Making Flared PVC Inserts for Rod Holders

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Mattwarner
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Making Flared PVC Inserts for Rod Holders

Postby Mattwarner » Wed Jan 02, 2019 6:43 am

Give me some tips on how to flare the ends of PVC tube to replicate the OEM console-mounted rod holders.

I have tried using a hot air gun to heat the end and slide over a bottle neck. Although this works, the result is uneven. Is there is a better way?

Annoyingly, I can find plenty of rod holders cheap online, but they are only 12-inches and not 14-inches.

I want to be able to install cushion covers.

One thought was to buy these 12-inch ones. and then just glue 2-inch extensions as they won't be seen under the cushions.

dtmackey
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Re: Making Flared PVC Inserts for Rod Holders

Postby dtmackey » Wed Jan 02, 2019 8:27 pm

Not sure the thickness of plastic you are using, but I've had good luck with heat and a bottle, just take your time and even heating is the key so the entire circumference is the same temp and forms evenly. He's a presentation I found that is close to how I do it. If you are trying to mushroom it totally over, heat again and continue pushing against a flat surface.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lWtQNO3Rj9E

D-

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Phil T
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Re: Making Flared PVC Inserts for Rod Holders

Postby Phil T » Thu Jan 03, 2019 10:29 am

D - Good link to DIY.
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Mattwarner
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Re: Making Flared PVC Inserts for Rod Holders

Postby Mattwarner » Thu Jan 03, 2019 12:02 pm

Thanks guys. I did try that exact technique, but I found the flare to be uneven all the way around.

[The demonstration on youTube] made [forming heated PVC] look easy. I will try again, with some sort of guide on top of the bottle neck so that the PVC tube slides down evenly.

RichS
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Re: Making Flared PVC Inserts for Rod Holders

Postby RichS » Thu Jan 03, 2019 9:19 pm

I've had good luck forming PVC pipe by immersing the area to be formed in boiling water. It tends to heat the PVC more evenly. I hope this helps.

dtmackey
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Re: Making Flared PVC Inserts for Rod Holders

Postby dtmackey » Fri Jan 04, 2019 9:18 am

Temperatures for forming PVC pipe are 170 to 220-degrees-F. Lower temperatures are great for long sweeping bends, whereas tighter work requires elevated temperatures. Forming for rod holders I’d target close to the 220-degrees-F temperature.

D-

Mattwarner
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Re: Making Flared PVC Inserts for Rod Holders

Postby Mattwarner » Mon Jan 07, 2019 4:07 am

The tubing I have been trying to flare actually turns out to be ABS and not PVC. I believe ABS has a much higher melting temperature. I will get some PVC tubing and try again.

jimh
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Re: Making Flared PVC Inserts for Rod Holders

Postby jimh » Mon Jan 07, 2019 6:26 am

According to an article at

https://www.engineeringtoolbox.com/plas ... _1621.html

PVC tubing is generally used with water at not more than 140-degrees.
ABS tubing is generally used with water at not more than 180-degrees.

According to the same article, the "heat distortion temperature" is:

PVC = 54 to 80-degree-C (129 to 176-degree-F)
ABS = 104 to 106-degree-C (219 to 223-degree-F)

The suggestion made above to use a very hot water bath to heat the tubing would be workable with PVC tubing, but not with ABS tubing.

Mattwarner
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Re: Making Flared PVC Inserts for Rod Holders

Postby Mattwarner » Mon Jan 21, 2019 7:42 am

Well turns out you cant get PVC pipe in the UK and its all now ABS at least from hardware/plumbing merchants.

I think I am going to opt for the readily available 12" rod holders and mount of some teak racks as per OEM, does this cause a problem with mounting the OEM cushions?

Marc-B
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Re: Making Flared PVC Inserts for Rod Holders

Postby Marc-B » Sat Jan 26, 2019 2:07 pm

I used the pipes used for central vac systems, heated with a heat gun and flared on a long neck wine bottle, worked great
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Phil T
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Re: Making Flared PVC Inserts for Rod Holders

Postby Phil T » Sat Jan 26, 2019 3:01 pm

Matt -

The OEM rod back cushions have a flap on both sides. At the top and bottom of each flap is a male end of button snap that attached to the female end of the snap that is screwed into the end grain of the teak block.

You may want to do a mock up of the cushion and rod holder and teak block to ensure the dimensions work. I would think you can alter the thickness of the teak blocks to ensure the snaps align.
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