Help with cobracrane dolly with multiple pvc pipes at DVinfo.net

Eduardo Romero · June 28th, 2011, 07:30 PM

I got a cobracrane dolly and I have about 30 feet (60 feet all together, 30 feet on each side) of PVC pipe, I've found a way to connect them all, I put smaller pipes inside the ends of the pipes with duct tape to keep them held in, and it works decently enough but it doesnt make for the straightest dolly track or the smoothest track, what is the best solution for putting together PVC pipes while having a straight and level track?

Robert Turchick · June 28th, 2011, 08:33 PM

If you're looking for straight, think of it like a train track. Use pieces of wood every few feet to lock the two PVC rails at a fixed distance from eachother. To attach to the wood, drill a hole in the top of the PVC and run a screw into the boards. Where the PVC tubes join, use a wider piece of wood so both ends of the PVC can be held together. If you cant get them to join perfectly, use packing tape instead of duct tape.
A lot of work but you'd end up with a very strong straight track that would be super smooth.

Kevin O'Connor · September 2nd, 2011, 10:19 AM

I had the same issues with my PVC pipe dolly when trying to join 10' sections of PVC pipe together. I use 2.250" OD pipe (schedule 40) and found a black plastic, thin wall pipe (at Home Depot) that fit the ID of the PVC with a perfect tight press fit. The black plastic pipe, I'm guessing, is for underground lawn sprinkler water supply. It's about 2" OD and Home Depot sells it in three foot sections.

I cut 12" long sections that I pressed into one end of the PVC pipes, 6" depth, and pined it in position (no glue). The pin I also found at Home Depot, just a 1/4" diameter x 3" long with a clip on both ends. I drilled through both the PVC and black plastic pipe on the center. When installed at the set location the pin is always horzontal to the ground so the dolly wheels miss it. I only had to pin one end of the black incert because you need two people push the PVC sections together and pull them appart. Some slight twisting helps this process but if the black incert moved on you the joint will fail.

Once the two lengths of PVC are pushed together the joint is seamless and the dolly wheels roll over it like glass.

Hope this helps,

Silas Barker · January 26th, 2015, 05:42 PM

I am trying to make a seamless pvc pipe track for my dolly. I have 1.25" PVC - how do I get the right inside pipe to fit inside to keep the pipe together and the whole thing perfectly seamless?

June 28th, 2011, 07:30 PM	#1
Eduardo Romero Regular Crew Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Fresno, CA Posts: 28	Help with cobracrane dolly with multiple pvc pipes I got a cobracrane dolly and I have about 30 feet (60 feet all together, 30 feet on each side) of PVC pipe, I've found a way to connect them all, I put smaller pipes inside the ends of the pipes with duct tape to keep them held in, and it works decently enough but it doesnt make for the straightest dolly track or the smoothest track, what is the best solution for putting together PVC pipes while having a straight and level track?

June 28th, 2011, 08:33 PM	#2
Robert Turchick Trustee Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Mesa, AZ Posts: 1,389	Re: Help with cobracrane dolly with multiple pvc pipes If you're looking for straight, think of it like a train track. Use pieces of wood every few feet to lock the two PVC rails at a fixed distance from eachother. To attach to the wood, drill a hole in the top of the PVC and run a screw into the boards. Where the PVC tubes join, use a wider piece of wood so both ends of the PVC can be held together. If you cant get them to join perfectly, use packing tape instead of duct tape. A lot of work but you'd end up with a very strong straight track that would be super smooth. __________________ The older I get, the better I was!

September 2nd, 2011, 10:19 AM	#3
Kevin O'Connor Regular Crew Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Canton, MI Posts: 110	Re: Help with cobracrane dolly with multiple pvc pipes I had the same issues with my PVC pipe dolly when trying to join 10' sections of PVC pipe together. I use 2.250" OD pipe (schedule 40) and found a black plastic, thin wall pipe (at Home Depot) that fit the ID of the PVC with a perfect tight press fit. The black plastic pipe, I'm guessing, is for underground lawn sprinkler water supply. It's about 2" OD and Home Depot sells it in three foot sections. I cut 12" long sections that I pressed into one end of the PVC pipes, 6" depth, and pined it in position (no glue). The pin I also found at Home Depot, just a 1/4" diameter x 3" long with a clip on both ends. I drilled through both the PVC and black plastic pipe on the center. When installed at the set location the pin is always horzontal to the ground so the dolly wheels miss it. I only had to pin one end of the black incert because you need two people push the PVC sections together and pull them appart. Some slight twisting helps this process but if the black incert moved on you the joint will fail. Once the two lengths of PVC are pushed together the joint is seamless and the dolly wheels roll over it like glass. Hope this helps,

January 26th, 2015, 05:42 PM	#4
Silas Barker Major Player Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Sacramento, California Posts: 577	Re: Help with cobracrane dolly with multiple pvc pipes I am trying to make a seamless pvc pipe track for my dolly. I have 1.25" PVC - how do I get the right inside pipe to fit inside to keep the pipe together and the whole thing perfectly seamless?