Hoop Coop DISASTER!

[ScaredOfShadows]

i got 10' poles to fit 5' wide...its only about 4' tall, but it took some work. I'd try maybe 14 foot max to get a height of 5' 51/2' 20 foot of pole is not going to stay with a T-post of a width of only 5', so your going to have to do some sawing

 

[ThePamperedPullet]

5 foot width is pretty tight especially if you are using a Tee at the top. You can warm up the pipe to help it take on a bend easier. The easiest way is with the exhaust of you car. DON'T breathe the exhaust, but if you move the pipe back and forth in front of your tailpipe it will warm the pipe enough to put permanent bends in it when it cools. Used to use this trick all the time when doing electrical work and had to get the plastic conduit into odd shapes. The other thought would be to use the Tee at the top, a 15 inch piece of pipe out each side then a 45 degree fitting, a 21 inch piece of pipe and another 45 and then what ever leg height you want.
Measurements are approximate. Would make kind of a barn shaped roof.

 

[jaj121159]

Forget the cement or glue or whatever. With PVC when you aren't running a liquid through it, screw it together. Make sure your connection is tight. Drill a small pilot hole into the Tee connector then use a 3/8" thick screw and screw it through the pilot hole and into the pipe. You might want to put a screw on two sides of the Tee. I have built lots of duck blinds out of PVC and this method of securing the PVC at connecting joints works better than any other, especially glues and PVC cement.

 

[DragonEggs]

I like the screwing idea... I tried the 45 angle idea and it looked so HORRIBLE! I think tomorrow I'll cut the legs to 6 ft AND screw the pieces together.

 

[sashurlow]

Why the "t"s? Why not just use a single piece of pipe and use electric tape to tape the cross pieces on.

 

[Thomas423]

If you decide to try the glue again....make sure to prim first and then twist the pipe as you insert it. The twist is the secret to making pvc bond.
Good luck.

 

[oldchickenlady]

I made a pvc run but I made mine 10x10. Could you enlarge your width to 8 feet maybe? 5 feet may just be too tight a bend. I didn't use T's just straight connectors, I didn't even glue them. I bought some glue, but couldn't get the stupid can open...so, didn't use it. Anyway, I used one whole section of pvc and one cut piece (I think I cut 3 or 4 feet off of one section) which put the join closer to the side, not at the top of the arch. O used a leftover piece of molding I found in the garage as a stabilizer (to keep them at equal distance from each other) for the hoops. I drilled holes through the pvc pipe and screwed the board to the bottom of the hoops. Wire went over the outside. I did use a piece of 2x2 above the gate and at the back wall for extra support and stability. You can check out my page for pics. I used 2x4's for the bottom edge and just drilled holes in the 2x4's to set the pvc in.

 

[patandchickens]

Sounds to me like you are wanting your PVC to bend in a tighter radius than it is structurally well-capable of.

The solution is probably to make the coop wider, or use a different construction method, or (undesirable, IMO) make it come down to the sills at an *angle* rather than vertically.

Good luck, have fun,

Pat

 

[bwknight877]

maybe you got the thicker walled PVC pipe, like the 300PSI pvc pipe when you should have gotten the thinner walled stuff that will bend, like the 120psi pvc pipe

I know they have different pvc pipe thicknesses at Lowes, there were at least 3 different kinds when we built a PVC raised dog bed for a 115lb german shepherd, we used the thickest stuff out there

maybe trying the thinner stuff would help you out

 

[BlackSilkie1]

I can tell you right now that wasnt what I drew and if it is only a half inch in diameter than it needs to be longer because that it could be a more natrul bend