So i'm in need of a curved core and i've heard that boiling water and pvc works well, i'm wondering if there is a technique to this or morelikely how/where i pour the water, etc, since i've not done this before..

from what I've read/heard, you cap one end of the PVC, pour in boiling water, cap the other end, let it sit for a few minutes, then bend it and hold it in that shape somehow while you cool it off. I'd suggest doing this in a bath tub. Also you can fill a tub with the hottest water and lest it sit in there for a few minutes and then bend it.

I have done this one time

I used the rails of a porch to get the bend after capping one end and poured boiled water in the other end and repeated as needed. that worked great however it was a very hot day.

Marty bend his by just holding the bend for hour and hours crazy kid!

Marty is a beast, lol. But you can use boiling water (wear gloves), put in the back seat of a car when its 100 deg. out for a day or two, use hot sand. Pick your poison.

do you know of any way to get it to hold a bend? could i just duck tape the ends close s othat it bends like a bow after i've added boiling water?

Duct tape won't work. The hot water will prevent the adhesive from working and will flow out the bottom. Use a PVC endcap, and pour boiling water in the core. Bend gently along multiple points. You may need to repeat this process of replacing the hot water to get the curve you desire. Keep in mind that the more extreme the curve, the less structurally sound the core will become. ^.^

for a truly excellent curved core, create the exact shape out of a lightweight material, like wood or foam, and then wrap it tightly with fiberglass and epoxy. Kits for this can be obtained at Lowe's for around $20. Seek wisdom from older and wiser dagorhirrim on how the process works. Bent PVC is wicked cool too, just don't take your curved PVC weapons to an event and expect them to live. .

A curved weapon will last a long while even through frequent use, but it won't las *as long* as a straight blade of PVC.

I have a curved PVC blade that is pushing 3 years old. Only repairs was taking it from hot glue to dap.

For a quick way to do this, get a metal tea pot. The kind that wistles. Get it whistling reall good, then let the steam fill up your PVC. Ofcourse, you still need an end cap on hte PVC.

If you don't have access to the tea pot. Take a normal stove top pan, and cover the top with aluminium foil. Cut out a small triangle of foil on one side, and let it steam up. Then use it just like the tea pot.

Steam works better then boiling water. Boiling water only need to cool down. Steam must cool down, recondense, then continue to cool down. Retains the heat longer on the PVC.

I never thought of it that way, an interesting point, the way steam loses a good portion of its heat into the surrounding PVC when it changes states.

brilliant ideas, all of you. thanks for all the thought, im planning on making one of these:



as a red of course

I was thinking about trying to make a sword similar to that at some point. If you do make it, let me know how it turns out :]

I'll try and take pictures along the way this time, i usually forget, lol

I'm not sure how good you are with working with heat but electric stoves work wonders. I made a 6 ft dai-katana with one.

-Take the PVC and plan how much of a bend you want.

-Next have the stove turned to a heat where it's not too hot but not too cold (med-med hi)

-Run the PVC above the stove burner, not touching it though just right above it.
(I would recommending holding the PVC with a dish towel or something to protect your hand)

-While the PVC is hot and flexible bend it into desired shape slowly, so you can get the right curve.

-When cooling DO NOT use cold water or any substance. let the PVC cool at room tempature naturally.

Here's a picture of my friend with my Dai-katana I made.

very nice sword. did u have a gas stove or electric?

Electric, I think gas would be bad. Flames + plastic= bad times all around...unless you're a pyro.

well there in lies the problem of me not wanting to burn down the house, yet still bend the core...

Sadness, yeah I'd say you can use my stove but you're at rolla. lol

so true, lol

I has an electric stove (upstairs from the forge of course) If you come by on a wednesday, you're welcome to use it.