Steel and aluminum pipe for theatrical and production rigging, available in 1 to 20-foot lengths. Both are 1.5″ Schedule 40 with a 1.9-inch OD. Black powder-coated steel is threaded at both ends for attachment to base plates, couplers, and standard production hardware. Silver aluminum is unthreaded for use with clamp-style hardware and weighs approximately 0.94 lbs per foot, roughly one third the weight of the steel equivalent, making it the better choice where reducing structural load on the building or hanging position matters.
For the steel pipe, simply supported span load ratings at a 2:1 safety factor are as follows:
- 2′ span: 3,125 lbs
- 3′ span: 2,083 lbs
- 4′ span: 1,563 lbs
- 6′ span: 1,042 lbs
- 8′ span: 781 lbs
- 10′ span: 625 lbs
- 12′ span: 500 lbs (approx.)
Aluminum carries lower allowable loads than steel at equivalent spans due to its lower modulus of elasticity. For load-critical aluminum applications consult a rigger or structural engineer. For everything else, pick steel if you need threads, aluminum if you need to save weight.