PVC question

[green&grey]

I was planning to build a playgym for Kimi and Teri, I have some questions.

We found a company that makes these pipes here, but it seems that the parts need to be melted together, and are not detachable. I think I recall many people talking about disassembling and reassembling playgyms like these, am I wrong? What I planned to make is quite large, and I want to be able to take it apart, or at least move it out of the room(it might be too big for the doorframe). Can your playgyms be disassembled, or are they permanently stuck together like these?

Also, the pipes are actually PPE, not PVC. They are used for drinking water as well. Did anyone have any experiences with it? I plan to cover the entire gym with gauze and hemp rope so they can't chew it, but I heard something about certain plastics releasing fumes when in contact with sunlight.

 

[Chihuahua]

you want pvc... you can find it at hardware stores for cheap and it does not need to be melted together or anything like that.

 

[karen256]

The glue would be to make it 100% watertight for plumbing use which is what it's really meant for. It usually stays together well enough on its own for bird stands but can be pulled apart too. You can also buy ends that would screw together so if you really wanted a sturdier gym you could take apart you could glue together several separate sections that screw together too.
It's more expensive but you might look into furniture-quality PVC which is a bit sturdier and better looking than regular plumbing PVC.

 

[Shyra]

I just finished a playstand yesterday. My macaw is still too scared to get on it yet. I ordered the furniture grade connectors from Furniture Grade PVC Fittings, Pipe and Accessories | FORMUFIT in multiple colors and just used the pvc pipe from Home Depot. I didn't have to use any glue and trust me when I say it's tight enough that there are no worries. I have the blisters to prove that it's tight enough that it's hard to get apart and put together. The trick to using pvc where you don't need to use glue is to be sure you push the pipe into the connectors as far as it will go so that it creates a tight fit.

 

[green&grey]

The pipes aren't glued together, they are literally melted onto one another. Not like welding metal, but just heating the pipe enough so that it can slide into the joint. They don't seem to be able to slide in normally.

Though it looks like that's just the way that company makes them, or because it's PPE and not PVC. I'm gonna look for a company that makes pipes that can actually slide into joints, like you guys said. Hopefully there is one here...

Those look lovely, @Shyra ! But I don't think my parents would go through all the trouble to get them.

Sadly there's not much stuff like this in this country. I don't want to get just any PVC pipes I run across, who knows what might be in them...

Thanks if the info, you guys! I will update if I find something(or don't).

 

[JLcribber]

All the pipes and joints you want are at any home improvement center.

 

[Chihuahua]

John she is in the Balkans.. they may not have the same types of stores we do.

 

[green&grey]

Exactly.

 

[green&grey]

Nothing so far, but we're not giving up.

 

[~Drini~]

I'm from the Balkans too (Albania)!

Do you want to be able to see the pipes in person to pick them out, or would you be fine with shipping them? If you could find a company on your side of the world (not necessarily in your country), shipping charges should be easier. Otherwise, I think you'll just have to get creative with other materials.

 

[Shyra]

Here's one more thought. Sounds like your biggest problem is with the connectors. So don't use them and treat the pvc pipes like you would tree branches only instead of screwing them together use machine bolts and nuts (preferably stainless steel, if not be sure they are covered). Try to put the nut on the inside of the bottom pvc pipe so your bird can't get to it. Might have to wrap the the areas where the pipes cross over each other and have been screwed together to make sure the top pipe doesn't wobble side to side some. Using a little bit of a larger washer with the nut might help with that. You might just have to get a couple short pipe pieces and play around with them until you figure out a way that it will work.

Another thought is to not use pvc and instead make a base out of plywood just wide enough that it will fit through your doors, put wheels under it and then bolt some safe tree branches to it and make a tree stand instead of pvc. There are plenty of stands for sale online that you can get your inspiration from and just design it so it will work for your needs.

 

[green&grey]

@~Drini~ Maybe as a last resort, my parents are usually against this sort of thing. Thanks anyway!

@Shyra That's a pretty good idea! If we don't find anything soon that's probably what we'll do.
Actually, my first idea for a playgym for them was wood, but again in this country it's really hard to find reliable sources of.. well, anything.

 

[MacawwingZ]

I would suggest Home Depot pipes and glueing them. I have pvc stand that I threw together really quick and when the macaws lean back and forth it will fall apart sometimes. But they usually prefer it to their expensive Java trees.

 

[SybellaBird]

This is Sybella's PVC gym. I did not glue any of it. I did insert a wooden dowel down the center of the gym to stabilize it because there are so many T connectors all stacked on top of each other. The PVC pieces in between are very short.

 

[Chihuahua]

how did you make the base?

 

[green&grey]

@SybellaBird Wow, that looks great! What we were going to make is quite big though.

Nothing so far. Nobody even knows anything about PVC that doesn't have to be melted.
I guess we'll keep on looking for a week or so but then we're probably going for @Shyra's idea.

 

[SybellaBird]

how did you make the base?

It's all made from PVC parts that I found at either Lowes or Home Depot. I went to both stores while I was building it. The base part screws apart so I was able to bolt it to her cage from the inside. The wing nuts are hidden inside the base.