A PVC PORCH GLIDER

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Finally, you don't have to settle for the PVC's standard white, gray, or cream colors. Once the frame's assembled, you can wipe it down with turpentine, then spray it with an oil-based primer and several finishing coats in whatever color you choose. Or in contrast to this, you might want to go for the "high-tech" look by leaving the surfaces unpainted and the printing on the pipe walls exposed. Yet another option is to take a clean and simple approach by removing the lettering with some automotive choke cleaner and a dry rag.

OK, so now you're an armchair authority on plastic pipe . . . the next step is to pay a visit to your local plumbing supply or hardware store and pick up the following materials: 26 feet of 2" rigid PVC pipe, 20 feet of the same blend in 1-1/2" diameter, and 40 feet of 3/4" rigid CPVC piping. To complete the joints, you'll also need a total of twenty-eight 2" PVC fittings (six 90° elbows, ten T's, eight Y's, and four end caps), eighteen 1-1/2" fixtures (four 90° elbows, ten T's, and four end caps), and a can of PVC cement.

While you're at it, you'll also need to purchase eight 5/16" X 4" galvanized eyebolts . . . an equal number of flat washers, hex nuts, and cap nuts to fit those fasteners . . . and about three feet of 3/16" coil chain. You may also want to get eight connecting links to join the chain to the eyebolts, but it's possible to save that expense by merely opening the fasteners' eyes with a pair of pliers, inserting the chain loops, and reclosing the eyes.

Before heading on home to piece together your project, you'll have to swing by the fabric shop to pick out 4 yards of 60"-wide upholstery material (a heavy cotton would be fine), 3 yards of 1" ribbon that complements the fabric, about 10 yards of standard quilt batting, one pound of polyester fiberfill, and some heavy-duty thread. With that done, all you'll need in order to get started is a measuring tape, a marking pen, a hacksaw, a needle and some straight pins, a couple of pairs of pliers, a drill with a 5/16" bit, and a 7/8" diameter hole saw.

It's pretty easy to see how the various parts of the glider fit together by referring to the exploded drawing . . . and that illustration can also be used to determine the lengths to which you'll have to cut each "raw" section of pipe. Beyond that, there are just a few things you might want to keep in mind as you slip-joint your settee together.

To help organize matters, it'd probably be a good idea to approach this project as three independent tasks, concentrating on building the glider's frame, seat, and cushion sets separately. The frame is a freestanding structure from which the glider seat is suspended, and it's composed of five sections: two identical side assemblies, a pair of horizontal leg members, and a back rail. All the components of this sub-assembly are made from 2" PVC pipe and fittings, and the lengths indicated assume a standard fitting socket depth of 3/4". Note that you'll need to cut a total of twenty 1-3/8"-long connecting stubs to join adjacent fittings together; if any of your fittings have "odd" collars, you may have to adjust the length to compensate for any differences in their design.

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