Making a metal arm from a piece of conduit for a streetlight

[lightingfan8902]

I was just thinking of this, I was considering to maybe making a metal arm from a piece of conduit for a streetlight. Maybe around 1 1/4 inch diameter should do with a bender. Would it work, or would it not work, because EMT conduit is a bit stronger (correct me if I'm wrong) which could hold the fixture's weight. Just saying, its a good idea.

[Mike]

You could use 1-1/4 RMC (rigid steel conduit) or 1-1/2" EMT (thinwall steel conduit). RMC is stronger but you'll have a hell of a time trying to bend that by hand. 1" RMC is a bitch to bend with a hand bender. EMT would work for a 4ft or less arm and is you use a lighter cobrahead (small size with plastic lens). You'd also need to weld a thru-bolt flange and lag bolt flange onto the arm to attach it to the pole. That's the hardest part, since you need those parts machined. That's the one thing that's kept me from trying to make my own arms (that and how difficult it is to bend pipe that large). Best bet is using some some of machine like a hydraulic bender or muffler pipe bender or something.