Where to buy black iron pipe

ChrisJ

I need to buy a 10' length of 1 1/4" black iron and recall some guys saying never to buy pipe from Lowes or Home Depot because it threads awful.

Is this true and if so where is the best place to buy black iron pipe these days? We have a small local plumbing supply, but I have no idea if he sells the same stuff as the big stores or not.

EzzyT

You want to purchase domestic black pipe the imported stuff doesn't thread as well and of course the quality doesn't compare to the domestic pipe.

STEVEusaPA

Plumbing supply house...to answer your original question. If you don't know which one, ask a union plumber. They know where to buy American made pipe.

icesailor

It should be printed on the side of the pipe, where it was made. If it doesn't say "Made in USA", it probably isn't.

ChrisJ

icesailor said:

It should be printed on the side of the pipe, where it was made. If it doesn't say "Made in USA", it probably isn't.

What is your opinion in regards to the Chinese pipe? Is it true that it threads badly?

icesailor

There's "Good Pipe" and "Bad Pipe". I couldn't tell until I started to thread it. Bad dies and lack of quality oil can have a part in bad threads.

I found that the 10' threaded on both ends were more "iffy" than the 21' T+C pipe. I still always cut my own threads. Just a force of habit.

Even with standard 10' lengths that were threaded and protectors in place, if I threaded it, and the threads were "Scratchy" but the one I cut off, might mean that my dies were dull. Dark oil is supposed to be used with a machine. Light oil if by hand. I used to see a lot of people using light oil on machines. I never did use light oil. I also always used Teflon Pipe Tape and some form of pipe dope. So, if a thread was iffy, I still didn't have a leak.

Bob Bona_4

Same here, torn threads occur on either Asian or domestic on occasion for me. Dies could have been dull, or a metal sliver on the die just liked to make trouble. Sometimes the pipe goes a little out of true and threads spall. I learned years ago to be sure the other end is well supported and doesn't oscillate. I have a 300 Ridgid with the adjustable die/cutter mounted on the bar. Always used dark oil, light will smoke up.

It seems there are good days, and other days I may get three bad threads before a good one. Frustrating. What comes into play is ambient conditions too, I believe, re oil viscosity, iron temps; threading sometimes done outside...

One thing is for sure-a world of diff between Asian fittings and domestic. A Ward will linearly tighten, progessively tighten. The others...pfftt. never seem to feel tight then lock up.

ChrisJ

Interesting.

I'll be using a Ridgid 65R-TC along with Ridgid Endura-clear oil.

If I can get by using a length of pipe from Lowes it would not only save me $10, it would be a lot closer to buy as well, 45 miles closer one way. I just didn't want to end up wasting more time if the pipe doesn't thread well.

j a_2

I have not done so,but wondered
1 Using a an inside and outside micrometer,would there be a difference between foreign and domestic pipe?
2 would there be a weight difference?

There should not be a difference... I wonder how a length of pipe can be manf. across the pond and shipped here and sold for less than we can manf here in the U S A…We don’t have to ship it…..I also notice on some boilers manf. here In the U S A are shipped with non U S A trim fittings….Just me wondering….

RobG

ChrisJ said:

Interesting.

I'll be using a Ridgid 65R-TC along with Ridgid Endura-clear oil.

If I can get by using a length of pipe from Lowes it would not only save me $10, it would be a lot closer to buy as well, 45 miles closer one way. I just didn't want to end up wasting more time if the pipe doesn't thread well.

You won't know until you try it. The one nice thing about stuff you buy at the box stores is that they'll take ANYTHING back. Ninety miles round trip is allot of time. Where are you located that there is a box store and not a P/HVAC wholesaler?

I don't envy you cutting and threading 2 1/2" steel with a hand threader.

Abracadabra

RobG said:

... cutting and threading 2 1/2" steel with a hand threader.

thought he was threading 1-1/4"?

RobG

My bad. I meant to say 1/14" with a manual threader. I wouldn't even mess with 2 1/2" by hand.

Bob Bona_4

Ugh 1 1/4. I put my time in years ago hand threading 2" for tank installs

LionA29

@ ChrisJ where did you end up getting your pipes?

ChrisJ

LionA29 said:

@ ChrisJ where did you end up getting your pipes?

Bought a 10' length of 1 1/4" from General Plumbing Supply (GPS) in NJ. They had US made pipe.

The Ridgid Endura-clear oil seemed to work nice as well.

LionA29

Awesome dude!
Stop by Home Depot and was chatting with the plumbing guy which confirmed that their pipes are " Chinese".

LionA29

@Hatterasguy I'm sure you knew that!

LionA29

Comedian @Hatterasguy

ChrisJ

Hatterasguy said:

I did know that!!

I'm also sure that just about everybody else knows it too!!

And, yet, we still have to go there.

I buy most of my stuff from Amazon or Supplyhouse.com
I avoid Homer like a disease and try to avoid Lowes just as much.

I'll buy patio block, concrete mix, joint compound, grass seed etc from them but that's about it.

ChrisJ

Yes.
That stuff too usually.

Tinman

Home Depot has above average tool selection and decent hardware like Spax brand screws along with the list above.

ChrisJ

Stephen Minnich said:

Home Depot has above average tool selection and decent hardware like Spax brand screws along with the list above.

They also are the only ones that sell Cree LED lights.

MikeSpeed6030

By the way, it is black steel , even though many people incorrectly call it black iron pipe. Technically, it is ASTM A-53, schedule 40 pipe - garden variety steel pipe. My local Ace Hardware sells, cuts, and threads pipe. Their nipples and fittings are U.S. made. I'm not sure if all Ace stores sell U.S. pipe.

john p_2

I remember getting American made pipe 4" & 6" delivered to a job but the weld fittings were from Vietnam. The differences on the ID's and the OD's made it almost impossible to weld. Years ago I remember being practically persecuted for demanding anything labeled"made in Japan" not be accepted on any of our jobs. I have to admit....the quality of the Japanese material was/is far and away much better than the Chinese and material from Vietnam etc sent here today. Just my opinion.

SlamDunk

I have bought a lot of 1-1/4 black pipe from lowe's and always run into the same problem: they do not sell 1-14" fittings. kinda useless.

Fred

SlamDunk said:

I have bought a lot of 1-1/4 black pipe from lowe's and always run into the same problem: they do not sell 1-14" fittings. kinda useless.

The Lowes here sells 1-1/4 fittings but they are Chinese. You take your chances if/when you buy them.

john p_2

All Chinese fittings at the big box stores....most of the black Malian maliable fittings I've bought have had issues with the pipe not coming out of the fitting correctly (true) ...some of the larger sizes are way out.

SlamDunk

not here unless you want galvanized. manager said it is a corporate decision.

Fred

SlamDunk said:

not here unless you want galvanized. manager said it is a corporate decision.

Might be old inventory they are selling until they're gone, IDK but they will likely not sell them to anyone but the unsuspecting.

Jack M

My local plumbing supply store only carries A53 domestic pipe and WARD fittings. In fittings they offer two versions, one for gas (high pressure) and one for low pressure applications (steam). Is there any reason to get the more expensive "gas" fittings?
While we don't discuss price here, $ difference for A53 1 1/4" is significant (25%) when comparing big box to the plumbing house.

ChrisJ

The steam ones are likely cast iron.

They cannot be used with gas, but are better for steam (depending on who you ask) because you can shatter / crack them with a hammer if you need to remove them.

So for steam, no, get the cast ones.

For gas, you're not allowed to use cast so get the more expensive ones.

ChrisJ

Hatterasguy said:

The malleable iron elbows are considerably less costly than the cast.


http://www.supplyhouse.com/Ward-FCI90-3-4-3-4-Black-Cast-Iron-Steam-90-Elbow-421000-p

http://www.supplyhouse.com/Ward-FB90-3-4-3-4-Black-90-Elbow-607000-p

That's what I thought.
But I have no idea what his local supplier may be charging.

Jack M

When I joint 1-1/4" pipes in a long run to a steam radiator (over 10 ft) does it may sense to use a coupling or a union? Or a tapered tap merchant coupling? Are all three National Pipe Tapered (NPT)?)

When I look at the existing system I'm always relieved to see those unions because I know I have a chance of changing something down the road (if need be).





supplyhouse.com/Jinan-J-BLC-12-1-1-4-Black-Coupling

Tinman

CI fittings are also going to expand/contract a lot less than black steel, so less chance of leaks in hydronics in my experience.

LionA29

I would say Union

Jack M

Some of the longer radiator runs are 1-1/4" but most are 1-1/2".
The "newer" pipes are all 1-1/4" (1.37 OD) the older ones (1920's) are all 1-1/2" (1.9" OD).
How do you decide which size pipe to use when adding a new radiator run?
Note: in my area Rocky's and Aubuchon do not carry pipe.

Fred

Either will work but I like unions Too. A lot of guys don't like unions on horizontal runs because they are more likely to leak, probably from expansion/contraction but I've never had a problem with good quality unions. Sure makes it easier to remove a section of pipe, when needed. I'm sure others will offer their opinions as well.

Jack M

Worth washing out new fittings or freshly cut pipe to remove oil residue before installing? Would this effort minimize the oils and effort needed for a skim?

ChrisJ

I used a lot of Boshart nipples on my boiler and gas piping.

Use those and Ward fittings and it's truly amazing how nice joints go together. You will never have a leak, ever.

Take a nipple and fitting from Home Depot or Lowes and good luck. Often get 1 turn by hand before it binds up. With Boshart and Ward you'll get 3-4 easy and smooth.

CLamb

A few months ago I was looking at black pipe on the Lowe's website. The listing for 2" black pipe did not mention the schedule specification so I sent them an inquiry asking if it was schedule 40. It surprised me how difficult it was to get an answer.

I first got a call from the local store manager asking me which product I was asking about because the part number from the website didn't match his stock list. I explained it to him and he said he would get back to me. About an hour later I got a call from the plumbing department manager. I asked him the same question I had entered on the form and asked the store manager. He then proceeded to recite his qualifications, including being a licensed master plumber, and asked me what I wanted to use it for. I told him, "For a use in which schedule 40 is specified.". He said he'd have to get back to me. A short time later he did call and tell me it was schedule 40. Yeesh!

ChrisJ

That's why I avoid all contact with people there if I can avoid it. It's rarely helped me and it's almost always painful.