1/2 galvanized conduit

[yomax4]

Also, If the voltage is still too high and you continue to burn through, Get some 6013 1/16, turn it down, Remove some of the Galv. Weld her up AC or DC. Pick up a can of Rustoleum Cold Gave to re-galv your welds or Gal-Vis is a stick that you rub on to re galv after heating.

Good Luck..

 

[2manyrocks]

Agree that zinc poisoning from welding galvanized matierial is a concern, but I weld this material outside to reduce the risk.

I think it's harder to mash it flat and then line it up and hold it all together than it is to birds mouth one piece with a hole sale in a drill press and then weld it. Now that I think about it, it's not hard to cut a V in the end with a grinder that will allow a birdsmouth fit. Probably faster anyway

A little grinding does a lot to help when it comes time to weld.

I've done the same sort of thing repairing my dog kennel using galvanized top rail which is larger than 1/2 EMT, but I used a mig. You guys that use stick welders for this are better welders than I am.

I just used aluminum colored paint to paint the welded areas.

 

[AlanB]

I will try and go grab some pictures, and we may be saying the same thing.

I would not "smash it flat" I "squeeze it a bit" Not sure how to say the difference but for me it works best when there is a 1/4" gap or so between the two sides.

I use an Arbor press now, but a hammer, one good lick on either side, or big vice work pretty well.

I struggle with the fishmouths in this instance.

The best guy I ever saw did fishmouths with a 4.5 grinder and brazed it all together. Made camera mounts for the film industry. Could whip those things out, were strong enough and cost little.

I like your chicken coop deal, ours are free ranging at the moment but we have been thinking about something along those lines.

 

[kidr]

I know this is a welding thread, but really PVC might be a better choice for this project. You could use 2 or 3" for the base and 3/4 plastic elec. conduit to form hoops to attach fencing. If it's all glued up adding water in the base will make it more stable. Just an alternative to think about,and maybe a little easier to do.

 

[Redneck in training]

I would just smash the ends flat and bolt the corner together. Might not be as ridgid as welded joint but since it would give some it will not break when dragged around.

 

[2manyrocks]

If he has a bottom rail in contact with the ground and flares the ends up like the end of a ski, then it ought to drag fairly decently. Some of these coops have wheels on one end, too.

But bolting the ends together is another way of doing it and definitely no burn through issues with it, either.

Sometime in the OP tells me that he is determined to successfully weld this EMT or bust. We all get projects like that.

 

[fishpick]

@AlanB - I think your thoughts and mine are on the same page... smash, squish, mush... all the same - make the gap less - but something to fill. Although I may mess with the grinder too to see about fishy work too...
@kidr - I have used PVC in the past - it stinks for a variety of reasons. One pen - maybe - but a fleet of them - PITA.
@Redneck in training - that's plan B Welding will be faster if I can "get it" right as opposed to drilling and bolting... plus it will be more rigid.
@2manyrocks - I have a system I dreamt up where the wheels move with the pen so I don't need to form skis... I used to do the dolly thing but that resulted in lots of run over and unhappy birds! Ohh - it's not weld or bust - it just would be the fastest and strongest approach... one rod and 2-3 joints is a heck of a lot cheaper than bolts, nuts and washers... plus drill and tighten time

 

[pat32rf]

Over my years as an electrician I have found that there are two types of EMT, both galvanized, but one is easier to weld than the other.
I will use a very low setting and often build up the pipe with a quick pass of weld BEFORE I try to make my joint. This just gives a little bit more steel to act as a heat sink for the final weld. Don't try to do the job quickly, IE-stick it together, then let it cool a bit rather than trying to weld it solid in one pass. Use short runs and maybe alternate between two joints at once so they can cool .....
It can be done, with small rod, a low setting and patience

 

[JPinnell]

I made these tree guards using 1/2" EMT 4' high and roughly 4' in diameter. The T-Joints for the center supports were easy. The butt weld of the top half to bottom at the start gave me fits using fluxcore on my MIG. As has been said grind or sand as much of the zinc off as you can, do it outdoors, etc. I stitched them together with a series of spot/tack welds. Easy to do with the MIG, but would be hard to keep from sticking the rod on your welder. You won't be able to lay a bead, but doing a series of overlapping tacks they didn't look too boogered.

Given the limitations of your welder on the thin stuff maybe rethinking the design a bit is in order? I'm not sure what you're design is, but instead of going square framed would a hoop house style chicken tractor work? Some treated 2x4 for the bottom skid frame and then arched EMT for the top to hold the netting. Bends real easy with an old tractor rim, large propane tank, etc. Drill a couple holes in the bottom of the EMT on each end and screw right to the bottom skid. A 10' stick would give you a little more than 6' wide and 3' high arc. Should still be much lighter weight than a complete wood framed unit.

If you needed wider you could go 2 sticks of EMT and do a butt weld in the center. Maybe find some 1/2" OD tubing that would slip inside the 1/2" EMT (with a little sanding down) so you could do a butt weld and not blow through with your stick welder.

 

[lostcause]

i see a lot of panic about health issues from welding galvanized metals. while i'm not a physician or ever had any training in welding galvanized, i have been told a few things over the years by people who have done it a lot. i've also decided to look on the internet, and i found the following:

http://www.sperkoengineering.com/html/articles/WeldingGalvanized.pdf

before you run out to put a deposit down on the cemetery plot, read the third section: zinc fumes -- a safety hazard? i've done a lot of small projects over the years with old galvanized pipe, and while i try to keep my head out of the fumes, i'm sure i've breathed some in, but never felt any effects from it.