Flange Connector Overview & Assembly | Maker Pipe

Flange Connector Overview & Assembly | Maker Pipe

Hi there! My name is Jake, and this is the flange from Maker Pipe. This specific clamp is a part of a much larger building system of connectors that allow you to transform ordinary off-shelf electrical conduit into a building material with endless potential. Before we look closely at the flange and learn how to put it together, let's talk about conduit and connectors and see why they're incredibly useful for DIY projects like these.

You can buy EMT conduit in the electrical aisle of your local hardware or home improvement store. It's made of steel, but you can easily cut through it with a handheld tool. Maker Pipe connectors exist so you can securely join pieces of EMT conduit together to create awesome projects that you can be proud of. We designed them to clamp around conduit and rely on friction. This means that you can build your project without needing to use electricity or specialty tools like a drill or a welder. In fact, you only need a single 5mm hex wrench to make a connection. This clamp design also makes them modular and extremely easy and quick to put together. They're just as easy and quick to take apart, which means you can easily modify or update your project on the fly while you're building it for the first time, or as your needs change down the road.

You might also have a lot of different interests and hobbies. If that's the case, nothing is stopping you from completely tearing down your builds to repurpose the conduit and connectors for something new. We're proud to manufacture the connectors here in our shop in Upstate South Carolina with locally sourced 12-gauge American steel. We finish the connector pieces with a corrosion-resistant and UV-stable silver zinc coating. This coating, combined with the galvanization that comes on EMT conduit, means you can build outdoor projects like these and rest assured they will be durable and long-lasting.

Each connector in the Maker Pipe system serves its own unique purpose and solves a challenge within builds. The flange allows you to secure a piece of EMT conduit to a flat surface. This doorway awning from Roger is a great example. You can see that the bottom of the verticals are secured directly to the deck boards with Maker Pipe flanges. Here's another great use of the flange from Craig: he used them to mount solar panels to a piece of conduit that attached to the roof of his desert tents. The Maker Pipe flange also has a unique ability because of its clamp design: the connected piece of conduit can run continuously through the flange. The shelf project from Peter is a great example of this technique. You'll notice that the conduit in the build is running straight through each of the shelves. Peter then used flanges to clamp around the verticals and support the shelves from underneath.

Now that we have a good idea of how to use the flange in builds, let's learn how to put it together. The flange is made up of these two mirrored pieces that you will find flat-packed and sealed together inside your Maker Pipe shipment. We packed them this way to save space inside packages and cut down on shipping costs. In addition to those two pieces, you will need two M6 nuts and bolts for the flange. This hardware is included with your purchase and can be found inside a clear bag in the box. To tighten the hardware, you'll need a 5mm hex wrench. The flange is currently sold in three variations. All three sizes of the flange function the same, with some slight differences in the way that you put them together.

The 3/4" EMT conduit variant will come with one of these black plastic adapter shims that need to be snapped onto the 3/4" EMT conduit before you can assemble the flange like normal. The 1" EMT conduit version of the flange requires two bolts that are slightly longer than the standard hardware used by the rest of the Maker Pipe connector system. These longer bolts are included and can be found inside a clear bag in the box. To assemble the flange, you will clamp a piece of conduit between the two connector pieces. You can clamp the pieces around the conduit in your build or loosely assemble the clamp first and then slide it over a piece of conduit. It works the same either way, and it's totally up to you.

You want to place a nut in the hardware pocket on either side of the flange pieces. You want to hold the nut in place with one hand and thread a bolt into it from the opposite side. Tighten it by hand and then repeat this process for the other nut and bolt. Once you get the two bolts threaded a few times by hand, you can switch to tightening them with your 5mm hex wrench. Make sure to go back and forth between the two bolts and tighten them evenly. The flange pieces have pre-drilled holes that are sized for #8 by 3/4" self-drilling screws. These are optional and can be added now for extra security. This flange also has another hidden feature that allows you to reinforce the connection even more. I'll link that video in the description if you'd like to learn how to do it.

Once you've completed the connection, you can secure the flange and piece of conduit to a flat surface. There are four mounting holes in the base of the flange, and they're 8 mm in diameter. I typically recommend a 1/4-20 bolt for securing the flange if you're using screws, and you'll want to get a #9 head or larger. Secure the flange with all four screws or bolts to complete the assembly and installation.

Thanks so much for watching, and be sure to check out the rest of the Maker Pipe building system. The adjustable angle flange is another great solution for mounting electrical conduit to flat surfaces.

Keywords

• Flange
• Maker Pipe
• EMT Conduit
• DIY Projects
• Connectors
• Building Material
• Modular Design
• Assembly Instructions
• Galvanization
• Corrosion-Resistant Coating
• Shelf Project
• Solar Panels Mounting
• South Carolina Manufacturing
• Adapter Shims
• 5mm Hex Wrench

FAQ

1. What tools do I need to assemble a Maker Pipe flange? To assemble a Maker Pipe flange, you only need a 5mm hex wrench.

2. Can the flange be used for outdoor projects? Yes, the connectors are finished with a corrosion-resistant and UV-stable silver zinc coating, making them suitable for outdoor projects.

3. How does the flange connect to EMT conduit? The flange connects to EMT conduit by clamping around the conduit using M6 nuts and bolts.

4. Are there different variations of the flange? Yes, the flange is sold in three variations to fit different sizes of EMT conduit.

5. What size are the mounting holes in the base of the flange? The mounting holes in the base of the flange are 8 mm in diameter.

6. What extra hardware might be needed for additional security? The flange pieces have pre-drilled holes for optional #8 by 3/4" self-drilling screws for extra security.

7. Where are the Maker Pipe connectors manufactured? Maker Pipe connectors are manufactured in their shop in upstate South Carolina with locally sourced 12-gauge American steel.