Wood storage and black pipe

[Pete W]

I'm looking to solve my wood storage problems. An extensive google on the subject has turned up a couple of ideas that should work nicely. However...

Many of the US designs employ black pipe (or galvanized pipe) set into drilled timber. There's one bit of my space-challenged workshop where this would be a great solution but I'm having trouble tracking down suitable pipe. Since the UK has switched almost-exclusively to PVC and copper piping, iron pipe of any description seems to have disappeared. A visit to the local DIY outlets turned up nothing but some lengths of 16mm tubular steel. 16mm is the outside diameter but the tube walls seem a bit on the thin side.

Anyone with an engineering bent able to say whether that would be a suitable substitute? Or anyone have any ideas as to a supplier of an appropriate material? (I know that pipe clamp fittings are available here without pipe, suggesting that it should be available from somewhere!)

Pete with no room to work

 

[dickm]

Not quite sure how you were planning to use the pipe, but electrical conduit might do the trick? From memory, it comes in 20mm OD, with a wall thickness of about 1mm. But it's not cheap!

 

[jasonB]

Any decent plumbers merchant will have black or galv pipe and fittings.

You want 3/4" pipe which has an OD of approx 1 1/16" and a wall thickness of about 1/8" - much stronger that conduit.

What part of london are you in? should be a Plumbcenter near you.

Jason

 

[Green]

Try a steel fabricators. They will have loads of tube and pipe lying about.

 

[ProShop]

iron pipe of any description seems to have disappeared. A visit to the local DIY outlets turned up nothing but some lengths of 16mm tubular steel. 16mm is the outside diameter but the tube walls seem a bit on the thin side.

Pete,
Black pipe is alive & doing very well in the UK , your just looking in the wrong place.
look up your local plumbing merchants

 

[engineer one]

in west london, ie near greenford there is a pipe centre.they certainly have lots of black pipe

paul :wink:

 

[Pete W]

Thanks for all the pointers, everyone.

I'll give the plumber's merchants a try.

But what's up with this anyway? I've searched every online plumber's merchant I can find (including Plumbcenter and Plumbworld) and none of them offers anything but plastic and copper pipe online. Is black pipe illegal? Do you have to know the secret password? Do they keep it under the counter for 'personal customers only'? :?

Pete perplexed

 

[engineer one]

pete you have to try a metal stockist.

in greenford off the a40, just behind the old b&q there is a pipe centre
in which i have bought black pipe within the last couple of years.

no wheels at present otherwise would find out what they stock

paul :wink:

 

[Scrit]

But what's up with this anyway? I've searched every online plumber's merchant I can find (including Plumbcenter and Plumbworld) and none of them offers anything but plastic and copper pipe online. Is black pipe illegal?

No, but it's a low value heavy product which is a bit difficult to post.........

 

[StevieB]

Try an electrical wholesalers such as TLC. They do steel pipe for running cables through with fittings etc the same as with plastic conduit.

http://www.tlc-direct.co.uk/Main_Index/Conduit_Steel_Index/index.html

HTH,

Steve.

 

[jasonB]

The steel pipe is not something that a DIYer is likely to use as it is now mostly used for commercial work where its resistance to damage is a big advantage, also most DIYers don't have the tools to thread it.

Again I would advise against using electrical conduit as it does not have the strength for piling loads of timber onto.

One other option if you cant find black iron pipe is to use "circular hollow section" steel 26.9 OD with a wall thickness of 3.2mm will be about the same as the pipe, ask your local steel stockholder.

Jason

 

[devonwoody]

If you go out late at night with a spade, dig a hole around 36" deep, locate steel pipe, preferably the water one, and cut off a length. :x

 

[Pete W]

If you go out late at night with a spade, dig a hole around 36" deep, locate steel pipe, preferably the water one, and cut off a length. :x

Um, yes... can't help thinking buying it might be easier all round

Thanks again for the help everyone - I'll let you know how I get on.

Pete

 

[Inspector]

Maybe try to locate a company that puts up "Chain Link" (or your equivalent) fences. They might have offcuts or pieces from replaced sections that they may sell or give away. Those pipes would be more than strong enough for the biggest wood rack any of us could need.