Riser Pipe Problem - HELP!

[BWS29128]

Well, after waiting 6 weeks, my 42" dia aluminum pipe came in yesterday for my new riser pipe projects. It took 6 weeks because, while SpiralWeld pipe was easy to find, annular-ring corrugated aluminum pipe was impossible. FINALLY found a company out of Conover, NC called Mid-Atlantic Drainage that told me that they could make me some annular (parallel rings as opposed to spiral/helical rings) pipe in 42" diameter.

So the pipe shows up yesterday and guess what? Yep...spiral rings. Can we say P-I-S-S-E-D O-F-F!!!!! So I refused to sign for the pipe, called the company, and raised ****. The rep tried to say he "misunderstood" me.

It turns out, despite all assurances, that this company can't make annular ring pipe after all....all they can do is take spiralweld and re-roll the end 12" in a round pattern.

At this point I got on the phone with my customer and he's friggin' FURIOUS! But, we're a week late on this project so we decide to make-do with what we've got.

Now I have a new problem: because the spiralweld is formed with a pull/twist motion, it's under tension. When I cut the pipe in half, it "exploded" out of shape. Darn near gave me a bloody nose!

So now I have a clam-shell half-pipe that is 46" in diameter instead of 42" in diameter, and not only that, but it's got a funky "torque" to it due to the spiral welds.

Does anyone have any suggestions for me on how to pull this thing back into shape so that I can mate it up to some existing riser-pipe?

[BWS29128]

Ps:

Oh yeah...PS: once I get it back into shape (if you'll notice, the left side is higher than the right side, even though the the piece of pipe is exactly rectangular at 42" X 48") then I'll weld cross-members of aluminum across the face of the two pieces of 36" X 2" X 2" X 2" X 1/4" channel to hold it...

[6010]

Clint,
If you can't pull it in two directions and straighten it out a little then you will be forced to pull the sides in and hope the distortion is not too great and then try to squared the end of the pipe up by trimming it off. This will be done of course after some braces have been welded in place. I don't think you will ever get it to look like it did to start with. I hope maybe someone else has some ideas.

Glad you posted the pictures, I think we all learned something here. Looks like that pipe is expensive. How much did it cost, if you don't mind me being a little nosy.

One of the scary things we have to do sometimes is cut something that has been bent out of shape by an equipment malfunction and is all wrapped up and under a lot of tension. Sometimes it is hard to tell which way everything is going to fly and which way we need to run when the torch finally does its job. Glad you didn't get hurt on this one.

[Old Sporty]

Try running a couple of ratchet straps diagonally corner to corner and slowly tighten to bring it back in square. I've done this in the past on some projects. Don't remove the lateral straps though. You might have to work all four to get it to square up.

[man of steel]

try squaring it up where your going to install it, tack one side of it then strap it and work it around as you go.Easier to do than to explain sorry

[BWS29128]

Well, as I feared, the distortion of the pipe didn't allow anything to fit up once it was on-site. Despite the fact that all exterior dimensions were the same, the torque and the differing ring patters threw everything off.

Tomorrow I'll begin by cutting a full-round section of 42" diameter pipe and lower it down over the existing half-pipe, sliding it back and forth until I hopefully get a semblence of a match. Once I get it (hopefully) mated up, regardless of what the measurements are (arc tangent, arc radius, etc), I'll clamp it in place, weld it in-situ, weld cross members to the inside of the pipe from side to side but inside the ultimate 42" arc-tangent in order to keep the top of the pipe from "springing out". Then I'll mark the vertical lines for the channel to be inserted, cut it with a sawzall, weld the channel into place first, and then weld the pipe to the channel.

It's very frustrating since the job site is 10 miles from my shop and all of my equipment.

I'll keep everybody appraised of the situation, with pictures as they become available.

~Clint

[SundownIII]

Clint,

PM your old engineer buddy your phone #. May have a couple of ideas to help you out.

First question though, was why did you need corrugated pipe to begin with. Seems to me, standard pipe would have been more than strong enough. The corrugated pipe is designed to carry heavy compressive loads when buried, such as drainage culvert. For a drainage spillway, plain pipe (or rolled alum plate should be more than adequate).

Anyway, got a couple of jigging ideas that may help but too involved for a message board.

Jay

[phila.renewal]

Do most (as much as possible) of whatever it is you plan to do with it before you cut it in half.

If you can internally and externally brace it in place before you cut it, it won't move when you cut it.

[BWS29128]

Bert Asked For More Pics

Bert asked for more pictures, so here are 2 pics of the existing pond that I'm attempting to put the extension on:

[Bert]

Wow! Nice size pond!! Can't wait to see more pics and how you solve the problem
thanks Clint,
bert