OK everyone... Ive been wanting a roof rack for a long time... but haven't been able to afford it and the maintenance when I bought my disco... every time I am ready to buy one I have an expensive repair... these are things that are not because its a lemon... its just because its time... when I first bought my discovery I have to do a lot of repairs... radiator, all 200k miles change, new coils and wires and plugs ect... new a/c compressor, new tires, now viscous clutch and pan hard bar and this and that and that!... anyway... at leas I have an oil pressure gauge on my 03 lol... now back to rack... well as a hobby I restore vintage bicycles and frame build... my sat build was a tour easy LWB recumbent... now its time to fillet braze up a rack! I did use cheap EMT but outside and well venerated... also Im not building it all in one day... so... here we go!

 

Here is phase 2 last night...

 

btw here is a custom recumbent I just finished but NOT made out of EMT lol this is Tange II chromoly bicycle tubing...

 

Nice! Can't wait to see the finished product. Make sure you post up your progress! I too would love a roof rack someday when I'm done throwing money at mechanicals

 

are you slugging the inside of the pieces that are being brazed, the reason I ask is brazing tends to break over time with vibration. for lack of a better term brazing is like gluing metals together as apposed to wielding which is fusing metals together. I would hate to see it let go after it is loaded up.

 

yes I slug all the joints... don't want it to come apart! lol In Bike frame making we use double butted joints for this reason and anytime joining a tube like in a repair Id use a slug... This rack will be a light duty also compared to if I used Chromoly which Ill do on the next one.. this one I can make and get all the dimensions with lower cost than using chromoly plus its lighter lol I had a rack on before but not full basket and wanted a basket and this was best way to get it quick! lol

has anyone successfully welded EMT ? I have a MIG welder but this thin walled stuff Id hate to anneal the steel so much if I didn't blow through it in the first place... in frame making even airplanes would fillet braze.. even though the joint is not as strong as a weld.. the surrounding metal becomes brittle and weak... so Ive always had sucess with brazing.. I also use a special LFB bike frame brazing rod that is specifically designed to take massive stress.. but coat hanger rod lol hope it will be ok! lol

 

I've welded it with a few different machines. I often use emt in mock ups. I use interior sleeves for end to end welds.

 

I may try my Mig welder for next project... Ive been wanting to break it out... but I have always just brazed... defiantly easier looking with MIG just point n shoot!( I know its more than that but once setup and skilled its probably much faster... I never messed with it because I have to find enough electric power to use it.. lol my little shop doesn't have the 20 amp I need to run it but my condo does lol

 

Looks good Dusty, I like doers who'll have a crack at any task. I would like to see the finished product it does look good so far.

As far a welding etc, brazing is good so is MIG and TIG but be careful with EMT as there are risks attached Welding EMT Conduit

Like the recumbent wheels as well they have become the rage in recent years https://www.google.fr/webhp?sourceid...cumbent%20bike

 

thanks Dusty! yeah Im very careful about EMT.. Ive used it here and there but I never would braze inside with it.. read too many stories about people getting sick.. plus I like a nice breeze lol Ill have this finished next week... since outside it makes allot of noise grinding and cutting so I have to do it on days off... mon and tues usually lol