My rig for flattening PVC pipes for armor

Not sure if a method like this has been posted before, but I think it gives good results if you dont have an oven.

Here is what I came up with.

http://i113.photobucket.com/albums/n..._145611785.jpg

1 - 2' copper pipe with 3/4" diameter.
1 - 3/4" copper end cap
1 - Threaded steel pipe reducer 1 1/2" to 1"
Heat gun
Small corner bracket
a few screws

I screwed the corner bracket to the edge of the board. Drilled a hole in the end of the end cap and ran a bolt through it. Used two screws angled in to support the reducer end. Made this one for 2" PVC pipes so I laid one down on the board and adjusted the height just so the copper pipe would float within the PVC.

http://i113.photobucket.com/albums/n..._145633024.jpg

I drilled a bunch of holes in the copper pipe, then later went back and added short cuts with the dremel. i would recommend just using a bunch of the cuts over the holes for better heat dispersion. Make them over the whole length of the pipe and all around. Then all you have to do is slide the PVC over the central tube and put the heat gun in the end. Run the heat gun until you can start smelling the PVC and it gets soft.

Rotate the PVC slowly the whole time until the entire length is soft. Then use leather gloves and carefully (don't touch the copper pipe) unwrap the PVC and flatten between two boards. Doing just this, here is what I end up with.

http://i113.photobucket.com/albums/n..._145707569.jpg

Here is why I say cuts work better and to always keep rotating the PVC.

http://i113.photobucket.com/albums/n..._145755992.jpg

You still need to go over it with the heat gun and flatten it better, but this gets you 90% of the way there if you dont have an oven.

Fascinating... would have never thought of this