Strengthening copper pipe by filling with solid

[Doug Miller]

A tube is considerably stronger than a solid rod of the same *weight* -- but considerably weaker than a solid rod of the same *diameter*.

[Norminn]

Wood dowel would be my choice.

[Michael Baugh]

I needed a 12ft curtain rod, with heavy curtains. I used a

3/4" c> Jeff Wisnia wrote in

[nicksanspam]

How often?

Nick

[Fred]

Don't use premixed concrete, that wouldn't work. Use one part cement to 5 part clean sand (which now is concrete) that shouldn't have problem getting into the pipe along with some reinforcement like a #3 rebar.

[Duane Bozarth]

....

Copper comes in 20' joints although many of the retail places resell it in 10' (or shorter) lengths....

[Goedjn]

[Sherman]

Fiberglass kits would be so easy for this project.

You can use just the liquid with the hardener added or you could fill the liquid with the fiberglass cut into small pieces for super strength. Either one will work.

[Goedjn]

Use the biggest pipe you can. SInce copper pipe typically comes in 10' lengths, you're probably going to need a connector in the middle. Hopefully, you can add a third support here.

Don't use Rebar. Run aircraft cable down the pipe, then fill the pipe with cement with fine aggregate. Then pre-stress the pipe with about a 1" camber, blocking it in place on the floor, and crank the shit out of the aircraft cable. Let this dry for about 3 days. When you put this up, set the camber so that it crowns up. In order for this arch to collapse, the ends have to move apart. If you can rigidly constrain them you MIGHT be ok. Be warned, however, that a weight on the top of a 1" high, 16' long arch has a huge mechanical advantage, so you're not going to resist the sideways thrust with a couple

10-penny-nails and a block of wood. You want big-ass steel brackets.

--Goedjn

[Duane Bozarth]

I agree and the weight will be more than the tubing will hold w/o flexing, anyway methinks...

The tension rod idea might help some though...

[Goedjn]

The concrete isn't there as a beam-member, it's there mostly to keep the cable from moving around, and partly to keep the tube from collapsing. I do agree that there's a good chance this won't work, but it's the best I could come up with, given the constraints.

[Duane Bozarth]

....

Far better would be to satisfy that design criterion by using washers w/ a small hole in the middle on the cable to avoid the added weight....

[Jim Yanik]

Jeff Wisnia wrote in news: [e-mail]:

Some areas have higher humidity that others.

[Red Cloud©]

So, the curtain rod could then also power some nice mood lighting!

rusty redcloud

[Edwin Pawlowski]

Considering the small diameter of hte tubing, won't the cement just crack with a little bump or stress? Your idea is far better than just filling the tubing, but it does not it seems as though there is much room for a strong shear section of concrete.

[here]

Dude

Think about this once. The purpose of copper (or any) pipe is to transfer water or another liquid. If you fill it with a solid, how in the hell is a liquid going to get thru?

You get an "F" in basic science.

Back to science class you go !!!

[dances_with_barkadas]

pardon my dullwittedness, could you please clarify? You mean, lay it down on the floor, with one end an inch higher than the other? Secured thusly?