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Thread: Thick electrical conduit for wood rack

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Mar 2003
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    Thick electrical conduit for wood rack

    Does anyone know what the thicker electrical conduit is called ? I recall that someone had used this in place of galvanized pipe for a wood rack. The wood rack I'm speaking of, is the kind where you just drill big holes in 2x4s and hammer in the pipe.

    Thanks

  2. #2
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    As far as I know

    I've only heard it referred to as "rigid". Steve
    Steve Jenkins, McKinney, TX. 469 742-9694
    Always use the word "impossible" with extreme caution

  3. #3
    David Blangger Guest

    It used to be...

    Galvenized steel tubing.....now I think there are different types...try a search for Gatortubing or Allied Steel Tubing....hope this helps.

    David

  4. #4
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    I think you instead should see if you can find a place where you can purchase recycled materials & get some regular pipe. I believe with conduit you'll need larger diameter conduit that you would by using pipe. I have 1/2" pipe & it holds a pretty heavy load on 16" deep shelves. I think there is a lot of pressure on the bottom side of the pipe right where it exits out of the 2x I wouldn't want anything as thin as conduit supporting all that weight I can just imagine the sight & sound of a loaded shelf collapsing, not to mention the injury if someone is close enough to have it fall on them.
    I usually find it much easier to be wrong once in while than to try to be perfect.

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  5. #5
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    Bart,

    So if you were to guess the BF of what species (or weight) you have stacked on each shelf supported by 1/2" pipe what would that be ?

    How far a part/many are your vertical supports ?

    What angle are the pipes set at ?

    Thanks

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Feb 2003
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    Manhattan Beach, CA
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    Don't use electrical conduit!

    Hi Eric,
    I would NOT use electrical conduit - even the "thicker" stuff - because the wall is still too thin to support any kind of weight at all.

    Even 1/2" galvanized "plumbing" pipe is a bit on the light side but would be a much better choice than electrical pipe. 3/4" or better yet 1" galvanized plumbing pipe will give you the wall thickness you need to support the weight of your wood.

    Remember that your pipe will be in sheer so the more pipe you can get into the 2x4 the better!!!

    Remember what just happened to that porch in Chicago! Too much weight on a sheer-stressed overhang. What you are really doing is creating a cantilever and you must consider the ability to "weight transfer" in your design.
    Dave Anderson, SoCal - Work Safely!

  7. #7
    It is called Ridged conduit,Thin wall is called E.M.T. .They also make a I.M.C. that is a intermediate size, but the O.D. is the same.1/2" ridged conduit worked just fine for my rack,it is schedual 40 galvinized steel pipe is all that it is, on 1/2'',o.d. is 7/8'',for 3/4'', o.d is 1 1/8'',we have used it in the "trade" for racks for years. mine is made out of 1/2'', The next one I make, I''ll use 3/4'' just to make them longer,
    I drilled my 7/8'' holes in my 2x4 on a 3 degree angle,8'' on center with a conduit length of 9 1/2'' leaving 8'' out of the board,next time I'm going to use 5 degree angle on 12'' on center.also, if you can use yellow pine lumber instead of fur or white pine the wood isn't as soft and holds much better....Good luck..Tommy
    Last edited by Tommy Curtiss; 07-01-2003 at 4:14 PM.
    Tommy Curtiss,Brock TX

  8. #8
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    My lumber rack is 7'4" long this allows for the ends of an 8" piece of lumber to be supported & the space is evenly divided with 3 more vertical 2x4s. I have both a 3/4" header board knotched in the back side & a 3/4" board notched in at the bottom. I used wood bolts to fasten a 2x4 at the bottom for the rack to set on & used wood bolts & bolted the top into the studs too. I drilled the holes for the pipe at a 3 degree angle 6" apart. I haven't fully stocked the rack yet but I can do chin ups on any one of the pipes & I weigh 200 lbs I don't think you'll have much more than that on each pipe unless you only put lumber on the bottom set of pipes & stack it all the way to the ceiling. This rack is above & behind my RAS & CMS. If I had a bigger shop I would probably make a floor to ceiling rack. As it is I can only store enough material for 3-4 medium sized projects maybe a little more.
    Last edited by Bart Leetch; 07-01-2003 at 4:25 PM.
    I usually find it much easier to be wrong once in while than to try to be perfect.

    My web page has a pop up. It is a free site, just close the pop up on the right side of the screen

  9. #9

    Lumber Rack

    Although this isn't what you are looking for, this is what you can do with salvaged materials. These racks are discarded pallet racks. I cut them up and did some resizing to fit my space. They will hold lots of material.
    Scout around and find a place that tears down buildings and such. Most used pipe, etc. comes fairly cheap as too purchasing new stuff. Steve
    Attached Images Attached Images


  10. #10
    Join Date
    Mar 2003
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    Central Indiana
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    Thanks all... I got the name of the conduit and much other information. Bart thanks for all the details on your setup. Steve - the pallet racks are great and I would prefer to keep using big flat storage. I am running out of room, and going vertical I think will get me a large chuck of floor space back. From what I can tell, the "rigid conduit" is a electroplated schedule 40 steel pipe. While the real schedule 40 pipe is hot galvanized. Since major corrosion not an issue in this application, it looks like you can say a few $$ by using the rigid conduit.
    Last edited by Eric Apple - Central IN; 07-02-2003 at 9:27 AM.

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