running emt straight

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quiet_canuck

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Hi, I was just wondering if anyone had any tips on running emt straight. I measure the best I can but the pipe still gets wavey. Thanks.
 
Flex said:
Pipe usually comes from the supply house somewhat bowed. I try to turn the bow up or out of sight.
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I'll try to take a moment and mark the conduit which way the bow won't show. With .3/4" I'll even put a hand on it...

I'll use a "story pole" or a string. :grin:
 
Use straps near couplings and everywhere else. And learn to let it go. You are probably the only person that will ever notice the wave. You make it straight up to a tolerance.

Even using a laser, I doubt you would see daylight looking through a 200' run of any conduit. Has anyone out there achieved that ideal?
 
It's on a drywalled ceiling. I really dont think the conduit is the problem.

What's the fast way to run straight pipe. In detail if its not too much trouble, thanks.
 
quiet_canuck said:
Hi, I was just wondering if anyone had any tips on running emt straight. I measure the best I can but the pipe still gets wavey. Thanks.
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It might help if you gave us some more details. Are you running this in the wavey steel of a large building (if so, pull a string line).

If you are installing it horizontal, a level and some extra strapping can do wonders. A level and vertical usually looks good.

Details?
 
I'm running the pipe on a drywalled ceiling. Runs are no more than 100'.

I was wondering the quickest way to run straight pipe. Id appreciate if you went into detail, say u start out of a box. Thanks.
 
quiet_canuck said:
I'm running the pipe on a drywalled ceiling. Runs are no more than 100'.

I was wondering the quickest way to run straight pipe. Id appreciate if you went into detail, say u start out of a box. Thanks.
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If you don't have a laser then I would snap a chalk line on the ceiling and use that as a guide. If running more than one pipe adjacent to each other use the first straight one run with the line as a guide for the rest.
 
I use a Dewalt laser that gives a vertical &/or a horizontal line. Measure out the starting and ending points on the floor. Adjust the positon of the laser until the vertical line connects both points and start running conduit. Mutliple runs get strut. Be cautious about looking into the Laser, instructions recommend protective eyewear.
 
quiet_canuck said:
What's the fast way to run straight pipe. In detail if its not too much trouble, thanks.
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Practice!!!!! The more you do it the easier it gets. The first thing to do is learn to run the conduit straight and then the speed will come with time. Make sure that what you are measuring off of is straight, walls are not aways straight, measure off columns.

All the tips given so far are good one's but you just have to know when and where to use them and this comes with practice. :)
 
SS.

Daughter & I hung her new plasma TV a few years ago. We are both anal so we took the time to make sure it was centered in the wall space & level. Her husband who has a hard time reading a tape measure walks in just as we are fininshing and says "IT'S CROOKED!!" The wall under it is parrallel with the concrete, not level. Installation LLS until she put some greenery between the lower furred out wall & the TV.

Straight conduit will be relative to what you are comparing it to.
 
I'm old school I guess. I just use a measuring tape and a level. I use the
bowed pieces of EMT for ceiling spaces. One tip I can give you is
when the weight of the EMT starts throwing the run off level, add
more straps or supports. 24" levels are a great help for a straight run
as well.
 
Karl H said:
I'm old school I guess. I just use a measuring tape and a level. I use the
bowed pieces of EMT for ceiling spaces. One tip I can give you is
when the weight of the EMT starts throwing the run off level, add
more straps or supports. 24" levels are a great help for a straight run
as well.
Click to expand...


Good info, and I would like to add, let the supply house keep the damaged EMT on their rack, not your job.
 
infinity said:
If you don't have a laser then I would snap a chalk line on the ceiling and use that as a guide. If running more than one pipe adjacent to each other use the first straight one run with the line as a guide for the rest.
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If you do snap a chalk line make sure you use only blue chalk. Per the labels on the chalk containers, there is no known way to remove red or yellow chalk.
 
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