[Mike88]

From what I understood the chlorine gas only forms with moisture. Would this be a serious problem if I'm bending completely outdoors?

I am bending the pipe with a heater by the way, not cutting.

Cutting PVC with anything that will produce heat may produce chlorine gas which is highly dangerous. Beware!!!

[mactec54]

mindmapper
Cutting PVC with anything that will produce heat may produce chlorine gas which is highly dangerous. Beware!!!

Totally incorrect, PVC is only Dangerous if you burn it with a flame, this is when it will produce vinyl chloride gas/vapors, It is not going to happen with normal machining/cutting of PVC, even with the heated mandrel mike88 is using, with controlled heat, it will not get hot enough to produce vinyl chloride gas/vapors

[mindmapper1]

If you read what I wrote ..... cutting pvc with anything that produces HEAT...... likewise applying HEAT to bend shape or form CAN produce CHLORINE gas.

[mactec54]

mindmapper

That is why it is not correct, when PVC is injection molded or extruded, the heat used is much higher,Than anything you would ever have with machining cutting & heat bending ,having a melt temperature 196deg C to 207deg C for injection molding, some run as high as 260deg C, there is no danger at these tempertures of the vinyl chloride vapors being toxic, or it would not be able to be processed, there are other plastic material that are much worse than PVC for there toxic vapors

Ever wondered what the new car smell is, Well most of that is vinyl chloride vapors, from all the molded parts

[JamesCordell]

good to get what i was confused with to bend or cut a PVC pipe with a heated material ... fine quote posted here over on the topic which is of wide use for many who are pretty uncertain about the result over the same practice to PVC...

[barnabsfuto]

I dont know if anyone reading this topic still. I inhaled melted plastics fumes (probably pvc, it was a part of a fitness machine) overall for 30 seconds, for around 6-10 seconds it was stronger, after that I opened the window. Can someone tell how much permanent damage it did probably? Thank you in advance.

[metalmayhem]

it's impossible for anyone to tell you if you have damaged your lungs other than a professional .
if opening a window was enough to let the fumes escape quickly then my guess is you will be fine .

[joeavaerage]

Hi,
don't know about your lungs, but I have been told that it makes your dick drop off. I'd get out there a shag everything that moves, just in case there is any truth to it.
Even if it false, at least it would be fun.

On a more serious note when PVC breaks down it tends to break down into hydrogen chloride and benzene depending on the temperature of the breakdown,
and the presence or absence of oxygen, all of which are bad. Hydrogen chloride is the gaseous version of hydrochloric acid, and that is not to be messed with.

I rather suspect that if you had lung damage from either vinyl chloride or hydrogen chloride you'd be coughing wildly, and would already be in hospital. That you are not suggests
that no harm or minimal harm was done. Having said that I don't imagine you'd want any repeat.

Craig