Stiffening a length of copper pipe

[Brian Gaff]

Yes its seemed but rather springy unlike copper which will just bow permanently. Also what about some bamboo? Brian

[Chris Hogg]

Yebbut, that's unconstrained cement. In a tube, where it's constrained, it will behave differently, although IANA civil engineer so can't say how in detail. But if you try and bend an open copper pipe, at some stage it will kink and flatten. Concrete inside it will stop that. Anyway, I was looking for stiffness not strength as such.

[The Natural Philosopher]

Wrong. Steel is much stiffer than copper.

Strength doesn?t come into it

[The Natural Philosopher]

Yup.

But thats adding strength, not stiffness.

I think a carbon fibre tube inside might be fun.

[PeterC]

I guess the 'oval' (sort of elliptical, actually) would be the stronger sort, with the major axis vertical.

[Vir Campestris]

Once of the reasons carbon fibre has come into use for things like golf clubs and boat masts is that it can be made really springy.

Andy

[Thomas Prufer]

If they have it: the oval section ones are much stiffer along the long axis.

Thomas Prufer

[Bob Eager]

Are we really sure that it's copper pipe he needs to stiffen :)

[The Natural Philosopher]

Exactly. It wont help a lot. Its quite elastic in compression* and rips apart in tension

*you would be surprised how much bounce there is in a block-and-beam floor.

[The Natural Philosopher]

One of te reason they make prop shafts out of it is that it can be made really unspringy.

:-)

[Brian Reay]

I'd advise against (bare) copper. It will react with humidity in the air perhaps the chemicals in the dyes in the fabric- possibly damaging your wife's hardwork.

(I speak from experience, although not with copper pipe. Around the time we met (some 40+ years ago) my wife did a very intricate embroider picture. It hung for years in our bedroom. It had been framed- we bought the frame and I think she did it framed it herself. Over the years, the chemicals from the backing board stained the background. We've later learned there are techniques to prevent this- several but that is not relevant here.)

You could cover the pipe in plastic sleeve, the kind used to cover wires, it is cheap and available in various sizes. Heat shrink would be good but expensive for that much.

I'd be equally wary of galvanized or bare steel.

To stop/reduce bending, a bit of dole, covered in epoxy, and forced in would probably do the job.

However, I'd use either a chrome tube for a wardrobe rail- if it will fit. These a rigid.

OR a length of 15mm stainless pipe. That will also be rigid.

Neither are likely to react with moisture and/or chemicals in the dye.

[newshound]

Chromed wardrobe rail is cheap enough anyway.

[Chris Hogg]

Which I've now bought, the oval type, just the right length - doesn't even need cutting.

[Chris Hogg]

I should have also mentioned that I also got a pair of these

There is some narrow coving, but a small gap between the quilt and the wall is probably no bad thing as it will allow air to circulate. All I have to do now is fix them to the ceiling. With a lot of luck, there'll be joists in the right places, but failing that I'll probably put up a batten. I'm not really happy about just fixing them to the plasterboard.

[Chris Hogg]

7.74kg. 2 brackets, 2 screws each, so say 2kg per screw. Straight pull down from the ceiling. Into plasterboard? I'm not sure I'd be happy with that but I may be wrong. These things perhaps or these ? Don't know their loading capability. But I haven't explored exactly where the joists run yet.

[Thomas Prufer]

The first are rated around 8 kg load...

Thomas Prufer

[Vir Campestris]

Odd. If the made it springy they wouldn't need a DMF.

Andy

[tabbypurr]

it would flap uncontrollably.

NT

[Aaron]

That?s not correct. It?s a lot lighter than a metal one.

[Chris Hogg]

Useful. Thanks. In that case, I think I'll go in that direction. It's the simplest option, all things considered.