How to Make Hoops With PVC Pipe
You can use flexible PVC pipe or PVC tubing to create hoops for a variety of purposes, such as hula hoops, basketball hoops and tunnels. PVC pipe tubing or flexible PVC is available at most hardware stores. You can purchase it in 100-foot rolls. Depending on the use of the hoop, 100 feet of tubing can make a minimum of eight hoops.
Things You'll Need
- Measuring tape
- 100 feet of ¾-inch PVC tubing, 100 PSI by 100 PSI
- ¾-inch PVC tube connector, 100 PSI
- Medium-size cooking pot
- PVC cutter
- Hair dryer
- PVC cement
- Electrical tape
Instructions
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Measure and cut the PVC tubing or flexible PVC for your needs. For an adult-size hula hoop you would need 12.5 feet. You can produce eight hoops of this size from the 100-foot roll. If the hoop needs to be collapsible, cut the length into two sections. For example, for a collapsible 12.5-foot hoop, you need two 6.25-foot sections.
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Boil 6 to 7 cups of water in a 2-quart or larger cooking pot. Insert one end of pipe into the water for 30 seconds to one minute. Repeat with the other side. Or hold a hair dryer 2 inches from the end of the pipe, with the dryer blowing into the pipe, and heat the pipe for 30 seconds. Repeat with the other end. Do not melt the piping -- just soften it.
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Apply a small amount of PVC cement to the insides of the PVC tubing where you will insert the connector. If the hoop is going to be collapsible, place glue in only one section of the tubing.
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Slide the connector into one end of the pipe tubing until the tubing covers the ridges on that side of the connector. Slide the other end on the opposite side of the connector in the same manner. To make a collapsible hoop, use two connectors to connect the two sections together.
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Wrap the connection with electrical tape. This covers the connection point and makes the hoop look more uniform. Do not tape collapsible hoops because you'll need to pull the connectors out of one side to collapse them. If you like, you can add multicolored electrical or gaffer's tape around the hoop for decoration.
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References
Resources
- Photo Credit Jupiterimages/Creatas/Getty Images
