Plastic tubing to cover emt conduit for lacquered items - advice needed

[richard newman]

I want to cover some 1/2" metal conduit (.710" od) with plastic or rubber tubing to hold lacquered banjo rims. Looking for the least expensive material that will not attack a lacquered surface. I'm pretty sure that the plasticizers in pvc will attack lacquer, don't know about other plastics or rubbers. Any suggestions for materials and sources? Need 20-30 feet at present.

 

[Milland]

I bought some polyurethane tubing from these folks: Plastic Tubing, Rubber Hose, Fittings, Clamps - NewAge Industries that has good chemical and mechanical properties. Might contact them and see if anything they offer works for you. Not "cheap", but worth it if it works.

 

[Limy Sami]

shrink wrap tubing? - polyolefins (or summat) from memory.

 

[gvidas]

http://sevierlab.vet.cornell.edu/resources/Chemical-Resistance-Chart-Detail.pdf

Scroll down to lacquer thinner. Looks like FEP, TFE, PFA, ECTFE, ETFE are your best choices, followed by FLPE, RESMER.

You can convert from acronym to English with google, and then shop on mcmaster / US Plastics / etc.

Might just use standard packing tape.

 

[swatkins]

.750 PEX is pretty stable and cheap, Well around the US

Just have to test it out and see if it attacks your finish..

 

[Frank Ford]

Fresh lacquer is so reactive, I wouldn't trust any plastic material - I'd grab my hot-melt glue gun and wrap 'em with some regular cotton cloth, felt or thin leather.

 

[richard newman]

Just remembering that we used to ship furniture wrapped in 1/8" micro-foam that was completely harmless to freshly lacquered surfaces. Can't remember if that stuff was polypropylene or polyethylene?


Gluing on felt would work, wasn't thinking "old school", hoping for a simple slip on sleeve.

 

[Limy Sami]

Self adhesive felt tape ? - Amazon has it Anti Squeak Anti Rattle Self Adhesive Felt Tape 25mm X 10M: Amazon.co.uk: Car & Motorbike

A carefully butted spirally round wrap is nearly as good as a sleeve - serious tip, if you don't think you can spiral wrap neatly enough - find a fishing rod builder.

 

[lionelt]

Would that foam insulation split tubing that you put over water pipes to protect from freezing work?

 

[surplusjohn]

i have some experience with this. PVC pipe probably does not have any plasticizers in it, and that is what attacks laqure. however there is no reason to risk it. polyethlyene and polypropylene are safe bets. either tubing over the emt. or a psa tape. PEX is cross linked polyethylene and will work.

 

[richard newman]

Thanks John, that's what I wanted to know. I can get polyethylene for less that $1/ft from McM, that seems the way to go. Won't take but a minute to get them installed, and then back to work.