round tube vs. pipe?

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2savage

Senior Member
Joined
Feb 21, 2017
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278
Location
USA
Vessel Name
Savage
Vessel Make
Seaton 50 expedition trawler
Does anyone know the difference between round tube and pipe? I'm doing the spec for my outriggers and need to know. Each will be 6061 aluminum.
 
Pipe is specified by its nominal size- 1", 1-1/2" etc and its schedule: 20, 40, 80, etc. The bigger schedule numbers mean heavier walls. Tubing is specified by nominal size and wall thickness.

For towed fish outriggers I would go with pipe, schedule 20 and a large enough diameter to handle the loads. You will need a qualified engineer to figure the loads, specify the pipe and probably reinforce the hull to handle the stresses.

For fishing outriggers, look at other boats and match what they have, probably polished tubing.

David
 
Thanks, good advice indeed. As for reinforcing the boat, it's all steel and built like a tank!

Looks like the spec will be: 3" SCH 40 (3.50 OD X .216W) 6061-T6 Aluminum Structural Pipe
 
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2" pipe is 2" on the ID inside dimension. 2" tube would be 2" on the Od outside dimension. Most t-tops, towers, etc are made with schedule 40 pipe which is polished, then anodized or lightly brushed then anodized. The grade is usually 6463. Mill finish(bare) aluminum is available 6463 or cheaper 6063. 6061 is harder and might crack if you bend it. To order pipe you ask for schedule 40, 10, 80, etc as explained by DavidM.
 
2" pipe is 2" on the ID inside dimension. 2" tube would be 2" on the Od outside dimension. Most t-tops, towers, etc are made with schedule 40 pipe which is polished, then anodized or lightly brushed then anodized. The grade is usually 6463. Mill finish(bare) aluminum is available 6463 or cheaper 6063. 6061 is harder and might crack if you bend it. To order pipe you ask for schedule 40, 10, 80, etc as explained by DavidM.
Not as simple as that... 2" pipe isn't 2" on either but has to be consistent OD for threading tools to work.
For complete list of ID & wall thk for various schedule pipes see
https://www.usaindustries.com/piping-isolation-testing-products/pipe-schedule-chart/
Screenshot_20220203-071533_Chrome.jpg
 
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