put them in the oven at 95 C for 10 minutes. Roll on a hard surface.
Straighening short lengths of HDPE?
I finally got my hands on a few pieces of scrap HDPE for some heads but they have a bit of a curve to them that I can't straighten out. I've tried clamping them to a flat surface for a couple days, and heating them slightly in front of a space heater, but no dice.
The sections are anywhere from 10" to 2' feet long.
Any suggestions on how to get these suckers to relax?
^^^ This is my preferred method and think it's the most effect way. On the other hand, I know some players say when it's cut down to a 5.5" section they don't mind the slight curve. They also say the curve goes away when the hardware is fully installed. <---I don't buy it.
Jonny's recipe works I can vouch for it, but make sure you do foot long pieces
RVA Bike Polo
You can't beat us on the court, but you can beat us off!!
Several ways,
Find a pipe smaller than the HDPE and slide it on. Leave it in the sun.
Heat it in the oven at like 200F for a few minutes and then place in a vise.
If the pipe is just slightly oblong put the bolt through the widest side. Crank the bolt down to make the pipe more circular.
I just left mine a little curved. it works great for scooping and doesn't seem to wear as much. course my shot is all sortsa horse polo up and aroundy or quick taps from in close.
Skid & Destroy
Axles of Evil
if your final cut lengths are less than 5.5", I wouldn't worry about it.
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Thanks for the suggestions.
I think I'll try the heat route since I didn't get it anywhere close to 200F.
Yep, I just tried the 200F / 95C oven trick and I can confirm it works a treat + my house didn't burn down...like my wife suggested it would!! Thanks all, straight shootin' from here on!
i had a few pieces already cut down to 5.5" and 6". i used a heat gun, warmed up the outside for a min or so, then heated up the inside of the pipe for about 4 to 5 minutes and the pipe straightened out on its own. i kept rotating the pipe as i was heating it up. try it out, it'll work.
Great ideas all around. I've always just worked with the curve, but I'm sticking that pipe in the oven as soon as I get home!
How did the oven work?
Boiling worked a little bit. Anyone tried both? comparative comments?
oven works great but nothing beats sous-vide. 22 hours at 55c and you will have the most tender beautiful piece of mallet ever.
Ready to wrap green & yellow for the lower bumper then Red & Blue for the handle this time.I am going to try for a double helix see if twin half hitches will do that for me.
I am going to do a couple Pink & Black ones to tempt the wife and daughter when I get that many mallets & bikes ahead.
Jeff
i've heard that leaving them out in the sun will warm them enough to straighten out over time.
Columbia, MO