I will try to tell you how the idea to deal with pipers - pipe crafts - came about. And, in particular, to make a balance bike with your own hands.
In 2012, my family and I vacationed in Slovenia. My son turned a year and a half there - a holiday, like. We took him to the zoo of Ljubljana (the capital of Slovenia, who do not know). And in the zoo, on the central alley, some uncles and aunts grabbed children and put them on plywood bicycles without pedals. That was the first time I saw a running bike. But what this crap is called and what it is for, I found out only a year later. Because At the time, I wasn't impressed at all.
A few days later I saw a couple of four-year-olds on balance bikes, they are also called RunBikes. They confidently held great speed and looked very organic on balance bikes. And when we drove up to the cafe, we effectively slowed down: some with their heels, and some with a rear brake, one with a skid. All this looked somehow very clever and at ease for such kids. And this picture impressed me. And it fixed itself in the brain: Venya and I approached them, sort of like walking, but in fact we were studying the design (see photo below).
Already a year later, in a fit of tenderness for my son, I ordered a balance bike. Firstbike. Perhaps this time, I was the most patient online shopper in the world: I honestly waited two weeks - when the Russian dealer will figure out where and who will place the order for me. And then the Moscow office did not get in touch for another two weeks. But the balance bike came, and the dealer paid for the delivery himself - to compensate for his sluggishness.
Firstbike chose because of the low weight, the presence of a brake and resistance to rain and mud. But what matters most is vandal resistance. Yes, yes, kids - they are sometimes such vandals.
While I was waiting for the package, my friends were really fucking crazy about the cost and waiting time. In the order of chatter, they discussed making with their own hands. I considered manufacturing, only from plywood, because. the first balance bike I saw was plywood. From plywood, as it seemed to me, it is easier to make.
But then, almost simultaneously, messages came from two friends: one suggested using polypropylene pipes to build a balance bike, the other sent a link to the project of the Spaniard Bruno Gavira: he made balance bikes from a sewer pipe and wheels from a cargo wheelbarrow. The project was called "Pipe Bike".
As far as I'm in the subject, I think the weight turned out to be around 4 ... 4.5 kg. Mostly because of the wheels. heavy of course, but not yet critical.
In general, a start has been made - I made a sketch, determined the main dimensions of the balance bike and went to look for materials. It took about two weeks of intensive searching to find all the materials. The hardest thing was to find wheels: I found used ones for 500 rubles in a children's store. It was traded for a week, and it was additionally traded, which was almost withdrawn from sale. Quickly ceasing to get dirty, I took it for the full price.
It would seem that polypropylene is not plywood, but there was an abundance of garbage.
The impossibility of using serious equipment, technologies and materials gave rise to the concept - to do only from things available for sale and from technologies available in everyday life. And this already made a requirement for the overall thoughtfulness of the design. It is necessary to make a reservation - propylene welds, in practice, do not allow to achieve a good presentation. But at the same time, it is excellent cheap material for rapid prototyping and one-off manufacturing.
In general, polypropylene is quite difficult to process, and industrial injuries are possible at work. Although you can foolishly break the hell.
Hence the name for the balance bike: Piper CutFinger.
The seat from the iron corner, of course, turned out to be traumatic. My kid, riding, hit the edge of the seat with his bare ass. But here is the fate of all test pilots.
In general, the boys liked the runbike. Later, he was presented to his nephew Ilyusha, as a lifelong test of reliability. It just so happened that all the children around me are reluctant testers. Which, however, has not yet been complained about.
P.S. While writing a post and looking for a photo of a Spanish balance bike, I found
Either from a desire to save money, or from an overabundance of imagination, our people have learned to benefit from those objects and things that a pedantic European would have sent to a landfill long ago. Greenhouses are built and palm trees are made, cute garden figurines are made of, and any garden furniture. trimmings plastic pipes, remaining after the repair, can also be used to good use. They make the simplest decorative things, beds, chairs and even greenhouses - the scope for imagination is huge, and we have collected only the most interesting ideas crafts made from plastic pipes that can serve as a guide to action or a source of inspiration.
Pipe connection methods
Plastic pipes are like designer parts. By combining segments of different lengths and connecting them at different angles, you can get anything: a beginner will be glad that he built the simplest hanger, and a professional will easily assemble bunk bed. The main thing is to be able to connect the pipes correctly, and then it will be possible to do any thing necessary in the household.
Plastic pipes are a collective name, and which are made from polymers. The greatest demand is and. Segments of different lengths and diameters remain after the repair of engineering networks in an apartment or in a country house, and, as a rule, they are cluttered in pantries, or rather cluttered, until enterprising craftsmen began to use them for other than their intended purpose. Plastic pipes are characterized by low weight, high strength and durability, they are easy to maintain and safe.
Polypropylene pipes are connected using a special welding machine. It is expensive - it is more profitable to rent it, and it will take a little time to learn how to work with it. You can use compression fittings to connect. In any case, the assembled product will be non-separable.
When it comes to plastic pipe crafts, usually refers to PVC pipes, which can connect with each other in the following ways:
- socket connection with rubber seal
. Manufacturers supply socket pipes with a rubber seal located at the end, thanks to which the work on connecting pipes is carried out simply and quickly, and the joint is sealed. At the first stage, the socket of one pipe and the smooth part of the other are cleaned of dust and dirt. A chamfer is removed from the smooth end of the pipe (an angle of 15 degrees, chamfering cutters can be used) and a mark is applied indicating the depth to which the pipe will enter the socket. The sealing ring of the socket and the smooth part of the pipe are lubricated with a silicone compound and inserted one part into the other, focusing on the mark. For plumbing and sewerage, this is a good connection, but if you are assembling shelves or furniture, then it is not rigid enough. The main advantages: simplicity and the possibility of dismantling, therefore, such a connection is used for the construction of temporary buildings and things;
- adhesive connection. The ends of the pipes to be connected are chamfered (some just sand the surface), then marks are made indicating the depth of the fitting. The ends of the pipes are degreased with methylene chloride, then the adhesive is applied with a brush to the pipe and inside the chamfer or socket. The pipe is inserted into the fitting (or socket), rotated ¼ turn for better distribution of the adhesive, then the elements can be pressed for 30-60 seconds. It is desirable to carry out all work quickly. The remaining glue is immediately removed, and the connection is allowed to dry for several hours. The process is more laborious, but the joint is more reliable;
- flange connection. Separate sections are connected using special fittings. Before performing work, the ends of the pipes are cleaned. A flange is put on the cut, then a rubber gasket, onto which the flange is pushed. The elements are connected by means of bolts with a counter flange. Then the bolts are evenly tightened, due to which the alignment of the flanges is achieved. The connection is reliable, the design is collapsible.
When the technology for connecting plastic pipes has been mastered, we can assume that almost any craft can be done. It is only important to draw a sketch in advance or make a drawing, and correctly calculate the length of all segments. You can build anything from such parts - we will list only some ideas for crafts from plastic pipes with our own hands.
No. 1. Organizer
The most unpretentious way to use the remains of plastic pipes. You can take pipes of small and medium diameter, even segments of small length will fit. The first option is mobile organizer. It is enough to cut segments of different heights and glue them together in an arbitrary order or following some pattern (for example, one higher segment in the center, the rest around it). Such a stand is suitable for storing stationery near the desktop or for organizing all kinds of bolts and other fasteners in the workshop. 
The second option is stationary. On the one hand, the pipe must be cut at an angle (the most popular option is 45 degrees, but it can be less if small elements are stored). Then the cut elements are attached to a vertical surface using. You can mount the organizer elements on a wall or a specially installed board.
No. 2. Decorative frame or partition
Thin rings, which are easy to obtain when cutting plastic pipes, are a versatile material for creating decor. You can use pipes of different diameters - it's even more interesting. Plastic rings make a wonderful frame. It is enough to draw a layout of the future product on paper in advance and glue individual rings directly on it. From them you can get both a strict symmetrical pattern, and something chaotic. If you then paint it, then such a frame for a mirror or a picture can hardly be called a simple craft - it will be a cool designer thing. 
Similarly, you can get a decorative partition. Gluing, of course, will take a little longer, but the effort is worth it. The partition will look very interesting, weigh a little and come in handy, for example, to delimit zones in the bathroom.
No. 3. Shoe rack and wine bottle holder
There are a lot of options to organize the storage of clothes using plastic pipes, and all these crafts are quite simple to implement. 
No. 8. Rack for living room, hallway, pantry
By connecting several pipe sections in the required order, you can get a practical and inexpensive rack that will fully satisfy your needs in terms of size, shape and configuration. It can be both quite modest in size, and a real giant. If the rack is located in the living room, then the pipes can be painted, and glass or plywood can be used as countertops. When it comes to or a workshop, there is no particular need for decoration. 
No. 9. Football goal
If country cottage area has, then you can build a small football goal. Only a few connections will need to be made, but before that, of course, everything will have to be carefully calculated and measured. When the frame is ready, a mesh is put on it, and the gate is ready. When the kids grow up, the product can be disassembled, and the pipes can be reused to create other crafts. 
Similarly, you can make a small children's playhouse. We all once loved to build huts, gather there with a company and play. It was especially cozy and mysterious. The frame for the house of pipes is made elementary. Children will only have to throw a thick fabric over it and enjoy their own little castle. 
No. 10. Arena for children
There is nothing complicated in the design of the playpen. However, ready product the store is expensive. A budget alternative is available to those who have a decent amount of plastic pipes in stock, the time and desire to learn how to connect individual segments into a single structure. For manufacturing, you will need a lot of pipes, so home craftsmen advise you to just buy them in a store - it will still turn out cheaper than a ready-made arena, and the pipes can then be reused. 
After the arena scheme has been created with an indication of its dimensions, pipes are cut. Vertical partitions are interconnected by short horizontal pipe sections at the top and bottom. However, variations are possible in the design of the arena. 
No. 11. Chairs made of plastic pipes
Here you will need already confident skills in connecting individual pipe sections. Depending on your desire and degree of preparation, you can make a simple children's stool, as well as a comfortable chair for adults, or even an armchair. After the frame is ready, the seat is made. It can be woven from thread, rope, or use a dense fabric. Then on top you can put soft pillows. Having mastered the manufacturing technique, it will be possible to build almost all the furniture for a summer residence. 
No. 12. bunk bed
Yes, it is quite possible to assemble a frame for from ordinary plastic pipes. Pipes are made not only supporting elements, but also a staircase, and, of course, lamellas under. The level of complexity here is increased, it is better to take up the work for those who have already tried their hand at making more simple crafts. Do not neglect drawing up a drawing and scrupulous measurements.
A bed made in this way will be a real find for country house a small area, because not everyone can afford to buy a ready-made bunk bed for a summer cottage, but somehow it is necessary to solve the placement problem. 
No. 13. garden arch
How beautiful the arches entwined with plants and flowers look in the garden. The main difficulty in making a garden arch from plastic pipes is that individual segments will have to be bent. The easiest way to give the desired shape to the pipes using gas burner. Separate plot is heated to a state where the material will give in to deformation, then it is given the necessary shape. Someone decides not to bother and just connect several pipe sections at an angle. Then the upper part of the arch will resemble a trapezoid or a polygon in shape. Between the two arched vaults, horizontal elements are attached so that in the future the arch will be as much as possible covered with greenery. Do not forget to securely fix the structure in the soil. 
No. 14. Alcove
Building with plastic pipes is much easier than anyone can imagine. If you take long enough segments, then you don’t even have to connect anything. Two pipes of the required length are arched and fixed to the ground. The distance between the elements of the future frame should be such that it fits dinner table or other items. It remains only, and everything is ready.
The design of the gazebo may be slightly different, resembling a house in shape. In this case, you will have to connect individual elements. 
No. 15. carport
The design itself is simple, but the difficulties can be associated with a decent size of the canopy, because it must be wide and high enough so that the car can safely hide under it. The frame is assembled with special care, fastened to the ground and to the adjacent wall, if any, covered with a dense awning fabric on top, which will protect the car from the scorching sun and rain. To call this product a handicraft, even the tongue does not turn - this is already a small architectural form. 
No. 16. Greenhouse
A small greenhouse is done elementarily. You will need a few pipes, there will also not be very many connections. After the frame is assembled and fixed in the ground, it remains only to cover it with agrofibre. It will be possible to make such a greenhouse in just a couple of hours, and the benefits from it will be huge. 
No. 17. Greenhouse made of plastic pipes
A full-fledged build, of course, is more difficult than a greenhouse. It will take a lot more material, and it will take a lot of time. The size of the greenhouse can be almost any. The procedure is as follows:
From pipes, you can make a frame for a greenhouse of almost any shape, but the arched one remains the most preferable. 
No. 18. seedling containers
If everyone in the country square meter on the account, it's time to implement the idea of vertical gardens. Thus, it is convenient to grow greens and some berries. From scraps of plastic sewer pipes excellent containers will come out if holes are cut in advance for seedlings and the outflow of excess water. It remains only to fill the soil containers and place the vertical beds one above the other. You can attach them again to the stand of plastic pipes. Some connect the beds with ropes and hang them from the wall - there are many options. 
Hello dear readers! If you carefully look at the objects around us, while connecting the fantasy, then you can find at least several options for each of them. It would seem, well, what can be made of PVC pipes, because they are used exclusively for the installation of sewers, in fact, this material is just a godsend for craftsmen. After all, the simplest pvc pipes can quite easily and quickly transform into incredible household items, below we have prepared for you a whole selection of relevant ideas on this topic, and of course, each idea is supported by a photo for clarity.
How to give one form or another to PVC pipes.
1. Car trunk.
So that the child does not fall out of bed at night, you can make an impromptu side.
3. Barrier for a doorway.
By cutting off a cylinder of the required length from the pipe, and pasting it with a self-adhesive spectacular film, you can end up with a wonderful vase, inside which you can place a glass of water and put fresh flowers.
5. New Year's decor.
We cut pipes of different diameters into small cylinders of the same length, glue them together forming a wreath, paint suitable paint from a spray can, we drill holes from above and thread a rope, hang a wreath on the wall, and put small New Year's balls into several cylinders.
Wall tree.
To harden a child, you can prepare such an impromptu waterfall by connecting two hoses with water turned on to the footrests of the product and making holes for water to drain in the top bar.
7. Children's house.
Such an awning, in addition to creating shade, can also serve as a gate for water polo.
9. Holder for glasses.
Such a "stall" for children's bicycles or scooters will help keep the yard in order.
11. Cells for wine bottles.
The stand for the drill will help to create identical holes in strictly defined places of products.
13. Ladders for cats.
In a pvc pipe, using a drill with a special round nozzle, drill large holes, then dig the pipe into the ground, and pour soil into it, and then plant it in round holes strawberry seedlings.
15. Stand for kitchen appliances.
Pieces of pipes fixed on a wooden plank can serve as supports for pencils. And vertically arranged cylinders can serve as a supply for tools. To prevent tools from falling down, the bottom of the pipes can be foamed with mounting foam.
17. Notebook stand.
Summer shoes can be stored in tube cells, and to make them look more presentable, they can be pasted over with a suitable adhesive film.
19. Organizer for scarves and underwear.
From such pipes, you can create entire fences or partitions, along which climbing plants will subsequently trail.
21. Stand and holder for curling iron or hair dryer.
So that newborn puppies or kittens do not crawl in all directions, you can build a small aviary for them. Well, for more active animals, you can create a large full-fledged corral, not forgetting to cover it with a net.
23. Holder for a watering hose.
Continuing the theme of what can be made from pvc pipes, we want to show you a great seasonal idea for a gazebo. This design can be covered with an awning on top or light curtains can be hung on the sides, which will now and then effectively rise even with a slight breeze.
25. Frame for a street cinema screen.
Children will be delighted with such a mini bowling alley.
27. Puppet theater.
It will be more comfortable for the child to play in the sandbox if it is raised above the ground, besides, the sand will not get into the shoes and under the baby's clothes.
29. Shelving.
Rings glued to each other, cut from pvc pipes, will eventually serve as a wonderful frame for a picture or mirror.
31. Lamp.
From pvc tubes you can assemble a wonderful table by setting it wooden countertop or build a bench (at the end of the article there will be a video on how to make a bench from such pipes).
Furniture, greenhouses, vehicles and even decorations - plastic and aluminum pipes can be used to make useful and beautiful items for any country house! Useful even remaining after installation engineering systems pieces. Do not rush to throw them away - in our selection we offer a lot of ideas on how to give them a second life.
PVC pipes are a readily available material. They have many other advantages: white color (most often, you don’t even need to repaint them), ease of use and availability of products. different size, diameter and shape. So if you wish, you can find material for the implementation of the most daring ideas. What else is useful to you in your work - fittings, a hacksaw, tape measure, glue, sandpaper will not be superfluous - to smooth the cut edges.
So let's get started!
Let there be light!
Candlesticks are perhaps exactly the piece of furniture with which you can start your experiments. Just take the pieces of pipes you like, fix them on the stand and you're done! You can choose any style - from deliberately rough, for summer cottages, to high-tech or even sophisticated.
Products are more complicated - real pipe lamps. Look what a variety! Anyone can make an author's lamp: you can make cuts in the pipe, cut out an openwork pattern, or simply connect several pipes in a fancy composition.
Israeli designer David Benatan for his collection of such lamps - KozoLamp - uses not only pipes, but also tap valves, with which the light turns on and off. By the way, the products are quite expensive - the "cheapest" of the lamps will cost $ 200.
For home
There are always a lot of things in the hallway that are difficult to neatly place on the existing shelves. Look - a whole wardrobe will fit on such a ceiling beam!
Yes, and you can save on the usual one - for sure, such a product from pipes will come out cheaper than bought in a store.
Yes, and shoes will look much neater in such simple shelves.
Folding chairs, easy to manufacture, will always come in handy in a city apartment - for guests, and in the country: you can put it anywhere in the yard or in the garden, they are not afraid of weather conditions and dirt.
You can design a variety of tables, chairs, benches - and it’s interesting for yourself, and guests will probably ask how much this “designer” product costs.
Many people love to make furniture. But you must admit that it is one thing to work with wood, another thing is to assemble a product from pipes according to the type of designer. You can quickly make a budget sleeping place or come up with something more complicated.
And you can also make compact shelves or a cabinet for storing alcoholic beverages - and it's easy to assemble and looks original.
Do you want a bookcase - please!
Cut PVC pipes into thin rings and stick them on the wall, it will be very beautiful!
With the help of pipes, you can divide the space by making partitions in the form of an openwork wall or shelves.
For plot
Country life always involves a lot of tools and equipment, which should always be at hand. Both small items and shovels can be stored using PVC pipe scraps.
With their help, you can even make a carport.
Bicycle rack (and in a large family there are always a lot of them).
Or the transport itself - a bicycle, a car for children and even a velomobile.
Yes, and a wheelbarrow in the country will not be superfluous - to transport building materials or harvest from the country. It is enough just to attach suitable wheels to the pipe structure - depending on the purpose of this device.
Useful in a suburban area and a dryer for towels and linen made of PVC pipes.
And the site itself can be fenced off.
... Or make an interesting gate out of scraps. This is what he designed landscape designer from Seattle Scott Ackley for one of his clients. Due to the fact that the gate is transparent, the shady corner of the site has become lighter.
To make a gate, you must first make a wooden frame and nail it to a sheet of plywood. Then cut rings from plastic pipes of different diameters (the designer got about 200 of them). Fill the frame with rings, finding the best position for each to create a tight pattern with no gaps. Secure the rings with clips. Cover the resulting layout with spray paint. And then you can fasten the rings with liquid nails and leave the composition right in wooden frame, using it as a frame for the gate. A more durable product will be obtained if all these operations are done with aluminum pipes. But then you will need to solder them to each other and use them without a wooden frame.
For plants
A minimum of effort - and nice pots for plants will turn out from the pipes.
Or a whole system for growing vegetables, flowers and other plants using the hydroponic method.
In the spring, a rare cottage does without greenhouses and greenhouses. collect them from polypropylene pipes(they will need to be bent) and connecting elements - an inexpensive and easy way to get early vegetables and herbs. By the way, such shelters are also easily dismantled when they are no longer needed.
In addition to pipes, you will need a 6 mm film roll, fittings and several planks treated with an antiseptic, plastic ties (clamps), metal hinges, door hinges and handles (for greenhouse doors), nails, screws.
Well, actually, how to make such a greenhouse, you can see in this video.
For kids
Children in the country are a separate issue, and we have already told you more than once how to organize them, so that they benefit from it, and you do not interfere with housekeeping. We propose to implement a few more ideas with the help of pipes. For example, to make such children's chairs, which will accommodate both their own and neighboring children, moreover, of different ages.
For kids, you can organize an arena by enclosing a place to play with PVC pipes.
swing, house, Summer shower, football goals - all this is easy to assemble, install where you need (or move from place to place so that the children are always in sight), and there will be no limit to the joy of children!
As you can see from water pipes you can do anything - there would be fantasy and desire. And in conclusion - one more idea. Try your hand at making original jewelry for ladies! Of course, these amazing bracelets are also made of PVC pipe, with a diameter of about 8 cm.
To make an “antique” bracelet, sand a piece of pipe, apply wall putty mixed with glue, and give the surface the desired texture. When the coating hardens, paint the product with black paint and sprinkle with a golden aerosol, rub it lightly "antique". Then glue a decoration, for example, a large themed button, cutting off an eyelet from it, or a brooch.
Good day!
Today, together with the author of this article, we will try to make a bicycle rack for parking bicycles. We will use the materials available to us, which will undoubtedly make the construction cheap. Attached detailed description, + photo report.
To create a homemade product, we need:
Tool:
Drill;
- cutting tool (saw or hacksaw).
Materials:
PVC pipes;
- corner fittings, 12 pcs.;
- tees 4 pcs.;
- a piece of board or thick plywood, 45 x 12 cm;
- door latch;
- self-tapping screws.
Let's start by sawing a plastic pipe into the following dimensions:
- 35.56 cm, 2 pcs.;
- 13 cm, 4 pieces;
- 17.78 cm, 4 pieces;
- 16.51 cm, 2 pcs.;
- 10.16 cm. 2 pcs.;
- 5.08 cm, 10 pcs.
For the rack, we will make a locking mechanism, for this we take a piece of plywood of a certain length and, at a distance of 25 cm from the beginning of the board, we fasten the door latch, important point- the width of the plank should be narrower than the latch by 4 - 6 cm, the ends should protrude. We use self-tapping screws as fasteners, their length should not be thicker than plywood.
Next, we take the corner fittings, and at a distance of 3 cm, we drill holes, the ends of the latch will go into them.
Then, two tubes must be connected to these two corner fittings, each 24.13 cm long, after which we fasten a pair of tees on the other side.
Next, we attach small segments of tubes to the tees, each 5.08 cm long, and between them we make a small insert from a pipe 10.16 cm long. We assemble all the prepared parts together.
Two more details need to be made for the design. We take a small piece of pipe 5.08 cm, connect it to the corner fitting, then connect a pipe piece 24.13 cm to it, after that we put a tee, after it another insert from a pipe measuring 16.51 cm. We make such parts in the amount of two pieces .
Putting everything together.
Next, you need to assemble the following parts in series: we take a small piece of pipe 5.08 cm long, connect an angle fitting to it, then again insert a 5.08 cm insert and connect it to another angle fitting. We produce such parts in the amount of two pieces.
Putting all the parts together, the resulting design will be the base of the rack.
Now we take four pieces of pipe, each 17.78 cm long, and put them vertically in tees.
Next, we take a tee and an angle fitting, between them we put a small piece of pipe measuring 5.08 cm, you need to make two identical pieces. Then, when everything is ready, we put them on vertical racks.
Then we take two pieces of pipe each 35.56 cm long and insert them into the holes of the tees.
Next, we will assemble the top of the rack, for this we take a couple of corner fittings, put a small piece of pipe 10.16 cm long between them, install the resulting part on vertical racks.
