I volunteered to help build a structure for a high school club. We need the following types of black steel pipe for a non-plumbing project but load bearing project. The pipe will be carrying (suspended) a good amount of weight, not sure how much but my guess is approx 100#. I've been unable to find any sources. Just wondering if anyone has source suggestions.

• 1.25" Nominal, schedule 40, 10 ft
• 1.25" Nominal, schedule 40, 5 ft, threaded on each end

For the 10ft pipe, I checked:

• HomeDepot and found this, but it's not available at any nearby stores and also not order-able/deliverable. https://www.homedepot.com/p/1-1-4-in-x-10-ft-Black-Steel-Pipe-GS11-410BTBE/300682840

• Lowes and they have something that *appears* to be correct, per dimensions, but it appears to be decorative and is not labeled as schedule 40. https://www.lowes.com/pd/LDR-1-1-4-in-x-10-ft-150-PSI-Black-Iron-Pipe/3538962

I also checked a few other places (online);

• Tractor Supply (not much supply at all)
• Fergusons (I'll call local place tomorrow, looks like you have to buy in 21ft lengths). Not sure if they sell to the general public or just to plumbing professionals.
• Amazon (no exact matches)

Location.

1. If in Dallas or Houston...call Ameripipe. (One of many they aren't the only ones). or google pipe supply your hometown.

2. Call your nearest welding shop....let them know what you are looking for. They might have it or let you know the nearest pipe supply company they order from.

3. Call the local high school or junior college....welding dept if you can. Ask them where they get their pipe.

Type of project? Would tube steel or angle iron work? Have a welder or parent who welds? Much cheaper and probably can find a local source.

Spent many years building props and 100# is not very much weight.

Where are you located at? There are plenty of companies that will donate stuff like this for school projects, but not places like Home Depot, Lowes etc because their corporate structure does not lend itself to making things like that happen quickly. Call some local mid to larger sized commercial plumbing companies or plumbing supply companies and ask them.

Metal Mart, Steel Supply, onlinemetals.com, Grainger

Hell, Amazon will have it.

But for a 100# load, go get some EMT conduit from,HD or Lowe's or Ace and you will be fine.

Depends on where you are.
Houston - SSS steel
East Texas - Texas Iron and Steel

1.25" pipe/ conduit is a ******* size

go to 1.5" or 2"

EMT is not SCHD40

I am an electrical contractor and have a shop full of 1.25" dies and not an excess stick in the yard

I think 1.25" is/was a plumbing size, but it is not in the NEC anymore

What is this "structure" you are wanting to build? Things don't add up with calling it a structure, the pipe you're wanting to use and the load levels.

nonameag99 said:

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1.25" pipe/ conduit is a ******* size

go to 1.5" or 2"

EMT is not SCHD40

I am an electrical contractor and have a shop full of 1.25" dies and not an excess stick in the yard

I think 1.25" is/was a plumbing size, but it is not in the NEC anymore

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I bought 3 sticks of 1.25 EMT to make legs for my protein feeder out of earlier this year at Home Depot. Works great for that application, wasn't terribly expensive. May have been 1.5", honestly can't remember though now.

Onlinemetals.com

Thanks all for the comments. I'll review and reply back as an FYI. I forgot that I did check Grainger last night, they didn't have what I needed, as I recall, but I'll check again.

I may have had the load wrong; the structure is intended to hold a robot (that the students will build) to mimic the support structure that will be used during competitions. I haven't seen the actual robot yet, it's currently being designed/built.

Because of the intended use (to mimic the support device used during competitions), the tubes must be 1.25" pipe. I assume sch 40 is due to the weight being supported.

I'll try to get some pics and more detail on the weight

In Houston:

Pipeline Supply
Myoco Pipeline Supply
Maverick International
Distibution Now (D-Now)
MRC (McJunkin Redman)

yeah, max weight of the robot is 125#, but there's also some wood that the 10' tube will also be supporting. So, I don't know the total weight, but my gut-feel is less than 200#.

Here's a link to all of the drawings (warning: document is 100+ pages). We're currently working on the part (Shield Generator) that begins on page 50, approx half-way into the document. Suffice to say that we don't really have any option on the tube type https://firstfrc.blob.core.windows.net/frc2020/PlayingField/2020TeamDrawing-HalfField.pdf

ETA1: Trying to post a couple of images




ETA2: Not sure why those images don't render. I recall some time back (years?) TexAgs wouldn't show images with https, but I thought that was no longer an issue.

ETA3: Adding links to the images
https://imgur.com/iPzTE2R
https://imgur.com/upHFP2F

Image help:

Where are you located Caesar? I may have enough scrap to give you what you need.
If not, any metal sales place will have it

ghollow said:

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Where are you located Caesar? I may have enough scrap to give you what you need.
If not, any metal sales place will have it

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Austin area.

I would just google "Austin metal sales" and pick the one closest to you. Lots of places come up, so it doesn't seem like you would be driving far. I know there is a place called Metals4You that is near 35/45, if you are in the RR/Pflugerville area.

Googling this also gave me three local places at least:
"black steel pipe 1 1/4 near Austin, tx"

Caesar4 said:

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ghollow said:

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Where are you located Caesar? I may have enough scrap to give you what you need.
If not, any metal sales place will have it

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Austin area.

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Sorry, I am in DFW.

Lowes sells an 1 1/4" galvanized steel pipe that might work for you since there does not appear to be any welding involved. They have galvanized floor flanges as well.

If not, there are several Metals4U locations in the Austin area that should carry it

Caesar4 said:

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I volunteered to help build a structure for a high school club. We need the following types of black steel pipe for a non-plumbing project but load bearing project. The pipe will be carrying (suspended) a good amount of weight, not sure how much but my guess is approx 100#. I've been unable to find any sources. Just wondering if anyone has source suggestions.

• 1.25" Nominal, schedule 40, 10 ft
• 1.25" Nominal, schedule 40, 5 ft, threaded on each end

For the 10ft pipe, I checked:

• HomeDepot and found this, but it's not available at any nearby stores and also not order-able/deliverable. https://www.homedepot.com/p/1-1-4-in-x-10-ft-Black-Steel-Pipe-GS11-410BTBE/300682840

• Lowes and they have something that *appears* to be correct, per dimensions, but it appears to be decorative and is not labeled as schedule 40. https://www.lowes.com/pd/LDR-1-1-4-in-x-10-ft-150-PSI-Black-Iron-Pipe/3538962

I also checked a few other places (online);

• Tractor Supply (not much supply at all)
• Fergusons (I'll call local place tomorrow, looks like you have to buy in 21ft lengths). Not sure if they sell to the general public or just to plumbing professionals.
• Amazon (no exact matches)

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Give me a PM. I working a pipe distributor and sell this stuff all day. Might be able to talk my boss into donating it if its for a school project

Awesomeness

Caesar4 said:

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ghollow said:

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Where are you located Caesar? I may have enough scrap to give you what you need.
If not, any metal sales place will have it

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Austin area.

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South Austin Metals is awesome

dahouse said:

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In Houston:

Pipeline Supply
Myoco Pipeline Supply
Maverick International
Distibution Now (D-Now)
MRC (McJunkin Redman)

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I doubt Maverick, DNOW, or MRC would want to sell 1 stick of pipe to Joe Schmoe off the street.

Marauder Blue 6 said:

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dahouse said:

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In Houston:

Pipeline Supply
Myoco Pipeline Supply
Maverick International
Distibution Now (D-Now)
MRC (McJunkin Redman)

---

I doubt Maverick, DNOW, or MRC would want to sell 1 stick of pipe to Joe Schmoe off the street.

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They wont, but i will! If anyone needs CS steel or SS pipe let me know and i can get it to you for an aggie discount. Doesnt matter if its just a stick

You might try ACT Pipe & Supply they have locations in DFW and all over the state; not sure if they'll sell to general public. I order through my company from time to time as need arises on projects.

Forgiven_Ag said:

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Marauder Blue 6 said:

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dahouse said:

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In Houston:

Pipeline Supply
Myoco Pipeline Supply
Maverick International
Distibution Now (D-Now)
MRC (McJunkin Redman)

---

I doubt Maverick, DNOW, or MRC would want to sell 1 stick of pipe to Joe Schmoe off the street.

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They wont, but i will! If anyone needs CS steel or SS pipe let me know and i can get it to you for an aggie discount. Doesnt matter if its just a stick

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I need an Aggie discount on some pipe!

Give me your email and I'll send you what I'm looking for.

send me a dm!

Forgiven_Ag said:

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send me a dm!

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You send ME a dm!

Marauder Blue 6 said:

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dahouse said:

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In Houston:

Pipeline Supply
Myoco Pipeline Supply
Maverick International
Distibution Now (D-Now)
MRC (McJunkin Redman)

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I doubt Maverick, DNOW, or MRC would want to sell 1 stick of pipe to Joe Schmoe off the street.

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Yes they will - cash sales happen everyday if it's in stock. However, you can save a 40-50% by going to your local metal shop and buy theirs. The biggest difference is the pipe DNOW/MRC sells is likely hydro tested whereas metal shop's product probably isn't as its meant to be structural only.

Thanks for the responses everyone. We were able to get what the students/team needs.

Pipe is a bad choice for anything other than torsional loads. Angle iron, square tubing, I-beams, channels, etc are much stronger for bending loads.