OFWW wrote in
:

Was just thinking, EMT is so much lighter, so why nor use Pipe to EMT
adapters and go for it?

My first thought is that if this worked, we'd all have known about it by now, and everybody
would be doing it.

Has anyone tried it?

Not me, and I don't think it's going to work. Here's why:

1) I think it's *too* light, and is going to flex so much under clamping pressure that the clamp
jaws won't even be close to parallel (that is, assuming it doesn't just buckle). EMT is called
"thinwall" for a reason: wall thicknesses are 0.042" and 0.049" for 1/2" and 3/4" respectively.
The corresponding dimensions for Schedule 40 steel pipe are 0.109" and 0.113". EMT is
very easy to bend by hand; bending pipe or rigid conduit requires hydraulics.

2) I may be mistaken, but I don't think you're going to find the kind of adapter you need.
Rigid electrical conduit is the same size as water pipe, with the same size threads -- but the
only EMT-to-rigid adapters I've ever seen have female threads, probably because rigid
has male threads on each end. Sure, you can add a pipe nipple too, but now you're starting
to move into Rube Goldberg territory...

3) Even if you can manage to somehow adapt the clamp headstock to the EMT, I very
much doubt that the tailstock will grip it tightly enough for clamping, because the tailstocks
are sized for pipe and EMT is noticeably smaller: actual outside diameters are 1/2" EMT,
0.706"; 1/2" pipe, 0.840; 3/4" EMT, 0.922; 3/4" pipe, 1.050 -- and 1" EMT (1.163") is 10%
larger than 3/4" pipe.

4) If you *do* manage both 2) and 3), I think that once you start tightening the clamps, the
gripping mechanism in the tailstock will crush the EMT. Like I said, it's called "thinwall" for a
reason.

If you decide to try it anyway, though, best of luck, and let us know how it turns out.