Replies

1. 
   MarkRD | Mar 14, 2005 06:42pm | #1

   ALuminum is quite conductive and unlikley to collapse under vaccuum. Assuming you can make the fittings work and put in jumpers (clean the surface of the aluminum well before mounting the jumpers to remove oxidation) seems like it would make sense to me.

   Mark

   Measure it with a micrometer, mark it with chalk, cut it with an ax.

2. 
   Kent_F | Mar 14, 2005 09:43pm | #2

   Interesting idea. I can't see any reason not to use aluminum pipe, and it would simplify grounding. Of course, the issue of whether you need to ground your DC system has been heavily debated, but I think it's worth doing just to eliminate nuisance shocks.

   The practicality all depends on whether "close" in size is really "close enough" to get a good fit with PVC fittings.  PVC pipe is pretty cheap, so it's not going to be worth messing with the aluminum pipe if you have to seal a 1/4" gap at every joint.

    

3. 
   mike4244 | Mar 15, 2005 03:17am | #3

   Certainly will work, used to farm until 1987. 3" 4" 5" and 6" pipe is common.The ends have O rings that are compressed with a lever locking clamp. Very quick to lock or unlock if the aluminum pipe fits the machine nipple. You can cut piece of the pipe and make a nipple flange if need be. Now I'm sorry I sold my pipe, could of connected enough pipe  to blow the chips to the dump, just need a 100 hp blower motor.

   mike

4. 
   aaronb | Mar 15, 2005 04:20pm | #4

   I'm sure it would work and if you have access to a bunch of it for free give it a try. Although when i just did my shop using spiral pipe the straight runs of piping was cheap, it is the fittings, elbows and "y's" that are the real $$. I don't know that you would expend a lot of $$ using real spiral pipe and still go with plastic fittings to save some money. Just an idea, the spiral pipe maybe lighter and a little easier to cut and work with. I think that i paid $17 for a 10' long section of 6" spiral, not too bad.

   Good luck

   Aaron

1. 
   KLW1975 | Mar 15, 2005 05:48pm | #5

   Aaron,

   Thanks for your reply and thanks to all others who have given me advice on this subject.  I haven't been able to find spiral pipe that cheap.  Did you buy that locally or through a mail order company?  I didn't think about using spiral pipe and pvc fittings,,,that would work also. 

   Thanks again!

   Kevin

1. 
   aaronb | Mar 15, 2005 11:22pm | #6

   I purchased mine here in Minneapolis from Spiral Manufactures. Good Luck