Re: Polyethylene pipe in UK

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Original poster: "David Speck" <dave-at-davidspeckmd-dot-org> 

Jim,

When they installed the yellow PE natural gas pipe at my office 21 years 
ago, they used a thermal bonding system.  The unit looked something like a 
smallish cutoff saw, but held the two pipe ends together near each other, 
and used some sort of internal heat source that brought a metal plate to an 
orange heat.  Both pipe ends were applied to the plate for a few seconds, 
and after softening to an appropriate amount, the plate swung out and the 
hot ends were pressed together with a clamping mechanism.  It made a nearly 
invisible joint, and the workers said it was strong as the native pipe 
itself.  The joiner was small enough to use in a trench, and could attach 
any sort of joint, Tee, or elbow as well.

Dave


>Sort of off topic, but I wonder how they bond the lengths together?