Any Electricians Around?

tyhuck · August 30, 2011

So Im trying to come up with a light duty tubing that I can make some side steps out of for my truck once I get the BL put on, and I am leaning toward some EMT conduit. I dont want to use pipe because the thinnest pipe I can find is a schedule 40 reject pipe (around a sch 30 in actuality) which would be pretty dang heavy for what I want to use it for. And, I cant find anyone locally that sells some thin walled tubing.

So, Im looking at the information that I could find on EMT such as wall thickness and diameters, it is very similar to the type of tubing used by N-fab or Go Rhino. My question is, do any of you guys that work with EMT on a regular basis know if it would be stout enough to use as a running board for a pickup? Im planning on using 2 1/2" or 3" with an 8" span,

Im a pretty big boy, so I would need it to hold at least 300# without bending. Do you think 2 1/2" or 3" would do it?

wavery · August 30, 2011

EMT is incredibly strong. I think that your bigger issue may be fastening it. That stuff is terrible to weld and I have never been able to get a good strong weld joint with it. Maybe others can..... I sure can't.

tyhuck · August 31, 2011

Welding it is no problem. Just take the majority of the galvenized coating off with a wire wheel and get a good quality MIG welder and have it set properly. Ive welded EMT that will hold up to a beating better than the actual tubing will. The main issue Im gonna have is having it hold its shape with my big A$$ getting in and out on it.

I was just worried that it was a lower quality steel, or a softer steel than stadard mild steel.

General Lee 01 · August 31, 2011

I dabbled in Electrical for a couple of years.... Though it's been 5 years since I got out of it. So I'm not sure how reliable my info will be to you.

Personally, I'd go with IMC or Rigid, over EMT.

From what I can remember, it didn't take much to bend EMT. It's a pretty thin material you're working with. Granted, I never worked with any EMT that was over 1" diameter, so maybe it gets stronger the larger in diameter you go. It's pretty tough, but I'm not sure I'd trust EMT to withstand a fully grown person using it as a step-rail day-in and day-out.

IMC/Rigid is a whole diifferent story. Hulk Hogan could probably do jumping jacks on it and not bend it.

Like I said I've been out of the game for 5 years though, I'm just going by the scant things I DO remember about it. So you might just wanna take it with a grain of salt.

The one thing I can tell you that you can take all the way to the bank. If you decide on any of those 3, you're gonna want a rhino-line or line-x finish on it. Slippery when wet!

tyhuck · August 31, 2011

I dabbled in Electrical for a couple of years.... Though it's been 5 years since I got out of it. So I'm not sure how reliable my info will be to you.

Personally, I'd go with IMC or Rigid, over EMT.

From what I can remember, it didn't take much to bend EMT. It's a pretty thin material you're working with. Granted, I never worked with any EMT that was over 1" diameter, so maybe it gets stronger the larger in diameter you go. It's pretty tough, but I'm not sure I'd trust EMT to withstand a fully grown person using it as a step-rail day-in and day-out.

IMC/Rigid is a whole diifferent story. Hulk Hogan could probably do jumping jacks on it and not bend it.

Like I said I've been out of the game for 5 years though, I'm just going by the scant things I DO remember about it. So you might just wanna take it with a grain of salt.

The one thing I can tell you that you can take all the way to the bank. If you decide on any of those 3, you're gonna want a rhino-line or line-x finish on it. Slippery when wet!

I thought about using sch 40 pipe, which is very similar to rigid but doesnt have the gavenised coating, but I was trying to save some weight. I may just have to be the guinnie (sp) pig on this one and see how it works. I was thinking the larger diameter stuff would be stiffer.

If it turns out that it wont work, I will try square tubing. I can get that in thin wall locally, and its incredibly strong for its weight. Especially if you turn it on its edge so that its a diamond shape.

hockeypro1411 · September 3, 2011

You can get really fancy and call up a supply house and ask for either schedule 5 or 10 stainless 3" pipe. If you only need pieces that are a few feet, you may be able to get it relatively cheap. But then you'll also have to know how to weld stainless.

reiling3 · September 3, 2011

I've been working with 2.5in (trade size) EMT this past week. I think is 2 7/8 O.D. Pretty stout stuff. I use a big ass hydraulic bender to bend it. I think it would hold up just fine if your just using them as steps and not rock sliders. And if it doesn't work your not out much since EMT is pretty cheap.