Frame materials

This sounds like a 1st grade discussion. IMO, if one starts with conduit for a frame, it is an indication of the shortcuts one is willing to take, early on, to have something that he cannot otherwise afford. After the frame, there is much more to do. I had these types of fantastic ideas only when I was a child - with no knowledge of the properties of metal. I built many wooden gocarts with plastic wheels and used large nails for axles! I also built "houses" out of cardboard boxes. In reality, neither of these were what I had imagined them. Even by highschool, I knew there were many ways to do something but only a few right ways. Nails are not appropriate axles, cardboard is not building material, and conduit is not bicycle/motorbike frame material.
Steel tubing isn't that expensive and hacking a bicycle frame or two for (non-butted)tubes would be far better.
Suggesting conduit as an option, regardless of the rationale, is irresponsible and shows one has much to learn about the basics, even if another says it can be done. Since when do we try to achieve the least common denominator with mechanical devices?
Cost is not the issue as metal is often cheaper than wood. Availability? Metal can be ordered online for a bit more in shipping. If you have access to a welder, why can't you spring for proper building materials? Next will be fuel tanks out of coffee cans!
Don't hack!
JMO,
Dave
KC

Feel better now dmar ? Thank you for stopping just short of calling me stupid, it shows one has character.

MHF

You posted a question and received 3 pages of answers. Your going to be the one riding it. What do you think is the appropriate material?
I don't think anyone is trying to judge your inteligence, I think you seem offended that everyone didn't give you the answer you were looking for.
EMT is cheap $$ and easy to bend If it was a suitable material for bicycle frames why don't all the companies use it?

Would you buy a Worksman, Schwinn, or Raleigh made form EMT?

Spend the extra money and go with steel, DOM or seamed tubing.

Or like dmar836 said, I would cut steel tubing off a donor bike before I used conduit... but thats just my opinion.

My latest project! .....sorry had to break up the tension.

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Board Track Racer, if I may take your arguement just a little farther.
Why don't Workman, Schwinn and Raleigh use EMT? Because it's not safe?

Steve

Your time is worth something. You should spend a little more and do it right the first time instead of having to come back and do it over. In the long run you will save money if you think of it that way.

Look at what Halycon or some of the other builders are doing. 3 pages of "dont do it's" would be enough for me. I think you answered your own question when you said you want to use it because it bends easily. That bend easy part will go both ways if your building it or riding it.

Good luck!

I have built a few bicycles. The first ones were made of salvaged tubing from old junk bikes. most of the time they are free. If you are strapped for cash get a few old frames and salvage the tubes. They can be spliced if you know what you are doing. Exhaust tubing comes in a lot of sizes and is comparable to the cheap bike frames. IMHO EMT conduit is not acceptable for anything that will go over five miles an hour.
Elmo

__________________
Elmo
All times wasted wots not spent ridin

WATCH OUT FOR THAT ANT! Too late... Sorry about your face.

I built a set of 5' chopper forks once with two aluminum clotheline props.
First they busted my yayas when they suddenly folded, then my mom busted 'em again when she found out I ruined her poles.

__________________
If it ain't broke, and you mess with it long enough, it will be.

MHF,
No I don't feel better. Your question was a no-brainer to those who have built frames and not one I feel challenged to argue. I just tried to put a hard stop to much of the silly suggestions.
I stopped short of calling you stupid because you just asked a question. That's wise - not stupid. Those who encourage conduit builds are, well, maybe a bit inexperienced. There are many "experts" in the anonymity of the internet. You are responsible, however, to sift through for the correct answer(Hint: it's always the harder one). Remember, you might just be getting such engineering advice from a 6th grader with the same enthusiasm I had as a kid - creative but with a lot to learn.
As mentioned, there will always be the advice you want to hear found somewhere on the internet if you search long enough. There are an equal number of sites with video bloopers of failed and injurious hacked creations. Then there are those sites where people have done it the right way, i.e., the hard and usually expensive way. In the end, you ultimately chose which site you want to be on.
JMO. Build on.
Dave
KC

Very good advice Dave!
Elmo

__________________
Elmo
All times wasted wots not spent ridin