Pipe Clamps (error corrected)

Haven’t tried it but I think the walls are too thin.

-- Scott - Chico California http://chicowoodnut.home.comcast.net

Probably, but I never tried it. It is pretty strong stuff…. Give it a try, you will find out quickly if they flex or dont’ grip.

Seems to me that the clamp parts are the expensive part. I know every little thing adds up, but I also know that I just threw away 4 sets of cheap pipe clamps (and kept the pipes) because they would not grip the pipe tightly and the ‘fixed’ end would slowly slide as I tightened the clamp. Drove me nuts for years. Replaced them with Ponys and I love ‘em.

Steve

-- Stevethepeeve -- I'm no rocket surgeon

thanks. i am probably getting ponys too but i will try the EMT first as my dad can get rigid EMT for almost nothing at work.

I think the conduit would be too thin and when you started to clamp the pipe would either flex or start to collapse. As Steve mentioned the expensive part is the clamp, the pipe should not be too expensive.

-- ....next big purchase is wood for the next project, Mark

Dennis,

I’m not sure if this is what they call “thin wall” conduit, if it is then it might work for short clamps- 1 foot or less but I think it will flex to much on longer pieces. Also, if you put too much clamping pressure on a glue-up, the gripping mechanism in the sliding end of the clamp may crush/deform the conduit.

Lew

I agree. I think it would flex way to much. When putting the electrical into my shop I realized how easy it bends. I could take a 3 foot section and slowly bend it by hand pretty easily. I don’t think it would work for more than 1 foot as lew said.

-- Tyler, Illinois

no this is the same thing. about an hour ago my dad found a piece of each that he had laying around in his work van. they are the same thing except for color. lew and tyler what your two are talking about it EMT. EMT is what you would have used in your shop wiring tyler. my dad being an electrician i have used that my whole like and know that that would be to thin but i just saw the two side by side and they are the exact same thing except for color.

It is too thin a the clamp will slip on it.

I don’t think skinnywall is a good choice lad, you might be able to get away with ridgid if you could find it in the right size. I would just wait and buy the real deal when you can and rest easy knowing it will last forever.
Being a tradesman, maybe your dad could scrounge some up for you here and there at some of the jobsites. My dad, Uncle and grandfather were IBEW for 45 years a piece. My uncle is a woodworker too and I’ve never seen him use it. His pipe clamps are regular thick wall 1” plumbing pipe.
hope this helps…

-- --Chuck

Sounds more like he found some threaded heavywall very. Similar to water pip. but is designed to BEND. I think black iron is most rigid followed by galvanized water pipe and then maybe electrical heavywall. Also be aware that electrical heavywall has no taper (or at least less taper) on the threads, and the pony clamps etc are generaly designed to be used with BI (black iron) which does have a taper same as water pipe it may or may not cause a problem . . . it probably wont screw in as far and be as strong

-- Fred, Springfield, Ma

Not..the galvanize pipe will not hold the clamping pressure, they will slip…find a local plumber and have several size made of black pipe…Blkcherry

Yeah kid, definately go with the iron pipe. If there was a use for the EMT pipe, they would’ve created the clamps already. Good idea though…shows you’re thinkin’.

Rockler.com sells Pony style clamp heads but there’s a new one that has a better support foot. They also sell these pipe inserts where you can link two pipes together for a longer clamp. That’s a great idea in itself, especially if ya gotta glue up something wide like a tabletop. Long clamps tend to be unruly when glueing up small projects, so I’d make them 36” long , but not smaller. Also pipe clamps exert a ton of pressure…so much that you can actually squeeze out too much glue resulting in a weak bond!

Here’s some part numbers to look for at Rockler…Sure foot clamp #30921, Clamp extenders #38357.

-- Bob Vila would be so proud of you!

By the time you would run the threads on conduit there wouldn’t be anything left. My daughter is an EMT. EMERGENCY MEDICAL TECHNITION. Are you sure your Dad didn’t say EMC, Dennis? Mine are black pipe and they take a real beating.

Dave

-- Dave Leitem,Butler,Pa.,http://dlcarver.etsy.com

The BORGS around here sell 3’ black pipe for about $3-4. That length works most of the time for me, and if I need longer, I bought couplings and pipe nipples to extend them. I have some 5’ pipes but they mainly go unused. And the black pipe they have is painted. It’s not the greasy type pipe that might stain wood – I’ve never had any stain problems.

The clamp will slip on galvanized pipe. I suspect it is something in the galvanizing coating that causes this. Use the black iron pipe if you can find it.

thanks, i think that i’ll just go with the black iron, just to make it simple. i’ll probably try out the other stuff to just because. thanks everyone.