Very small leak in large pipe

[Guy48065]

Gents,
I just built a rotary brass tumbler and made the barrel from 6" PVC.
Upon water testing I found I have a tiny leak at one spot on each fitting. <One-drip-per-minute small.
I don't want to start over on the barrel because the cost of 6 inch fittings was a big chunk of the budget on this tumbler.

How do you find & seal such a leak?

 

[Jeff H Young]

Cap off put some air in it ( a few pounds only) hold it under water like an inner tube . With ABS I've used a hot knife ( not too pretty) or some kind of glue right where leak is

 

[Sponsor]

 

[PlumbNuts]

cap off put some air in it ( a few pounds only) hold it under water like an inner tube . With abs Ive used a hot knife ( not too pretty) or some kind of glue right where leak is

I like Jeff Young's answer but will add that when he said "a few pounds only" that means less than 5 PSI, PVC pipe can shatter when exposed to air pressure. You might be better served if you use a bicycle tire type pump to control the pressure. Only add enough to see the bubbles.

 

[Reach4]

If you look around, you can find people describing dissolving some pvc shavings into pvc glue. Assuming you have located the leak area, then create a vacuum in your cylinder with your wet dry vacuum cleaner. Suck in some primer thru the leak. Then suck in some pvc+cement thru the leak.

It could be that just primer and glue, with no pvc dissolved in it, would work.

Another idea is to suck some mixed 2-part liquid epoxy into the crack. Be quick if that is 5-minute epoxy.

 

[Jeff H Young]

If you look around, you can find people describing dissolving some pvc shavings into pvc glue. Assuming you have located the leak area, then create a vacuum in your cylinder with your wet dry vacuum cleaner. Suck in some primer thru the leak. Then suck in some pvc+cement thru the leak.

It could be that just primer and glue, with no pvc dissolved in it, would work.

Another idea is to suck some mixed 2-part liquid epoxy into the crack. Be quick if that is 5-minute epoxy.

Hey, Im learning some tricks now!

 

[PlumbNuts]

Hey, Im learning some tricks now!

Me too,,, I did not know about the vacuum part! Thanks Reach

 

[PlumbNuts]

Not trying to be critical of your work but the next time you invest that much money into PVC pipe and fittings you might want to invest in primer.
I suspect the reason for your leak might be the lack of primer which is neccesary for a proper glue joint.
I only suspect this because I see no evidence of primer on your pictures, but it is possible that you are way neater than 95% of the plumbers I know.

By the way, that is a very nice homemade tumbler. I know you said "brass" are you referring to Ammo?

 

[Reach4]

I only suspect this because I see no evidence of primer on your pictures, but it is possible that you are way neater than 95% of the plumbers I know.

I was thinking he used clear primer.

 

[PlumbNuts]

I was thinking he used clear primer.

I did at first until I looked really close at the joints, then I began doubting it.

 

[Sarg]

J-B Weld to the rescue.

 

[Guy48065]

Not trying to be critical of your work but the next time you invest that much money into PVC pipe and fittings you might want to invest in primer.
I suspect the reason for your leak might be the lack of primer which is neccesary for a proper glue joint.
I only suspect this because I see no evidence of primer on your pictures, but it is possible that you are way neater than 95% of the plumbers I know.

By the way, that is a very nice homemade tumbler. I know you said "brass" are you referring to Ammo?

Clear primer.

 

[Sylvan]

 

[Guy48065]

The leak on the INside might not line up with the exit on the OUTside.
I like the idea of trying to suck a sealer into the leak because I can do that from the outside and because the leak itself will draw in the sealer. This feels like a legit fix rather than a bandaid.

If that doesn't work then I can always caulk the joint from the outside.

 

[PlumbNuts]

J-B Weld to the rescue.

FlexSeal will float a boat, I know it is true because I saw it on the commercial....

 

[Guy48065]

The solvent & shavings dope did nothing so I caulked the joint at both ends.