# Schedule 40 pipe on girder



## DuckJordan (Jan 27, 2012)

How would you go about attaching A schedule 40 pipe to



Right now they just have it sitting on top of the lower girder using gravity to keep it in place. I'm not liking it and am creating a purchase order to get the correct hardware.

I know rigging shouldn't be done by untrained professionals but, seeing how they are doing it this way I could at least get them to attach it securely.


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## Footer (Jan 27, 2012)

Beam clamps and pipe hanger would do it. 

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## MPowers (Jan 27, 2012)

Best way???? Depends on what it is supposed to accomplish. 
Lots of questions.
How is it attached at the top?
What is the purpose of the pipe?


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## DuckJordan (Jan 27, 2012)

MPowers said:


> Best way???? Depends on what it is supposed to accomplish.
> Lots of questions.
> How is it attached at the top?
> What is the purpose of the pipe?


 


Confused on what you mean attached at the top, This pipe is used to hang banners from 10-40lb so nothing terribly heavy. It supports the roof structure could get a picture later tonight. If you feel it is necessary.

Best way i could think of is Aircraft cable up over the top of the rafter and slung down with a shackle and span set attaching the pipe to the aircraft cable by means of a choke.

I want to stay away from this route though as I'd like to make this as simple as possible for my two other guys.


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## gafftaper (Jan 27, 2012)

Beam Clamps are your friend.


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## DuckJordan (Jan 27, 2012)

So I've added Beam clamps to our list of rigging purchases, I'm thinking chain will be the easiest way to attach the pipe to the beam clamps. The clamps I'm seeing on the sites at least the ones that have either pipe attachments added in are not rated. I am very un-easy of anything over head not being rated. So I'll look for some clamps that have a decent rating.


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## avkid (Jan 27, 2012)

Beam clamps rated from 1 to 5 tons.
Beam Clamps - Rigging Hardware - RiggingWarehouse.com

Steel batten clamps.
Steel Batten Clamps / Pipe & Pipe Clamps / Rope & Rigging Hardware / Home - Mutual Hardware


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## MPowers (Jan 27, 2012)

DuckJordan said:


> Confused on what you mean attached at the top, ...................


 
You say the lower end of the pipe is just sitting on the flange of the web joist. What holds the other end of the pipe in place?


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## porkchop (Jan 27, 2012)

If the pipe is only holding up banners (thinking light weight and not going to be messed with that often) wouldn't U-bolts of an appropriate size going into a metal plate at the bottom of the beam be a simple and cost effective solution? You keep the pipe on top of the beam so there is minimal change in appearance and a decent local metal fab shop could probably custom make everything you would need for a pretty low price. If you're still concerned about safety you could drill a hole big enough to run a cable safety though the pipe. I'm all for using rated equipment overhead but I think 1 ton beam clamps, rated chain, etc... are probably a bit excessive for this particular situation.


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## MPowers (Jan 27, 2012)

DuckJordan said:


> ..........the ones that have either pipe attachments added in are not rated. I am very un-easy of anything over head not being rated. So I'll look for some clamps that have a decent rating.



This may sound strange, but there a a lot of things over head in a gym or arena that are not "Rated". For example, many standard cast iron lighting "C" clamps are not rated at all. Not everything needs to be rated. If it isn't lifting or supporting something directly, there may be no need what so ever. In your case, what ever hardware you wind up adding to the pipe, should be supporting zero weight, the beam flange does that just fine, as it has proved by keeping the pipe up there with no fastening at all. All the hard ware must do is position the pipe and prevent shifting. 

If the upper end of the pipe is securely bolted or welded to the underside of the roof, it may not actually need anything additional at the end resting on the joist flange. Don't get me wrong, having nothing at all to secure or position the lower end of the pipe is not a good or safe idea. If the other end is also just resting in place, THEN we have a problem that needs to be addressed.


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## DuckJordan (Jan 28, 2012)

The other girder. It's laid intersecting two of the rafters 

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## JChenault (Jan 28, 2012)

gafftaper said:


> Beam Clamps are your friend.



I'm curious. If using a beam clamp what do you attach your load to? Is it just the bottom 'hinge pin' ? And what is the real name of the pin on the bottom that separates the two halves of the clamp and acts as a pivot point


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## techieman33 (Jan 28, 2012)

JChenault said:


> I'm curious. If using a beam clamp what do you attach your load to? Is it just the bottom 'hinge pin' ? And what is the real name of the pin on the bottom that separates the two halves of the clamp and acts as a pivot point


 
Yes the load attaches to the pin.


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## gafftaper (Jan 28, 2012)

Two easy and safe ways to attach something to a beam clamp : 1) Throw a shackle over that pin. 2)Wrap the proper chain around the pin.

As for if its needed or not... Mpowers is one of our rigging gurus so you definitely should listen to him over the rest of us yahoos. If there is a way to properly secure the batten in place you probably don't need the clamps. On the other hand I'm a fan of over building things to plan for the future.


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## avkid (Jan 28, 2012)

If you have the ability to "overdo" now, go for it.
You never know what some uninformed person will try in the future.


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## mstaylor (Jan 31, 2012)

gafftaper said:


> Two easy and safe ways to attach something to a beam clamp : 1) Throw a shackle over that pin. 2)Wrap the proper chain around the pin.
> 
> As for if its needed or not... Mpowers is one of our rigging gurus so you definitely should listen to him over the rest of us yahoos. If there is a way to properly secure the batten in place you probably don't need the clamps. On the other hand I'm a fan of over building things to plan for the future.


I have used beam clamps that also has a swivel ring at the bottom. I can't find a picture right now.


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## DuckJordan (Jan 31, 2012)

Ive seen the swivle but swl was only 100 lbs. Factor in pipe weight and a possible numb skull and that's a sketchy situation.

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## shiben (Jan 31, 2012)

DuckJordan said:


> Ive seen the swivle but swl was only 100 lbs. Factor in pipe weight and a possible numb skull and that's a sketchy situation.
> 
> Sent from my ADR6300 using Tapatalk


 
I would personally try and find some way to just hold the thing from shifting laterally. I would assume it needs to be removed sometimes, and I would guess it would be easier to have a dude just lift it up then dealing with undoing shackles and whatnot. That would probably lead to incorrect use, as I doubt you are the only one to use the thing, so its going to be lowest common denominator here. In some occasions, making a technically safer system ends up being less safe because people are lazy and bypass it to make it easy. If it can happen at nuclear power plants, I would guess it could happen to something hanging in the air in a gym.


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## BillESC (Jan 31, 2012)

I beam clamps, threaded rod and pipe hangers.


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## DuckJordan (Jan 31, 2012)

It's me and two others all not gonna rig without training. And will not cut corners since they'd like to not lose their jobs.

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## mstaylor (Feb 4, 2012)

DuckJordan said:


> Ive seen the swivle but swl was only 100 lbs. Factor in pipe weight and a possible numb skull and that's a sketchy situation.
> 
> Sent from my ADR6300 using Tapatalk


The beam clamp with the swivel that I am referencing is like the one in post 12 except the the ring is part of the hinge. It is rated for at least a ton.


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