I'm tired of trying to find 1/2" thin wall, round tubing (not pipe). It
was suggested locally that I try using rigid EMT electrical conduit.
Anyone use this for projects? I don't know why it won't work; it
doesn't appear to be galvanized. The best part is .26 cents a foot
versus $3.00 a foot for mailorder tubing.

Ronnie

It is galvanized or at least zinc plated. EMT is not the same as rigid.
Rigid looks like water pipe but the inside is smooth.

If it will work size wise you can strip off the plating if that is a
problem.

--

Roger Shoaf

About the time I had mastered getting the toothpaste back in the tube, then
they come up with this striped stuff.


"Ronnie" wrote in message
ups.com...
I'm tired of trying to find 1/2" thin wall, round tubing (not pipe). It
was suggested locally that I try using rigid EMT electrical conduit.
Anyone use this for projects? I don't know why it won't work; it
doesn't appear to be galvanized. The best part is .26 cents a foot
versus $3.00 a foot for mailorder tubing.

Ronnie

EMT is galvanized, just not hot dipped. You can use it for any projects
where it meets your requirements. I have used it for braces on aircraft
jack stands. If you intend to weld it, grind off the zinc first, or at
least avoid breathing the fumes. The fumes will make you sick as a dog.

"Ronnie" wrote in message
ups.com...
I'm tired of trying to find 1/2" thin wall, round tubing (not pipe). It
was suggested locally that I try using rigid EMT electrical conduit.
Anyone use this for projects? I don't know why it won't work; it
doesn't appear to be galvanized. The best part is .26 cents a foot
versus $3.00 a foot for mailorder tubing.

Being an incurable skinflint, I use it a lot. It's great for practice
welding. It also stands up quite well for non-critical projects. Don't bet
your life on it, but you can make some nice furniture with it. d8-)

Strip the zinc off for a few inches from where you're going to weld. Some
people grind. I use hydrochloric (muriatic) acid, which you can get from a
good paint store (it's used for neutralizing concrete before painting), a
farm-supply store, or some pool-supply stores. Wash the tubing well after
stripping. Also, wear a cheap fume mask (I paid $8 each for three 3M fume
masks at my welding supply a few years ago, and I still have two of them).
Wear it, or you may get zinc fume fever, which is temporary but thoroughly
miserable. It feels like the flu.

Happy welding.

--
Ed Huntress

Thanks for all the great info. When you use Muratic acid, do you just
dip the piece or soak it...for how long?
Ronnie

"Ronnie" wrote in message
oups.com...
Thanks for all the great info. When you use Muratic acid, do you just
dip the piece or soak it...for how long?
Ronnie

It typically takes less than 10 minutes. I arrange a plastic peanut-butter
jar on the ground, stick a few pieces of tubing in it and prop them up
really well, and then pour about 5 inches of muriatic acid into the jar.
It's quick in the summer, slower in the winter.

Don't do this in your shop. The hydrochloric acid vapor will leave a fine
layer of rust over every bedway, every exposed spindle, and any other piece
of steel in the entire shop, in just hours. No kidding. This is for
outdoors.

--
Ed Huntress

"Tim Williams" wrote in message
...
"Ronnie" wrote in message
oups.com...
Thanks for all the great info. When you use Muratic acid, do you just
dip the piece or soak it...for how long?

'Til it stops bubbling hydrogen gas. Don't worry about flammability, it
dissipates quickly (being so light) and is hardly a high volume thing.

Oh, yeah, I forget about "how can you tell?" The zinc will get blotchy and
then it will disappear completely, or nearly so. It's lighter in color than
the acid-soaked steel.

--
Ed Huntress

A couple of the posts hinted at it but: There are 3 kinds of electrical
grade round metal tubes: thin wall conduit (commonly called EMT),
intermediate (uses standard fittings, has a wall just thick enough to
take the threads) and rigid conduit (same dimensions as pipe, just
different specs for surface finishes) All of them are galvanized or zinc
plated. All of them have funny measuring systems where they are marked
for the inside dimension.

The thin wall conduit used to run about $1.25 per 10' in 1/2" (trade
size), currently running close to $3/ft due to steel prices.
Lightweight, easy to use, easy to bend with a hand bender. Use
hydrochloric acid to strip off the zinc. Down side is that the steel is
fully annealed and VERY soft. You can easily bend the 1/2 and 3/4" sizes
over your knee.

Intermediate grade is much stonger than thinwall but will likely be too
expensive for your needs. Rigid is a high grade water pipe, more $$ yet.

If you are doing frames and handles, take a look at black iron pipe.
Typically sold as gas pipe at Home Depot and others. You can get a
hydraulic bender at Harbor freight, stuff welds great.
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/cta...emnumber=32888

Cheers.


Ronnie wrote:

I'm tired of trying to find 1/2" thin wall, round tubing (not pipe). It
was suggested locally that I try using rigid EMT electrical conduit.
Anyone use this for projects? I don't know why it won't work; it
doesn't appear to be galvanized. The best part is .26 cents a foot
versus $3.00 a foot for mailorder tubing.

Ronnie

On Tue, 28 Dec 2004 19:03:14 -0500, "Ed Huntress"
calmly ranted:

"Ronnie" wrote in message
roups.com...
Thanks for all the great info. When you use Muratic acid, do you just
dip the piece or soak it...for how long?
Ronnie

It typically takes less than 10 minutes. I arrange a plastic peanut-butter
jar on the ground, stick a few pieces of tubing in it and prop them up
really well, and then pour about 5 inches of muriatic acid into the jar.
It's quick in the summer, slower in the winter.

Don't do this in your shop. The hydrochloric acid vapor will leave a fine
layer of rust over every bedway, every exposed spindle, and any other piece
of steel in the entire shop, in just hours. No kidding. This is for
outdoors.

Do you also want to stop up the inside of the pipe so it doesn't rust?


- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
If God approved of nudity, we all would have been born naked.
----- ----- ----- ----- ----- -----
http://www.diversify.com Your Wild & Woody Website Wonk

RoyJ wrote:
A couple of the posts hinted at it but: There are 3 kinds of
electrical grade round metal tubes: thin wall conduit (commonly
called EMT), intermediate (uses standard fittings, has a wall just
thick enough to take the threads) and rigid conduit (same dimensions
as pipe, just different specs for surface finishes) All of them are
galvanized or zinc plated. All of them have funny measuring systems
where they are marked for the inside dimension.

The thin wall conduit used to run about $1.25 per 10' in 1/2" (trade
size), currently running close to $3/ft due to steel prices.
Lightweight, easy to use, easy to bend with a hand bender. Use
hydrochloric acid to strip off the zinc. Down side is that the steel
is fully annealed and VERY soft. You can easily bend the 1/2 and 3/4"
sizes over your knee.

Intermediate grade is much stonger than thinwall but will likely be
too expensive for your needs. Rigid is a high grade water pipe, more
$$ yet.
If you are doing frames and handles, take a look at black iron pipe.
Typically sold as gas pipe at Home Depot and others. You can get a
hydraulic bender at Harbor freight, stuff welds great.
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/cta...emnumber=32888

Cheers.


Ronnie wrote:

I'm tired of trying to find 1/2" thin wall, round tubing (not pipe).
It was suggested locally that I try using rigid EMT electrical
conduit. Anyone use this for projects? I don't know why it won't
work; it doesn't appear to be galvanized. The best part is .26 cents
a foot versus $3.00 a foot for mailorder tubing.

Ronnie

I was asked by my local fire department to modify a smoke extractor. The
problem was that this piece of equipmemt was gas powered and the exhaust was
ritch in CO. The aim was to get the exhaust out of the intake of the air
flow. The solution was an extension of the exhaust system.
I took a piece of EMT tubing - expanded cold with a shop made mandral and
fitted to the stock exhaust. Worked perfectly! That EMT tubing was easy to
work - much to my suprise.
your mileage may vary.
Regards.
Ken.
--
http://www.rupert.net/~solar
Return address supplied by 'spammotel'
http://www.spammotel.com

"Larry Jaques" wrote in message
...
On Tue, 28 Dec 2004 19:03:14 -0500, "Ed Huntress"
calmly ranted:

"Ronnie" wrote in message
roups.com...
Thanks for all the great info. When you use Muratic acid, do you just
dip the piece or soak it...for how long?
Ronnie

It typically takes less than 10 minutes. I arrange a plastic
peanut-butter
jar on the ground, stick a few pieces of tubing in it and prop them up
really well, and then pour about 5 inches of muriatic acid into the jar.
It's quick in the summer, slower in the winter.

Don't do this in your shop. The hydrochloric acid vapor will leave a fine
layer of rust over every bedway, every exposed spindle, and any other
piece
of steel in the entire shop, in just hours. No kidding. This is for
outdoors.

Do you also want to stop up the inside of the pipe so it doesn't rust?

I don't know. I've never had any trouble with them rusting any more than any
other piece of clean steel. I have some test pieces that have been in my
basement for a few years with no protection on them at all. No rust, either.
I didn't even neutralize them, but I washed them in running water.

--
Ed Huntress

You left out one. You can also get aluminum conduit that takes the same
fittings as galvanized rigid.


"RoyJ" wrote in message
k.net...
A couple of the posts hinted at it but: There are 3 kinds of electrical
grade round metal tubes: thin wall conduit (commonly called EMT),
intermediate (uses standard fittings, has a wall just thick enough to take
the threads) and rigid conduit (same dimensions as pipe, just different
specs for surface finishes) All of them are galvanized or zinc plated. All
of them have funny measuring systems where they are marked for the inside
dimension.

The thin wall conduit used to run about $1.25 per 10' in 1/2" (trade
size), currently running close to $3/ft due to steel prices. Lightweight,
easy to use, easy to bend with a hand bender. Use hydrochloric acid to
strip off the zinc. Down side is that the steel is fully annealed and VERY
soft. You can easily bend the 1/2 and 3/4" sizes over your knee.

Intermediate grade is much stonger than thinwall but will likely be too
expensive for your needs. Rigid is a high grade water pipe, more $$ yet.

If you are doing frames and handles, take a look at black iron pipe.
Typically sold as gas pipe at Home Depot and others. You can get a
hydraulic bender at Harbor freight, stuff welds great.
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/cta...emnumber=32888

Cheers.


Ronnie wrote:

I'm tired of trying to find 1/2" thin wall, round tubing (not pipe). It
was suggested locally that I try using rigid EMT electrical conduit.
Anyone use this for projects? I don't know why it won't work; it
doesn't appear to be galvanized. The best part is .26 cents a foot
versus $3.00 a foot for mailorder tubing. Ronnie

In article . com,
says...
I'm tired of trying to find 1/2" thin wall, round tubing (not pipe).

I get my 4130 tubing from Aircraft Spruce. 1/2" x .028 is around
1.50/foot. www.aircraftspruce.com

--
is Joshua Putnam
http://www.phred.org/~josh/
Braze your own bicycle frames. See
http://www.phred.org/~josh/build/build.html

I'm tired of trying to find 1/2" thin wall, round tubing (not pipe). It
was suggested locally that I try using rigid EMT electrical conduit.
Anyone use this for projects? I don't know why it won't work; it
doesn't appear to be galvanized. The best part is .26 cents a foot
versus $3.00 a foot for mailorder tubing.

Ronnie

Made a real nice, large garden trellis out of it one time, using a
"hickey" (conduit bender) and brazing in cross pieces between the two
arches.... worked very well.
Ken.

On Tue, 28 Dec 2004 16:02:02 -0500, "Ed Huntress"
vaguely proposed a theory
.......and in reply I say!:

remove ns from my header address to reply via email

Please distinguish this from a cheap cloth or tyvek thing that will
not do any good at all.

Also, wear a cheap fume mask (I paid $8 each for three 3M fume
masks at my welding supply a few years ago, and I still have two of them).
Wear it, or you may get zinc fume fever, which is temporary but thoroughly
miserable. It feels like the flu.

Happy welding.

Ronnie wrote:

I'm tired of trying to find 1/2" thin wall, round tubing (not pipe). It
was suggested locally that I try using rigid EMT electrical conduit.
Anyone use this for projects? I don't know why it won't work; it
doesn't appear to be galvanized. The best part is .26 cents a foot
versus $3.00 a foot for mailorder tubing.

Ronnie



Just to note that rigid pipe is not EMT. EMT is electric metalic
tubing and is thin wal3ed galvenized tubing and is easy to bend by hand
with the proper bender. Rigid is pipe and is heavy walled and has
threaded ends. It comes in aluminum as well as steel.

They will look at you funny if you ask for rigid EMT, except at Lowes.
G

John

--
Ed Huntress
(remove "3" from email address for email reply)
"Old Nick" wrote in message
...
On Tue, 28 Dec 2004 16:02:02 -0500, "Ed Huntress"
vaguely proposed a theory
......and in reply I say!:

remove ns from my header address to reply via email

Please distinguish this from a cheap cloth or tyvek thing that will
not do any good at all.

Also, wear a cheap fume mask (I paid $8 each for three 3M fume
masks at my welding supply a few years ago, and I still have two of
them).
Wear it, or you may get zinc fume fever, which is temporary but
thoroughly
miserable. It feels like the flu.

Happy welding.


In the mess of top-posting and with a reference below, I think you're asking
for the way to identify a fume mask. g

If so, it goes like this: On the side, it says "Metal fume mask." Other than
that, it says so on the box. d8-)

They're kind of thick and fuzzy, but so are some of the throw-away paint
masks. So you have to ask for the specific thing.

They're available online. 3M offers several types. Any decent welding-supply
will have them in stock. You can get fancy ones, but I have no trouble with
the cheapest types.

It's not something I use very often. I've been using the same one for over
two years. I keep it in a plastic bag between uses.

--
Ed Huntress

Hey, It is electrogalvaised that is why it doesnt have spangles on it as say
AC ductwork. I have used a lot of it. Made my burning buggy out of 3/4" and
fusion gas welded it together. If you are going to weld it make sure you
have good ventalation. Ridgid conduit is the same as galvanised schedule 40
pipe. The difference is each piece of conduit is inspected to insure there
are no obstructions that would damage the insulation on the wires. Emt
stands for electrical metalic tubing. It is lighter gauge than conduit or
pipe but quite sturdy for many uses. Boating supply companys used to have
fittings to join it to make winter covers. Try Defender Marine if they are
still around.
"Grady" wrote in message
news:s9qAd.11575$c%.1167@okepread05...
You left out one. You can also get aluminum conduit that takes the same
fittings as galvanized rigid.


"RoyJ" wrote in message
k.net...
A couple of the posts hinted at it but: There are 3 kinds of electrical
grade round metal tubes: thin wall conduit (commonly called EMT),
intermediate (uses standard fittings, has a wall just thick enough to take
the threads) and rigid conduit (same dimensions as pipe, just different
specs for surface finishes) All of them are galvanized or zinc plated. All
of them have funny measuring systems where they are marked for the inside
dimension.

The thin wall conduit used to run about $1.25 per 10' in 1/2" (trade
size), currently running close to $3/ft due to steel prices. Lightweight,
easy to use, easy to bend with a hand bender. Use hydrochloric acid to
strip off the zinc. Down side is that the steel is fully annealed and
VERY soft. You can easily bend the 1/2 and 3/4" sizes over your knee.

Intermediate grade is much stonger than thinwall but will likely be too
expensive for your needs. Rigid is a high grade water pipe, more $$ yet.

If you are doing frames and handles, take a look at black iron pipe.
Typically sold as gas pipe at Home Depot and others. You can get a
hydraulic bender at Harbor freight, stuff welds great.
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/cta...emnumber=32888

Cheers.


Ronnie wrote:

I'm tired of trying to find 1/2" thin wall, round tubing (not pipe). It
was suggested locally that I try using rigid EMT electrical conduit.
Anyone use this for projects? I don't know why it won't work; it
doesn't appear to be galvanized. The best part is .26 cents a foot
versus $3.00 a foot for mailorder tubing. Ronnie

I was going to say that.G

Rigid conduit is nothing but black iron pipe, also known as gas pipe.
Welding on galvanized EMT is pretty hazardous because the zinc oxide
fumes will make you sick as a dog if you inhale any. It used to be
called zinc founder's disease. I'd stick with black iron pipe. It's
stronger and easy to weld. Needs painting for rust protection.
Bugs

Ed Huntress wrote:

"Ronnie" wrote in message
oups.com...


I'm tired of trying to find 1/2" thin wall, round tubing (not pipe). It
was suggested locally that I try using rigid EMT electrical conduit.
Anyone use this for projects? I don't know why it won't work; it
doesn't appear to be galvanized. The best part is .26 cents a foot
versus $3.00 a foot for mailorder tubing.



Being an incurable skinflint, I use it a lot. It's great for practice
welding. It also stands up quite well for non-critical projects. Don't bet
your life on it, but you can make some nice furniture with it. d8-)

Strip the zinc off for a few inches from where you're going to weld. Some
people grind. I use hydrochloric (muriatic) acid, which you can get from a
good paint store (it's used for neutralizing concrete before painting), a
farm-supply store, or some pool-supply stores. Wash the tubing well after
stripping. Also, wear a cheap fume mask (I paid $8 each for three 3M fume
masks at my welding supply a few years ago, and I still have two of them).
Wear it, or you may get zinc fume fever, which is temporary but thoroughly
miserable. It feels like the flu.

Happy welding.

--
Ed Huntress




And don't forget that when using hydrochloric acid on zinc you produce a
lot of hydrogen gas. Probably not a problem for most but there's always
someone out there looking to win a Darwin award....

Koz

Koz wrote:



Ed Huntress wrote:

"Ronnie" wrote in message
roups.com...


I'm tired of trying to find 1/2" thin wall, round tubing (not pipe). It
was suggested locally that I try using rigid EMT electrical conduit.
Anyone use this for projects? I don't know why it won't work; it
doesn't appear to be galvanized. The best part is .26 cents a foot
versus $3.00 a foot for mailorder tubing.



Being an incurable skinflint, I use it a lot. It's great for practice
welding. It also stands up quite well for non-critical projects. Don't bet
your life on it, but you can make some nice furniture with it. d8-)

Strip the zinc off for a few inches from where you're going to weld. Some
people grind. I use hydrochloric (muriatic) acid, which you can get from a
good paint store (it's used for neutralizing concrete before painting), a
farm-supply store, or some pool-supply stores. Wash the tubing well after
stripping. Also, wear a cheap fume mask (I paid $8 each for three 3M fume
masks at my welding supply a few years ago, and I still have two of them).
Wear it, or you may get zinc fume fever, which is temporary but thoroughly
miserable. It feels like the flu.

Happy welding.

--
Ed Huntress




And don't forget that when using hydrochloric acid on zinc you produce
a lot of hydrogen gas. Probably not a problem for most but there's
always someone out there looking to win a Darwin award....

Koz

Oops..posted too soon without reading the rest. Already covered.

Koz

Tim Williams wrote:
....
Don't forget to keep a jar of baking soda solution on hand, too! ...

Not necessary and can be a problem. A hot water rinse will remove all
the acid and heat the steel for good drying. Baking soda, aka sodium
bicarbonate (NaHCO3) reacts with muriatic acid (HCl) to form, among
other things, NaCl. I.e., table salt. Having a residue of table salt
in any pits in your steel is not a good idea. BTDT

Bob

On Thu, 30 Dec 2004 00:04:27 -0500, "Ed Huntress"
vaguely proposed a theory
.......and in reply I say!:

remove ns from my header address to reply via email

I am not even going into the post placing part.

No. I was emphasizing the need to do so.

Thanks for the explain anyway. It is important, becae as you said they
look the same.

In the mess of top-posting and with a reference below, I think you're asking
for the way to identify a fume mask. g

Tim Williams wrote:
....
The salt should be a moot point too if hot water gets it, ...

As I said: "Been there, done that". What a mess.

"Old Nick" wrote in message
...
On Thu, 30 Dec 2004 00:04:27 -0500, "Ed Huntress"
vaguely proposed a theory
......and in reply I say!:

remove ns from my header address to reply via email

I am not even going into the post placing part.

No. I was emphasizing the need to do so.

Sorry, Nick, I really don't understand what you were asking. It's a little
too cryptic for my brain to follow.


Thanks for the explain anyway. It is important, becae as you said they
look the same.

I think you'll get your questions answered if you just look at one. As of a
year ago, 3M had illustrations of them on their website.

Zinc fumes are not vapor; they're suspended particulate. This is a
particulate mask with the ability to filter really fine stuff. That's all it
is. It isn't a vapor cannister or anything like that.

--
Ed Huntress

On Fri, 31 Dec 2004 11:22:57 -0500, "Ed Huntress"
vaguely proposed a theory
.......and in reply I say!:

remove ns from my header address to reply via email

OK. Sorry Ed. Really. I was too brief. I wasn't asking, I was
commenting. I was worried that if you post "Also, wear a cheap fume
mask (I paid $8 each for three 3M fume masks at my welding supply a
few years ago, and I still have two of them)." that people may confuse
them with the cheap paper pasks that you can buy. I know you said you
paid $8 each for them, and I know you called them fume masks. But I
have seen misguided/ing posts here, and have actually been told bad
info in shops about stuff like this.

Sorry, Nick, I really don't understand what you were asking. It's a little
too cryptic for my brain to follow.