Permanently Marking PVC Pipe

[rgsparber]

I've been looking for a fast and low cost way to permanently mark PVC pipe. It must survive the harsh UV rays here in Arizona. Marking with label makers barely last a year. "Permanent marker" might last two years. Yet that damn Purple Primer used when cementing the pipes together never goes away. Ah ha! Why not use this stuff to mark the pipe!

If you are interested, please see

http://rick.sparber.org/PMPP.pdf


Your comments are welcome. All of us are smarter than any one of us.

Rick

[Paul Jones]

Rick,
Marking the pipe using a masking material and the purple primer is great idea.
Paul

[rgsparber]

Paul,

Thanks!

I did a second run (see updated article), using 3M painter's tape on the perimeter. Some of the primer bled under it. Any idea how to prevent this?

Rick

[PJs]

Nice Idea Rick. Might try some of that Frog Tape. Most of the local big boxes have it. Used it recently and have to say it works better than the 3m for thinned coatings. Not sure but the esters in the Primer may be getting to the adhesive on the tape.

[rgsparber]

PJs,

Thanks for the tip. I will buy some today!

Rick

[Paul Jones]

Rick and PJs,

I use Stucco Tape for some of the tough masking applications and it might hold up to the Purple Prime solvent effect (that is why the purple stuff sticks so well due to etching into the PVC surface). Thanks for tip on Frog Tape. I have been using a higher quality painters tape from 3M called 3M Yellow masking tape. It works great with high solvent content paints and enamels.

Regards,
Paul Jones

[PJs]

Thanks Paul for the tip on the Yellow Tape. Haven't seen it before at the store...but saw amazon has it.

~PJ

[rgsparber]

I just tried Frog Tape. There was less bleeding but it was not perfect. One problem with both tapes is at corners where I have overlap. It leaves a gap and the primer goes right in. I also tried using PVC solvent and it worked OK. Might be a little rougher on the vinyl letters.

Rick

[Frank S]

I am wondering if you couldn't simply have heavy vinyl stencils made with a wide enough border to prevent the brush from marking outside the box so to speak.
If they were thick enough to retain their shape when removed they could be reused several times just reapply a little 3m vinyl adhesive when needed
Just a thought.

[rgsparber]

Custom made stencils would be a great solution when the text is always the same. In my application, the text must always be different. I can't have two pipes with the same tag.