Shopsmith Forums

I am going to add some 3/4 Bessie pipe clamps to my shop. I saw a video on you tube where the guy said he used electrical conduit for the pipe instead of the normal black pipe. Supposed to be easier glue cleanup, will not mark the wood, weight etc. Has anyone here tried using the electrical conduit for their pipe clamps? If so what do you think of that solution? I haven't worked with either so I don't have an opinion and will let wiser heads prevail.

Thanks in advance.

Michael

dynabase wrote:I am going to add some 3/4 Bessie pipe clamps to my shop. I saw a video on you tube where the guy said he used electrical conduit for the pipe instead of the normal black pipe. Supposed to be easier glue cleanup, will not mark the wood, weight etc. Has anyone here tried using the electrical conduit for their pipe clamps? If so what do you think of that solution? I haven't worked with either so I don't have an opinion and will let wiser heads prevail.

Thanks in advance.

Michael

Rigid Metal Conduit is essentially electro-galvanized iron pipe.

As such it should work.

Do not confuse that with 'thin wall' conduit.

I’m gonna try some aluminum conduit. Same diameter/thread, less weight. I’m getting 50 feet of it for free, so why not try it?

artman60 wrote:I’m gonna try some aluminum conduit. Same diameter/thread, less weight. I’m getting 50 feet of it for free, so why not try it?

Let me know how the aluminum works out.

Here is the video that gave me the idea.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p1wNP7N_HW8


Thanks

It should be interesting to see how aluminum works. It is about 1/2 weight of iron, but also about 1/2 strength of iron. It should work for light clamping, but might be prone to bending under heavier loads.

garys wrote:It should be interesting to see how aluminum works. It is about 1/2 weight of iron, but also about 1/2 strength of iron. It should work for light clamping, but might be prone to bending under heavier loads.

I would like to think that thin wall conduit works for this application but I have serious doubt. I'll be watching for the results.

Couple of comments. (1) Galvanized iron pipe can slip slightly with pipe clamps that have 3 or 4 clamping strips unless you lightly sand and clean the surface. Once you do that the slippage is usually not a problem. (2) With enough clamping force even iron pipe will bow somewhat. I would expect aluminum or thin wall steel conduit to bow with about 1/2 the clamping force. If you exceed the tensile strength of the material the pipe will be permanently slightly bent. (yes I have some bent pipe). If you need the clamp jaws to stay parallel, then perhaps invest in Bessey or similar clamps for those type of projects. (3) The steel clamping strips will lightly score iron pipe under moderately heavy loads. I would expect aluminum would mark much easier. May or not be a problem.

I'm not the strongest guy on earth but, I've only managed to bend 1/2" pipe with clamping pressure. And that was on fully extended 6' clamps.
Ain't no way I'm gonna bend my 3/4" pipes.

I may be wrong but what would you need to clamp so tightly that it would bend a 3/4" pipe? Any examples would be appreciated.

I'd need to put a cheater bar on the handles to get that kind of clamping pressure. And, the handle would probably bend or break before the 3/4" pipe would bend. For the life of me, I can't imagine ever needing that much pressure.