chamfering 1" PVC

[pierhogunn]

okay some of you have helped me figure out how to make a set of flag poles, now for a cosmetic question.

To make the edges of the PVC coupling look more attractive, I would like to put a 45deg Chamfer, but the question is how?

put it on a drill and use some sand paper...


45 degree bit in the router table...

something that I have no idea about?

[Jim Boyd]

Just roll the edge on a disc grinder or a belt sander.

[Pappy]

Jim had a good idea. PVC is pretty easy to shape. If it's a bit rough, it can be smoothed out with finer sandpaper by hand.

[just4funsies]

Just chuck the coupling in your lathe, and knock a chamfer on it lickity-split...

[LCHIEN]

If you're going to do several (and it sound like it) then I think the hold it by hand and guide ideas are for the dogs and this calls for a simple jig.

So here's my simple idea for jig.

I assume the pieces we are going to chamfer are both ends of a female to female pipe coupling normally used to splice two pieces of PVC pipe together.

setup your router in a table with a 45 degree chamfer bit.
Bury the bit in the fence so that part of the bit is just pround of the table. Make a guide which is a block of wood 1" to 2" thick. Drill a hole that fits closely around the fitting and allows the fitting to spin but has no play. I tihnk this will be enhanced if you have a piece of pipe 1 foot long inserterd into one end of the fitting but not glued, to use as a handle.
The edge of the hole should be About 1/4" from the edge of the block.
Clamp the block to the fence so that the hole is adjacent to the bit, clamps on both sides of the bit, and the block flush with the table. Move the fence back with the bit spinning and cut into the block until the bit is protruding into the inner diameter of the hole by the amount of the chamfer you want on the pipe fitting. Lock the fence in place! Now with the router running, lower the end of the fitting into the hole until it bottoms on the table and spin it around 360 degrees.

That should do it.

P.S. you should wear safety glasses and maybe a face shield. Anywone know how well PVC routs?

P.P.S. BTW, isn't PVC a little too flexible for flagpoles?

[scorrpio]

My vote goes to drill press. Get a wooden dowel that fits snugly inside the coupling (a bit of duct tape around the dowel might help if needed), drill it through, put a long bolt through it amd tighten with washer/nut. Chuck the bolt into drill press chuck, put coupling over the dowel. Now, just hold a file or sanding block to the spinning coupling.

If you try to hold coupling to a grinder wheel, you are not likely to get a smooth chamfer. On a router table, you risk the coupling shattering, or melting anfd gooing up the bit - and you still need some way to securely hold the coupling without putting your fingers too close to the bit. I'd do the drill press thing.

P.S. Unless, of course, you have a lathe.

[LarryG]

Any of these methods will work, although the lathe, drill press or router will likely give the best results.

I'd do it on a router table, but it's a far simpler job than Loring describes. You don't need the fence, you don't need a jig. Chamfering bits typically have a pilot bearing. Just set the bit height as desired and spin the coupling on the top of the table with the bearing riding along the coupler's outside face. If your fingers are too close to the bit for comfort, stick a short piece of pipe into the coupler as an extension. Nothin' to it.

[LCHIEN]

Any of these methods will work, although the lathe, drill press or router will likely give the best results.

I'd do it on a router table, but it's a far simpler job than Loring describes. You don't need the fence, you don't need a jig. Chamfering bits typically have a pilot bearing. Just set the bit height as desired and spin the coupling on the top of the table with the bearing riding along the coupler's outside face. If your fingers are too close to the bit for comfort, stick a short piece of pipe into the coupler as an extension. Nothin' to it.

I think the physical length of the coupling (I'm talking about the circumference you want to rout) will be too short to control without my guide. As in the case you are trying to rout around a corner you want to use a pin guide for support - well the whole fitting is a short corner but there's no length to support on a pin. So that's why I suggested a guide as I did.

[LarryG]

I think the physical length of the coupling (I'm talking about the circumference you want to rout) will be too short to control without my guide.

On further review, you're right ... I just now noticed that the title of the OP says this is 1" PVC. I saw "flag poles" in the body of the post and ASSuMEd it was more like 3" or 4" ID pipe. So, never mind.

EDIT and PS: Yeah, it DOES seem like 1" PVC would be awfully limber. How long are these flag poles, Dan?

[lago]

Hmm..sounds like some of these suggestions might work to make couplings for DC piping.

Ken

[pierhogunn]

flag poles are 8' long, made out of 4 2' or 3 32" sections of aluminum tubing, the pvc will form couplings that are 3" long, so I have 1.5" of coupling on both sides of the connection.

The PVC will be attached to the Aluminum (1" OD) with epoxy. The inside of the coupling, and the outside of the Aluminum will be scratched with 60grit paper, not enought to reduce the dia of the aluminum, or increase the dia of the coupling.

Loring's simple jig sounds like the way to go, I have a router table, (with a bt3k1 attached to it )