where to find 3" ID pipe or post?

[gpflepsen]

This morning I stopped by my local junk/scrap yard and picked up a 9' long 4" sch 40 pipe for $0.30/lb. It was 98 lbs = $30. I think cover charge, 2 drink minimum and tips would exceed $50, so I got a good deal and am not drunk for the rest of the day.

I think someone earlier mentioned pipe OD and schedule thickness. Pipe is called by ID at sizes less then 14", then OD is determined by schedule thickness. Anyway, my pipe sleeve for the polar mount is 5" sc10 with an ID about 1/2" larger then the 4" sc40 4-1/2" OD.

The ground is so frickin' hard from the lack of moisture, I might have to get the dynamite out to get a hole dug... I'm looking forward to that... NOT!

 

[harshness]

I think someone earlier mentioned pipe OD and schedule thickness. Pipe is called by ID at sizes less then 14", then OD is determined by schedule thickness.

Wrong on both counts.

Below 14", pipe size is neither the ID nor the OD but somewhere in between. At 14" and up, pipe size is OD.

Pipe schedule (wall thickness) determines ID, not OD. All pipe of the same pipe size has the same OD (within tolerances); the thicker the wall, the smaller the ID.

For round tubing, the size is always the OD.

 

[gpflepsen]

Wrong on both counts.

Below 14", pipe size is neither the ID nor the OD but somewhere in between. At 14" and up, pipe size is OD.

Pipe schedule (wall thickness) determines ID, not OD. All pipe of the same pipe size has the same OD (within tolerances); the thicker the wall, the smaller the ID.

For round tubing, the size is always the OD.

Thanks. I was getting loose with the "nominal" and that the ID at sch 40 pipe ends up very close to the OD - wall thickness, at the sizes we're using for dish mounts.

 

[gpflepsen]

Wrong on both counts.

Below 14", pipe size is neither the ID nor the OD but somewhere in between. At 14" and up, pipe size is OD.

Pipe schedule (wall thickness) determines ID, not OD. All pipe of the same pipe size has the same OD (within tolerances); the thicker the wall, the smaller the ID.

For round tubing, the size is always the OD.

Thanks. I was getting loose with the "nominal" and that the ID at sch 40 pipe ends up very close to the OD - wall thickness, at the sizes we're using for dish mounts.

 

[harshness]

Thanks. I was getting loose with the "nominal" and that the ID at sch 40 pipe ends up very close to the OD - wall thickness, at the sizes we're using for dish mounts.

I can agree with that.

If you've got a 3.5" ID sleeve on your mount, you need to order a 3" pipe (or 3.5" round tubing) and that is independent of schedule (wall thickness). Any discussion of IDs only confuses the issue (unless you're slipping pipe into pipe) because it presumes you know the schedule of the pipe.

 

[primestar31]

Hopefully the OP has realized by now that the Sadoun 6 footer needs a 3" O.D. O utside D iameter pipe!

If he buys a 3" Schedule 40 pipe, the mount will NOT fit on it!

 

[toucan-man]

I wish mounts had a bit more flexibility in the OD's they require, but such is life. I have a beautiful stainless steel pole I picked up for a song, but it's just a wee bit too large in the OD for a Primestar. Will have to adapt it somehow, cause I just love shiny poles...

 

[primestar31]

I wish mounts had a bit more flexibility in the OD's they require, but such is life. I have a beautiful stainless steel pole I picked up for a song, but it's just a wee bit too large in the OD for a Primestar. Will have to adapt it somehow, cause I just love shiny poles...

Primestar's need 2 -3/8" poles. This is an easy fix. Simply find a longer 2-3/8" piece of pipe, and stick it down the middle of your larger one so enough of the tip sticks out to mount the Primestar dish. You can drill holes all the way through both, and bolt it tight.

 

[toucan-man]

It's actually too small ID to do this, wish i had gotten the next size larger in stainless, but the scrapyard is out of it now. I have some galvanized pipe in 2 3/8", and guess I'll try bolting a short length to the outside at the top. I suspect this will work and that nobody will notice. The local welder doesn't have any rods to join stainless to regular steel or iron, and he didn't seem interested in getting any, otherwise I'd have him try and butt it together.

OR, maybe I can find a threaded fitting, an adapter I can bolt to the stainless. I don't know exactly how yet, but will get 'er done one way or the other -- thanks for the encouragement.

 

[primestar31]

So, you buy a length of pvc pipe as close to 2-3/8 inch as you can find. You split it down the middle on one side, taking enough of a slice out of it to squeeze it together enough to fit down the middle of your stainless pipe. Hopefully, even squeezed together to fit the pipe, it's still large enough at the top to hold the Primestar dish... You could always also stuff the Primestar end of the split pvc pipe with a chunk of large wood dowel (or something), so tightening the Primestar dish bolts doesn't crush down the pipe...

 

[cermak]

OP here. I actually took the mount to the welding place and like Cinderella's shoe, found a sched 40 that fit and bought 2 8 foot sections. 1 is for the 6 foot c band and the other for a 37" ku that is currently on a pole that is leaning south and east. I'll leave the old pole for hanging bird feeders since the eating birds aren't as picky as the ones the dishes point at.

 

[rv1pop]

Those expansion swedgers (often used for tailpipe / muffler installs) will do a little expansion on stainless. Not much good on water line!

 

[toucan-man]

Those expansion swedgers (often used for tailpipe / muffler installs) will do a little expansion on stainless. Not much good on water line!

I like this idea. 2" PVC conduit just about fits inside the stainless, but the dish clamp is loose on it. Would prefer using the 2 3/8" OD galvanized sign post tubing, the swedger need only open up the stainless a tiny bit.

 

[toucan-man]

Those expansion swedgers (often used for tailpipe / muffler installs) will do a little expansion on stainless. Not much good on water line!

I took the stainless pipe to a muffler guy and he opened it up a bit for a dollar. Plus I got to pet his big junkyard dogs. The 2 3/8" OD galvanized pipe fits in it like a glove now. The stainless mounting pole will look nice, THANKS FOR YOUR IDEA !!!!

 

[Anole]

A buck for a cuddle, eh?
Sounds like you made out! -