Sources of cheap, clear plastic pipe and fittings?

[amrbekhit]

Hello all,

I'm trying to get hold of some clear plastic pipe of approximately 8" in diameter in order to build a test rig for some pipe inspection robots (straight sections, tees and 90 degree elbows). Unfortunately, the prices I've found online are very expensive. For example, usplastic.com sells a single 8" tee for over $1000. Similarly, Pisces Engineering sells a similar part for £1400 here in the UK, compared to over 10 times less for a standard PVC one. I had a phone call with Pisces and, understandably, the laws of supply and demand dictated why the clear pipe was vastly more expensive. One supplier in the UK, clearpastictube.co.uk, does sell acrylic straight pipe for a reasonable price (e.g. 1m x 180mm diameter pipe for £32.78). However, I would still need to find similarly sized elbows and tees. I don’t need them to withstand high pressures as I won’t be pumping any fluid through them.

I was wondering if anyone had any suggestions for suppliers of clear plastic pipe?

Amr

 

[hydrae]

Low supply, low demand, high cost to setup for a run and high mold prices not spread out over more parts.

Another source

http://www.harringtonplastics.com/

has similar prices

Does it need to be 8"? The smaller sizes are more reasonable.
Do you need to see at the tees and bends? Standard fittings work with the clear PVC pipe.


Hydrae

 

[bimr]

You probably will not find inexpensive off the shelf clear pipe fittings since there is no little demand for non pressure rated piping products.

You can find clear plastic piping tees, but these are pressure rated fittings and will be expensive.

If you want something less expensive, contact a smaller plexiglass fabricator and have them custom fabricate it for you. You need a job shop that does low-volume thermoformed plastic products and custom plastic fabrication. They can probably fabricate your entire display.

http://www.ccmi-reedco.com/capabilities.asp

http://www.philipsplastics.com/Fabrication.aspx

http://www.clearpvcpipe.com/clearpvctees.aspx

http://www.interstateplastics.com/s...xiglass pipe&gclid=CPW-qoTY4qsCFaUCQAodkBT6Qw