plastic pipe mechanical strength?

[LCHIEN]

I'm thinking about making a lumber rack as cheaply as possible.

Consider:
Vertical 2x4
Drill hole at 5° above horizontal, 2-1/2" deep
Install/insert 1/2" Schedule 40 PVC pipe, 14-1/2" long
Hole should be pretty close fit to pipe but will be loose (.840" pipe in .875" hole)

Opinions: Can the pipe withstand 30 pounds distributed load and not bend unduly or risk breakage at the point of insertion (or anywhere else)?

Will it be below horizontal, will it creep over time?
is there a higher schedule pipe (schedule 80?) with thicker wall commonly available? (didn't see any at Lowes.)

Would 3/4" PVC pipe 1.050" dia. (1.062" hole) be OK if 1/2 is not?

[LarryG]

I wouldn't trust either size of PVC it for a lumber rack. That's basically gut instinct talking, admittedly.

Why not use EMT (thin-wall conduit)? It'll cost, at a guess, maybe twice as much as the PVC pipe but surely you don't need all THAT much of it.

[Russianwolf]

why not just use galvanized and not have to worry about it. You can even slip pvc piping over the galvanized so that you can roll your lumber off instead of dragging it.

[LCHIEN]

I wouldn't trust either size of PVC it for a lumber rack. That's basically gut instinct talking, admittedly.

Why not use EMT (thin-wall conduit)? It'll cost, at a guess, maybe twice as much as the PVC pipe but surely you don't need all THAT much of it.

Is there anything in the metal pipes that will react with wood?
Galvanized has a lot of tin and zinc that might react and stain wood?

I was calculating 70' or about $14 worth. 4 supports horizontally about every 6" vertically...
If its 12" wide, 6" high and 6' long that's 3 cu ft or around 120 pounds spread over 4 supports, each has to only hold 30 lbs which is about 3-1/2 gallons of water.

[jackellis]

My guess is it'll be marginal at best. I assume you're supporting the pipe at only one end instead of at both ends.

Conduit is one possibility. Another, depending on how much weight the whole rack has to support, is to use a 1x6 or a 2x6 and two pipes in parallel. Third idea, use 1x1 or 1x2 lumber, though cutting proper holes and securing everything is more complicated and time-consuming, and I don't know how the price of lumber and the price for PVC pipe compares.

[scorrpio]

I have recently reworked my shop electrics, hiding all wire into 1" Sch40 PVC conduit (looks awesome!!!), and I can tell you with confidence: too flexible for your needs. That's 1" stuff, 3/4 and 1/2" conduits flex even more.

So, what to do?

EUREKA!!!

a 10' piece of 3/8" steel rebar is only $2.70 at Lowe's. Slip it into your 1/2 conduit, and it'll hold an elephant.

Edit: if you think an additional $27 for rebar will blow the budget, consider reinforcing only two middle supports of each row.

[bigsteel15]

I wouldn't trust either size of PVC it for a lumber rack. That's basically gut instinct talking, admittedly.

Loring,
I believe I can help

I agree with Larry on not using PVC.
I see you're close to Houston. If I can suggest that you call Tubes Inc. (9401 Telge Road, looks like about 30 minutes NE of you, Ph. 281-858-8300) and ask if they have some cut-offs of 3/4" tubing available. I would suggest 14 GA as a minimum but beggars can't be choosers. The name Cheryl rings a bell.

I work in a heat exchanger shop and just grabbed some 15" cut-offs from the scrap bin and used that for exactly what you're describing. The tensile strength on this stuff is plenty high enough that I'm not afraid to pile any amount of weight on it. It will break out of the hole before the tube will bend.
BTW, the plan I used called for 3 degree holes. I'll post the plan tomorrow for you if you want it.

Exchanger tubing is just as strong as pipe but cheaper.

Carbon steel should be less than $1 per foot, especially for crops.
Tubes inc. actually bends tube to specified lengths, so they should have lots of drops available. She may even give them to you. My connection says they usually go in the scrap bin anyways.


Please let me know if it works out.

.......
Sorry, I didn't look at your footage. If you can score a bunch for next to nothing, I guess my idea will work.

[Brian G]

Loring, I used 3/4" EMT conduit for my Lumber Rack.

It's holding up very well. I've even loaded it down a little more heavy than what shows in the photos of the thread I linked above.

If I needed to make another one, I'd do it the same way.

[Wood_workur]

I used shelf brackets in mine. They are adjustable height, and 4 4 foot standards and 12 12 in brackets cost only $20.