Hard to find pipe fitting supplier?

[MechEng2005]

I'm having trouble finding a supplier for the following item:

Black iron cross fitting for 1-1/2" Schedule 40 pipe, butt-weld connection.

I was able to find a socket-weld on McMaster Carr, but that was nearly $50 each. Our customer has requested these be used in construction of some guarding, so there is no requirement for pressure rating or need to meet any standard.

Any help is appreciated!
-- MechEng2005

 

[StevenHPerry]

Isn't "black iron" just painted carbon steel? I think the term "black iron" might be throwing you off.

1.5" BW crosses may not be the most common thing, but I'm sure they're out there. Try going through a pipe and fitting distributor.

- Steve Perry

 

[jte]

Why not just cut one pipe, cope to fit, and weld to the other? If there is no fluid flow - just a structural job - then why do you need a cross fitting?

jt

 

[MechEng2005]

StevenHPerry: The piping distributor we typically use did not have them. I wanted to see if anybody that is more familar with piping and fitting specifically had any ideas.

jte: The customer specifically requested the butt-weld crosses. What you describe is what I normally do.

Thank you both for your responses. Currently, I have submitted the quote to the customer and took exception to using the crosses. I would be interested if anybody were able to find them or provide an explanation for why they aren't available.

-- MechEng2005

 

[racookpe1978]

The pipe cutting, fitting, welding, and grinding to a hands-free, completely smooth contour takes much, much longer.

As a architectural (handrail) item being used by lots of customers entering and leaving (using the stairs), the grinding and smoothing sometimes takes longer than the welding.

I don't have my King Architectural Metals at

http://www.kingmetals.

or Wagner catalogs with me, but I've bought tees and crosses from them regularly. King is usually chepaer. Their Tee's for example, are about 5.00 each.

I recommend 1-1/4 dia handrails. Both 1-1/4 and 1-1/2 are ADA-OSHA legal with respect to maximum-minimum handrail grip sizes, but the smaller 1-1/4 handrails "feel" better to most people's sizes.

 

[moltenmetal]

Using pipe and butt-welding fittings to make handrail is strong and safe- as long as the customer is willing to PAY for it!

Using pipe,and especially with butt-welding fittings, is NOT the most efficient, or even the 2nd-most efficient, way to build safe handrail.

Go to a real industrial pipe fittings supplier for a decent price on the crosses, NOT a re-seller/catalog store like McMaster-Carr. When you do that, call them carbon steel, not "black iron". "Black iron" is a term more commonly used to refer to malleable/ductile cast iron screwed fittings.

The real sch40 butt-welding cross will be cheaper than a forged steel socket welding 3000# fitting which is probably what you were looking at. But it's still an expensive way to make handrail whichever way you slice it.

 

[racookpe1978]

Some handrail suppliers even provide "folded fittings" (bent flat plate 11 to 14 gauge) rather than "pipe" (pressure tight) steel fittings.

(Handrail hydrostatic pressure tests tend to be required only when the parts sit outside upside down in the rail overnight ... Regrettably, most handrail pressure tests tend to pass.)

 

[MechEng2005]

Thanks again to everybody. I was able to find a 1-1/2" flush weld cross through Wagner as suggested by Rapookpe1978.

I agree with others, there are cheaper ways to make guarding than using pipe. However, the customer has a building full of guarding made with pipe and it's what they want, so it's what they'll get (and be charged for of course). (As an aside, we've even had customers require 2" x 2" x 1/4" wall square tubing for handrails. Talk about not the cheapest option...)

-- MechEng2005

 

[Compositepro]

"Black iron" pipe basically means "not galvanized".