Making Christmas Candy Sticks

[alekei]

Hello!

i need to make 4 Christmas candy sticks for a stage production. They must be about 5 ft tall.

What do you suggest?

Thanks!

Alekei.

[icewolf08]

Do they have to be candy canes or just straight sticks?

If just straight sticks, you could just take some white PVC pipe and wrap it with red ribbon. Or you could paint on the red, but that may take longer and be more messy. I suppose you could do a curved candy cane the same way, as they have PVC fittings that are curved, but you wouldn't get a smooth surface around the fitting.

[jwl868]

Carpet is often sold on large diameter heavy cardboard tubes. A carpet store may give those away.

We've painted them red, then used wide white tape to make the stripe.

I can't help much with the curved part. I once considered trying to heat and bend a larger diameter PVC pipe, but never tried it. I was concerned that the pipe would kink even with the heat. I think one can fill the pipe with sand so that the shape is held during the bend, but I never tried bend pipe over 1-inch in diameter. (Heating the pipe can be dangerous - flame, noxious gases, hot materials - don't try it indoors.)



Joe

[Van]

I agree with most of the suggestions mentioned already. If they are just "sticks" the PVC pipe will work great. Krylon, which is a spray paint available here in the States, makes a product called "fusion" which is a paint which bonds to plastic, on a molecular level. I highly sugggest using this as a way to paint PVC pipe, as almost anything elses will start to flake off in no time.

[avkid]

How big does the diameter need to be?
I was thinking that you could buy some decorative outdoor ones from a home center and extend them with more pipe.

[Footer]

I have bent PVC with heat guns before, just be sure to heat it evenly and have a jig... (or a trash can/paint can/whatever) to bend it around.

[avkid]

Originally Posted by Footer4321

I have bent PVC with heat guns before, just be sure to heat it evenly and have a jig... (or a trash can/paint can/whatever) to bend it around.

But not a spray paint can please.

[derekleffew]

I've seen plumbers use a spring on the inside of a soft copper pipe to prevent kinking. I suspect a similar approach would work while heating 4" PVC, but am unsure where to get the appropriate sized spring.

[jwl868]

Originally Posted by Footer4321

I have bent PVC with heat guns before, just be sure to heat it evenly and have a jig... (or a trash can/paint can/whatever) to bend it around.

What's the largest diameter PVC pipe you've been able to bend? Was it thin wall (like for drainage) or Schedule 40 (like for water supply plumbing)?

(I may need to try this sometime.)

Actually, I guess that's a general question to anyone else, too.

Thanks

Joe

[Footer]

Originally Posted by jwl868

What's the largest diameter PVC pipe you've been able to bend? Was it thin wall (like for drainage) or Schedule 40 (like for water supply plumbing)?
(I may need to try this sometime.)
Actually, I guess that's a general question to anyone else, too.
Thanks
Joe

I have done up to 2", thick wall diameter, can't remember what size though. The trick is to use muliple heat guns and get it heated evenly. You want is hot enough to be plyable but not too hot that is starts caving in and kinking. Take it slow and work with it. I know some people pack the PVC with sand to keep it from kinking, never done it myself but they say it works. I have done the packing thing when working with steel and it helps, so could be worth a try.