Softening Plastic Tub

[HopSong]

OK you DIYers... I want to make a cane to use as s racking tube.. not the one in the FV.. but the one that will be in the secondary. I've tried using the vinyl tubing.. but it doesn't hold it's shape and it winds up curling on the end, sending beer into the air.

I've thought of taping or rubber banding that vinyl tubing to a racking cane to hold it straight.. but, I thought I'd eliminate the rubber bands and modify an extra racking cane.

What I'd like to do is to soften that "plexiglas" (or whatever that plastic is) and put a 90* angle in it vs the 135(?) degree angle at the top of the racking cane. This way it can sit at the bottom of the secondary and simply swirl. Heck, maybe it should simply be straight.

So, the question is...

How to soften the plastic.. Hot water isn't hot enough.. Is a propane torch correct or would a hot air torch be the best??

 

[fright101]

Heat gun should work well..

 

[JRems]

Instead of bending the cane you could use a simple 90 degree compression fitting to join the two tubes.

 

[HopSong]

Instead of bending the cane you could use a simple 90 degree compression fitting to join the two tubes.

Duhhh, Way too simple.. Thanks, why didn't I think of that? Must be by drunken stupor..

Fright101.. thanks.. another opportunity to go to Harbor Freight and pick up another tool.. Great justification. Wheee

Going to be in your part of the world in about 2 months. Son and daughter work in Meridian.. but one just moved from Eagle to Parma and the other lives in Star.

 

[fright101]

Duhhh, Way too simple.. Thanks, why didn't I think of that? Must be by drunken stupor..

Fright101.. thanks.. another opportunity to go to Harbor Freight and pick up another tool.. Great justification. Wheee

Going to be in your part of the world in about 2 months. Son and daughter work in Meridian.. but one just moved from Eagle to Parma and the other lives in Star.

Sweet!...Have you been to this area before?
I think I may have been to Parma 1-2x in my life..Seems to have that Andy Griffith feel..Star is a neat little community,..been there many times visiting friends..Unfortunately, both of those are a bit too far away from the necessities of life...the LHBS

 

[seabass07]

Maybe polyethylene tubing would work better? It's much stiffer than the vinyl. I bet with a heat gun, you could straighten it out and it would keep it's shape pretty well.

 

[HopSong]

Sweet!...Have you been to this area before?
I think I may have been to Parma 1-2x in my life..Seems to have that Andy Griffith feel..Star is a neat little community,..been there many times visiting friends..Unfortunately, both of those are a bit too far away from the necessities of life...the LHBS

Yep.. every year in mid July. Gotta celebrate my granddaughters b'day. Not sure where I'll park my RV this year.. maybe at the fairgrounds in Meridian. Last year we stayed at the RV park on the road to Horseshoe Bend.. just north of Floating Feather as I remember.

Seabass, thanks.. I'm a gonna try the heat gun first.. remember.. priorities.. more beer n more tools