PVC Fittings question

I figured I'd make some cheap PVC frames to hold some chicken wire to stop birds and maybe an old sheet on cold nights to keep my strawberries from freezing. Got the pipe, the 90? elbows and the tees. Anyone have any idea WHY a 45? 1/2" PVC slip fit elbow cost almost 3 times what a 90? 1/2" PVC slip fit elbow does?

I checked at Lowes (90's are 30?, 45's are 70?), Home Depot (90's are 34?, 45's are 78?), Ace Hardware, (90's are 45?, 45's are 90?). Even on Amazon and eBay the 45? cost almost twice what the 90? fitting does.

I'm gonna forget the "hip roof" I'd planned, just add an extra pipe in the center and make it look like a box. I'm just wondering what makes the 454's cost so much more.

Thanks for any comments
 
It has to do with the volume sold.

Think how many 90's are sold verses the number of 45's. Once the mold is set up and running, make millions of 90's without changing the mold. Then set up to make a few thousand 45's, then have to change the mold to something else. The molds are huge, labor intensive to change, and expensive to build! We see a little plastic part, but behind the scenes is a monster machine turning them out. It's amazing how cheap things really are considering the effort involved in manufacturing!

Here's a strange example though, in the sweat copper fitting department, there are say, 1/2" couplings. There are "standard" couplings with 2 little dimples in the side that stop the tube in the middle of the coupling. Then there are "remodel" couplings with no dimples that can be slid over one pipe, the 2 pipes positioned, then slid back to connect the 2 pipes. Well, the coupling without the dimples costs more than the coupling with the dimples! So how do you eliminate a step in manufacturing, but charge more for the part? LOL
 
All about volume. Compare the price of a 90 degree street elbow with a regular elbow in any material: copper, iron or plastic. The street is always significantly more expensive than the straight elbow.
 
Thanks for the info and ideas! I have a heat gun and can make a jig to hold the pipe at the correct angle till it cools. I remember once upon a time, years ago that the 45's did cost a little more but not *that* much more. I was just wondering what changed.
 
Pricing is sorta funny.......sorta like copper fittings, too.

1/2 copper plumbing............ 25 cents for a coupling.
3/8 copper plumbing ........... $1.50 for a coupling.

5/8" acr refrigeration ........ 1.50 for a coupling
1/2" acr refrigeration ........ 4.50 for a coupling.
3/8" acr refrigertion ......... 6.00 for a coupling.

So to bid a job we gots to know the applications.

So, most of the time, we simply make our own couplings by using our special swaging tools. and, simply keep the costs lower.

A hair dryer, properly used will make it possible to fabricate a 45deg. bend in PVC. Takes some practice, though.

Most older professional electricians keep a hair dryer in their trucks. Especially for "under ground work".

HTH
John,PA
 
(quoted from post at 07:04:36 02/02/16) Thanks for the info and ideas! I have a heat gun and can make a jig to hold the pipe at the correct angle till it cools. I remember once upon a time, years ago that the 45's did cost a little more but not *that* much more. I was just wondering what changed.

Don't try to make a sharp bend like a pipe fitting, instead a sweeping bend like a conduit that you could pull wire through.

Dusty
 
as others have said bend it yourself. here is an example: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-BYq6hENHsk
 
If you don't have a PVC heater box you could always stick the pipe up the truck exhaust and it will soften right up in a few minutes.
 

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