# DIY "lily pipe"



## helgymatt (Sep 12, 2007)

This is a link to someone who made their own acrylic lily pipes...
http://aape.naturalaquariums.com/forum/index.php?topic=1351.0

and another...some are made from polycarbonate
http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/diy/27817-diy-acrylic-lilly-pipes.html

Does anyone know where to get this type of pipe? Ace does not have it...at least where I live.


----------



## grim (Mar 13, 2008)

well lexan is not that cheap from everything i know about it and lowes or home depot will have it but it will have to be ordered honistly just get a class tube and gently heat it untill you can form it if you go slow it will be fine and glass tubes are farly cheap so if you do break one its not like youll lose a fortune if you use a blow torch dont aply the flame directly to the glass or it will burn it and turn it black and not look good i hope in my ramblimbs i have helped you somewhat


----------



## oregon aqua (Jan 30, 2008)

i made some out of acrilyc. pretty easy. you can get them from Tap Plastics. or they sell them online at http://www.tapplastics.com/shop/product.php?pid=141&PHPSESSID=20080313202246441030079


----------



## Afyounie (Aug 10, 2007)

Try usplastics.com
They sell everything really cheap. Its like a whole sale place.


----------



## helgymatt (Sep 12, 2007)

grim said:


> well lexan is not that cheap from everything i know about it and lowes or home depot will have it but it will have to be ordered honistly just get a class tube and gently heat it untill you can form it if you go slow it will be fine and glass tubes are farly cheap so if you do break one its not like youll lose a fortune if you use a blow torch dont aply the flame directly to the glass or it will burn it and turn it black and not look good i hope in my ramblimbs i have helped you somewhat


I was thinking of using polycarbonate because it won't break. I think in my clumsiness I would break glass lily pipes in no time! However, you make this glass bending sound really easy. How long would I have to heat the glass tube to get it to bend...say I was using a Bunsen burner or two. I still don't know where I would find glass tubes.


----------



## hoppycalif (Apr 7, 2005)

When you bend glass or blow glass you heat the area until it is red to white hot. It wont bend until it looks very hot. If you very gently blow in the end of the tube (with the other end sealed) you can prevent the bend from collapsing. After it cools, reheat the area, including the adjacent areas until it is hot, but not hot enough to bend, then let it cool again. That tempers the glass or stress relieves it so it is stronger. (I last did this in 1959.)( Yes, glass had been invented by then!)


----------



## CraigThor (Aug 5, 2007)

hoppycalif said:


> (I last did this in 1959.)( Yes, glass had been invented by then!)


Are you sure? I thought they were still using paper rubbed with pig fat for the windows. Ohh maybe I was thinking 1859 oh well close enough....


----------



## panaque (Jan 21, 2004)

If you plan on "blowing glass" you will need a special type of torch to obtain the desired temps as well as alot of safety gear so you dont get hurt. Safety galsses, glass ones, not plastic, being one of the most important ones. If you dont know what you are doing it is very easy to break the glass in the heating and especially cooling portion of the project and the glass can "explode". Even the master, Dale Chahuly ( I dont know that I spelled it right) has had mishaps, and he lost his eye. So be careful. I would recomend going the plastic route. If you want, you can make holes in the pipe using a hot poker...it is a bit easier to do than drilling, which can cause plastic pipe to crack. good luck!


----------

