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I made a target stand recently and figured it would be worth while to write this down. Dimensions are roughly 4'x4'x4' give or take about an inch because of fittings.

Materials:
1X 10ft 1/2" copper pipe
1X 2ft 1/2" copper pipe
1X 1/2" copper pipe coupler
2X 1/2" copper elbows
2X 1/2"-3/4" copper T

2X 10ft 1/2" PVC pipes
4X 1/2" PVC elbows

1X Roll Ductape
1X PVC cement
1X Solder
1X Soldering flux
1X sandpaper medium grit

Tools:
Hacksaw or similar saw (band or rotary saws preferred)
Pipe cutter
Propane torch
Tape Measure

NOTES:
1. You can fully secure each joint to make it more solid or secure specific joints so it can be disassembled later. I chose to make mine easily disassembled.

2. I made this with a PVC base and copper pipe upright. You can make it all PVC or all copper if you want. If you choose to go all one material just use 1/2" connections for that specific material and replace whatever material you're not using with the material you are. If you're using all copper replace the PVC with copper.

3. If you decide to go all one material take into account the pros and cons. All PVC is easier to hold together solidly without permanent securement but copper is more durable in case you accidentally shoot it.

4. On the copper Ts the straight top of the T is the 3/4" fitting. The 1/2" PVC will fit that well for the base. The intersecting bottom part of the T is the 1/2" copper size for the upright.



Directions

1. Cut the pipe

Use a tape measure to measure the lengths for the appropriate sizes. Use the pipe cutter on the metal pipe and the saw on the PVC.

2X 4' copper pipe
1X 2' copper pipe (combined with the other 2' length suggested earlier these can be combined to make a third 4' pipe)

2X 4' PVC pipe
4X 2' PVC pipe



2. Assemble the pipes

It's better to assemble this before securing everything just to make sure it all fits.

Wrap about 2 layers of ductape on one end of each 2' PVC pipe. This will help it fit the copper T more snugly. Use more or less to what actually fits well

Insert 2X 2' pipes ductape ends inside the copper T

Attach PVC elbow to the other ends of the 2' PVCs

Attach 4' PVCs between other sets of elbows. This should make a complete square 4'X4' for your base.

With the copper T upside down (open spot facing up) insert a 4' copper pipe in each copper T. These are the legs of the uprights

Put a copper elbow at the top of each leg.

Connect each 2' piece of copper with the coupler and insert in the elbows at the top of the legs. This completes the uprights and everything should secure fine.


3. Secure the pipes

PVC pipes just swab some glue on the pipe then slide the fitting in place. I suggest securing one elbow on the non ductape end of each 2' PVC. If you're making a stand you want to disassemble for storage that's all you really need.

If you want everything permanent go ahead and glue the rest of the PVC pipes.

Rub down an inch on each side of a copper pipe you are soldering to a fitting and rub some sand paper on the inside of the fitting too to remove oxidation.

Rub some flux on the pipe before inserting into the fitting.

Heat the pipe and fitting with propane torch or whatever heating source you're using. A soldering iron doesn't put out enough heat to do this. If you don't have a torch I used a propane BBQ grill, but you can use some other source of fire.

When the metal is hot touch solder to the gap between the pipe and the fitting. The solder should melt and soak inside the gap. You just need enough to hold the two pieces together, not enough to hold pressurized water without a leak so don't worry about perfection if you haven't soldered before.

You can let the pipe cool naturally or if you're in a hurry to get this done you can go ahead and quench in a bucket of water.

For my takedown model I soldered the 2X 2' coppers with a coupler to make a 4' piece then soldered the elbows to each end of that. It's very important to make sure the elbows are lined up when you solder this. Afterwards I soldered each leg to a T.



That's pretty much all there was to it. For assembly I just insert the ductape ends into the copper Ts, attach a 4' section to each elbow, then place the top piece of the upright on the legs. It all breaks down to a series of pipes that's about 4' long and less than 18" in circumference.