How to Make a Gravity Feeder for Dogs Out of PVC

A gravity feeder saves you time by allowing you to load several days' worth of dog food at once, then dispensing it automatically as your dog eats. You can create your own gravity feeder out of a PVC pipe and an old dog dish.

Things You'll Need

  • PVC pipe -- 4-inch diameter
  • Vise
  • Hacksaw
  • Tape measure
  • Sandpaper
  • PVC cement
  • Dog dish
  • Board -- 18-inches square
Show More

Instructions

    • 1

      Secure the PVC pipe horizontally in a vise. Saw straight down through the pipe with the hacksaw, to create a piece 2 to 3 feet long. Use short, even strokes and turn the pipe as necessary, if the frame of the hacksaw hits the pipe before you have cut all the way through.

    • 2

      Make a horizontal cut 2 inches deep, parallel to the length of the pipe and starting about 1/2 inch from its widest point. Make a vertical cut 2 inches from the edge of the pipe, to cut off a curved segment, forming an opening at the base of the pipe. Sand all the cut surfaces thoroughly.

    • 3

      Apply PVC cement to the end of the pipe with the opening cut in it, and press it firmly against the inside of the dog dish -- with the opening facing the center of the dish and the pipe touching its rim. Hold the pipe in place for a few seconds, to stabilize it while the cement dries. The result should be a dog dish with a vertical pipe rising from the inside.

    • 4

      Glue the bottom of the dog dish to a square board, with PVC cement, to keep it from tipping over from the weight of the pipe and any food in it. When you pour food into the pipe, a small amount will spill out of the opening. As your dog eats the food, it will make room for more to spill out.