fittings
PLJ wrote:
My place is a failed yabby farm and these were the chosen valves for draining the ponds.

You have just gained my upmost attention!

See PM :thumbright:
Author:  bythebrook [ May 25th, '12, 19:44 ]
Post subject:  Re: Recycling PVC Fittings
This was covered in an earlier thread here:
viewtopic.php?f=8&t=8967&p=260933&hilit=pVC+cement+fitting#p260933

There are step-by-step instructions with pictures
Author:  johnfenn [ May 25th, '12, 21:02 ]
Post subject:  Recycling PVC Fittings
To reuse old fittings use a hair dryer or heat gun inside to soften the inner pipe then you can easily prose it out with a screwdriver. You can also bend pipe by judiciously heating and bending
Author:  Privatteer [ May 25th, '12, 21:18 ]
Post subject:  Re: Recycling PVC Fittings
I cut the old pipe off almost flush, then use a broken hacksaw blade and put a cut in the old pipe inside the fitting. Does not need to be all the way through, just deep enough the pipe rips there.

Bit of heat from a heatgun and application of a blade screwdriver to break the seal at one side of the cut. Once that's done a long nose pliers jammed in and turned to roll up the old pipe.
Author:  PLJ [ May 25th, '12, 23:19 ]
Post subject:  Re: Recycling PVC Fittings
Thanks mrhuston, bythebrook, johnfenn and Privatteer. Between your respective suggestions and the info in the previous thread on this topic I am now well armed to salvage some of these recalcitrant fittings. Just for the record, before starting this thread I did a search of the forum for 'recycled PVC fittings' and 'recycled PVC' but the other thread didn't show up. Strangely enough, it doesn't show up in a search for 'Re-using PVC Fittings' either, which is its Post Subject! The search report says 'No posts were found because the word re-using is not contained in any post.'
If you have sometimes wondered why there are as many repeated Post Subjects as there are then maybe you now have at least part of the answer.
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