Using plumbers 3/4" steel piping for making fitness equipment?

Oct 29, 2006 6 Replies

Hi all, I have seen many web sites in the USA where guys have made very good training equipment for use in the home, chin up bars, small dumbells etc. They are all made from 3/4" steel piping and joined together with unions either stright or angled.



I assume there would also be the matter of cutting a thread on there which should not be too hard..the fittings would already be threaded.



Having searched widely, I cannot find a single UK outfit selling these materials.



Does anyone know where they could be sourced in the UK? and has anyone tried making anything from this kind of piping?



Regards Alan



Have a look at

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the thread is easy if you go to a decent hire shop and ask for a pipe threader. There are manual ones and for larger pipe powered ones available.

If you want to go really heavy why not ask for some lengths of scaffold tube at a local scaffolders and use that. Might not be as pretty but if you break it using it put your name down for "The worlds strongest man" competition ;-)

Conduit from an electrical wholesaler? Of course you might have problems getting 3/4" as it's been metric for years. Try 20mm.

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Since you say Unions I assume we are talking steam pipe?

Harder than you might suppose. Fittings can be threaded or weldable

Look in your Yellow Pages for your local Pipeline Centre. They will have all you need.

Have you thought about using Kee-Klamp fittings? They don't need threading, you just cut the pipe, put the fitting on and tighten a big Allen screw. Also you can get different sizes, and I think maybe if the lengths of pipe are over say 3 feet your 3/4" pipe might be a bit weak.

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Thanks to everyone that answered.

It was very helpful.

Regards Alan Peter Taylor wrote:

Your local branch of BSS, or local Wolseley Pipe Centre, or Ashworth Frazer, will sell pipe from 15mm (1/2") to 150mm (6") in 6.3m lengths either galvanised or black. Also they all stock a range of fittings

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