Miles shared this cool build and info over in the Maker Pipe Facebook Group!
"For anyone with the haul master 800lb bed rack, the smaller tubing is the same size as 3/4 emt conduit. The smaller holes at the corners of the rack are also the perfect size for 3/4 emt conduit to fit through."
Anyone have any ideas on how to make this for less than the $300 retail price? Looking forward to any ideas/builds!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TKs9wojDbfY
Hi Mike, we've seen a couple of those built in the past. I haven't seen any with the spring loaded locking mechanism, but here's a couple of ideas where people just made the frame and then strapped them in.
https://connect.makerpipe.com/vehicle-mods/post/truck-bed-extender-iXx0Aq1hGf9ZBay
"This project turned out great, better than expected. Your videos and website were super helpful in making everything come together, from design to finished project.
I have a YouTube channel and uploaded a video of the project here. I also have a website, and did a blog post on the build. Thanks for all the super helpful info and well made parts!" - Barry
Nice design. For trucks w/bedrail pockets, a 2x4 with a pipe-sized hole down the middle would expand the rack to the width dimension to that of the bed rail. I'll give this a try on my Toyota Tundra
The system uses 3/4" steel conduit (.922 OD) and clamp materials purchased from Maker Pipe ( Look for the "Makerpipe" web site ). I was able to support 108 lbs with one of these assembled Bases and Cones, before the wooden bracket broke. I only plan on putting a 80 lb Kayak on it. Use good judgment if adding heavy items you your rack. This requires some conduit bending skills. Mine are OK, but good enough for my project. The white knob makes it so I can do a quick disconnect of the cross braces. I use a plastic floor trim (Home Depot/Lowes) and a part called Pole_Clamp to add support across the top (there are 2). The base part is designed for an 8mm T-Slot (Ebay Amazon). The problem is the "T" thickness is 5mm and the Retrax slot is 4mm. I belt sanded them down to fit. But You can also get the 6mm T-Slot bolts with 4mm thickness if you want. I also bought I-Bolts to aide in the tie-down capability. I needed longer 6mm machine screws and addition 6mm nuts in order to use the clamp knob on the Maker Pipe bracket hardware.
3D models in Fusion 360, Step and STL files available at...
https://grabcad.com/library/truck-rack-assembly-for-retrax-t-slots-1
"I've always wanted to rack on the back of my truck but without losing my cover. I had went to the local stores looking for a T But without any excess I could not find anybody that had what I was looking for so I had come home and went online and I found your product. Your product is awesome it was exactly what I was looking for. Sure home depot And Lowes has corners and reducers but no T I don't know why you don't have this product in every home depot or Lowe's other than to keep in the price down.. I love how they lock in Place.I like the ability to be able to customize my own product. Just thought I'd write you and let you know that your product is awesome." - Brian
I came across Maker Pipe today and I am really intrigued! I was thinking of purchasing a $2000 pre made rack, but feel like i could accomplish the same thing on my own for at least half the price if I use EMT + Maker Pipe.
For those with experience using Maker Pipe connections, how would you go about recreating something similar to the attached photos? Would you make the 4 vertical uprights out of one piece, bending where required? If so, what would the best connection method for the top rails be? Or would you cut where the angle is to begin, use an adjustable angle hinge?
I want to build this, but I want to do it right and would love some guidance 🙂
You can save 75% or more if you do it yourself. I recommend the model set so you can build a model first. It looks easy unless you want the bends. If you know how to bend great, if not it takes some practice. What ever pipe bender you buy, replace the handle with an iron pipe. It makes bending a lot easier. You can connect it to your truck several ways, 1. makerpipe feet or 2. Flexpipe angle joint or 3. galavanized single hole flange from Lowe’s paired with t-slot nuts from eBay, bolts and washers from ace hardware, with or without bed legs. #3 only if you have a truck bed rail.
"Everything arrived how I ordered it, but I got a bolt that didn’t fit the application and finding a replacement for it was a pain. But the pipe clamps/attachments are really nice. I made a canvas frame for the bed of my bus." - Ray
Reposting this awesome roof rack that Blanco shared in the MP Facebook group.
"A roof rack made from 1", i planto rivet each of the connectors after i paint it. The foundation is a bed rail bracket I had custom fabricated. i can share my drawings if anybody is interested."
Thanks for sharing this, I really like the idea of the bed rail bracket and the attachment pins. Those curves are brilliant and likely adds strength as your using one continuous piece of 1" pipe instead of breaking it all up. In my opinion this turned out great!!!
Are your curved pieces one continuous with the straight section below the fitting? Or did you purchase pre-curved sections and join them to straight? How hard is it to custom-curve pipe, and what tool do you need?
I built a roof rack for our 2005 Chevy Astro Van. It incorporates a space for two 100W solar panels, a cargo area and an upper deck that allows longer items to be carried. The rack is currently held to the original Astro roof rails with hose clamps and can be removed completely if needed.
I am including lots of detail shots so you can see how the panels are attached. That was the trickiest part. They ended up very close to the surface of the roof which is what I wanted. The upper bars do shade the panels a bit which is unfortunate but I really wanted a way to carry longer items on the rack without damaging the panels. Hopefully eventually even a canoe.
I plan to revisit soon and add front and side lighting to the upper bars.
Let me know if you have any questions.
The following video was a great resource and gave me courage and inspiration to get started with this build!!!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y1xPUKhk38g&ab_channel=HanginwithHerky
"Tried the Maker Pipe fittings for the first time on a special motorcycle project. Used the fittings to alter a saddlebag mounting bracket. After some adjustments they worked well and they are strong. I painted the brackets and conduit pipe to match the bike. On some applications the plastic bushings were too thick, making it seem like the bracket was spread apart at the open end when using 1/2” conduit. Consider thinner bushings for 1/2” conduit. I added screw-type clamps on the ends to add support between the end of the clamp, the bushing and conduit. Might be applicable to only this project, but I believed it necessary in this case since I needed the strength." - Dave
I bought this Kei Truck to build a flower truck out of. Racks for this truck are super expensive so I figured id try to build it out of electrical pipe and maker pipes fittings. Turned out perfect. I used 4 flange connectors to attach to truck bed, 2 U bolts to secure to existing headache rack, 4 90 degree connectors to make the top square, and a bunch of T connectors. I then connected my cedar boards to the pipe. can withstand highway speeds so far. I used a hinge from amazon to get the 3 sides to swing up.
This is so cool! Thanks for sharing! Do you have any photos of it with the sides folded down?
“Have looked at a lot of options for this top. These are easy to use, and did form to all angles I needed.” - Brian
“Much heavier and better design with ends interlocking on back of cross tubing.” - David
"I built a simple mount for my 12v cooler in my rear seat of my F-350." - Marcel
"Product was delivered on time as described. Used them to build a super beefy bed extender for my truck, feels very solid. I didn’t have faith in the aluminum commercial offerings I could find online so I built my own from a rough idea I had of what I wanted. It turned out better than expected." - David
I made a pull-out awning for my jeep. I used it on a camping trip. It worked perfectly even in heavy rain and winds.
"This is a 10x14 awning made with Pipe Maker. Thank you again for making great products." - John
Hi Jake .. I"m new to maker pipe .. can I ask questions of Randy through this post? Assuming I can:
- Nice Job Randy .. I have been thinking about doing something similar ,and it looks like you have a great solution here. A few questions:
-- What did you use for the fabric?
-- Any trouble with Chafing between the fabric and the frame?
-- Have you been driving much at Highway speeds? Any issues to report
In my case I'm thinking of making the covering removable for when I need the flatbed functionality. Is your design intended to go on and off easily? If so, what tricks do you like in your build that I should consider for my build?
Congratulations Randy on a great project .. thanks for the inspiration.
Steve P
Simple bed topper made for my 2014 Polaris ranger. Custom canvas cover purchased from coversandall.com.
Hi Paul S, I posted your build on the Maker Pipe Facebook and someone was curious about where you got the cab enclosure from?
Check out this awesome build from Bill!
"Started with an Aluminum Utility Trailer and then added a Maker Pipe support structure to accommodate my 1924 Model T Ford. I covered it with a zippered waterproof fabric cover so we could take the “T” to Nantucket for the Daffodil Festival Parade. Was able to build a covered trailer, with several configuration options, which was light enough to be towed by my wife’s car and not require electric brakes. (Less than 3000 lbs. with the 1800 lb. car on board)."
Here's a fantastic project from Roman!
"I recently bought my son a 2004 Element. Unfortunately, it did not come with a cargo cover. He lives off campus and parks on the street. He would like to keep prying eyes and from seeing what’s in the cargo area. I reviewed Honda Element Owners Facebook Group’s posts regarding using practical alternatives to buying the cargo cover. Using a small table instead of buying a cargo cover inspired my build.
Since I had a short amount of time before my son returns to college, I had to make this build fast. I decided to make a frame out of ¾” EMT conduit. (23” deep x 41 ½ wide x 13 ¼” high)
The deck is ¾” plywood that I purchased (1/4 sheet) from Home Depot. The finish cut is 21 ½” deep x 43” wide. This is not as deep and wider than the frame. I wanted to expose the end plugs so that I can extend the height (using nut inserts instead of plugs). This can be done at a later time.
I used a ¼ round router on the top and bottom edges to soften the edges. I then applied 2 coats of water-based poly. Hopefully this will help prevent water stains and less splinters.
Besides covering part of the cargo area, the deck is strong enough to lay things on top of without sagging. The frame allows to strap on bungee cords or It can also fit in the area between the front and rear seats.
Thanks, Maker Pipe for providing high quality 100% fitting parts. They are critical to this build."
This is such a great idea and build. Exactly what I'm trying to do with my Element. I'll post results.
@scottsrides over on Instagram made a support frame for the inside of his inflatable paint booth. If the power goes out midway through a painting session, the frame will catch the deflating booth and keep the cars underneath safe. Pretty sweet! We will get to see a build video here soon on YouTube but in the meantime, check out his Instagram Reel on the build.
Great build from Steve!
"I built a rack to hold solar panels while RV camping to charge solar generator. I used t connectors cross-over clamps and 1-hole straps. Worked great a quality product and a great company to work with."
So I've been wanting to find a cheap topper for my truck for a while now, but it's hard to find a cheap used one for these really short box trucks. Using a used pipe bender that I picked up years ago for $20 and some Maker Pipe fittings, I made a tarp topper that I can assemble in 5 minutes when I go to my son's scouting events.
Sadly, I miscounted the T-connectors that I'd need for the project (ordered now) so I only have two lateral supports per side instead of the four that I wanted to use to complete the project.
I've also ordered a couple telescoping clamps to make an awning to go over the tailgate.
I'm going to see how well this works. If I like it, I'll make the next one out of 1/2" rigid conduit to see if I can hang a hammock from it.
Conan shared a few photos of his awesome car roof rack. Check it out!
Wow! This is a cool one from Kenneth!
“I wanted to put doors on my Polaris Ranger but the cost for a set of "store bought" doors were in the range of $1000 to $1500. Instead, I made doors using 1/4" HDPE sheets for the skin and 1'2" conduit using Maker Pipe T connectors. I made the doors for just under $450. Very happy with the results.”
Hi! Apologies if this has been answered before, but apparently I don't know the right search terms if it has!
I'm looking to build a small lockable enclosure to sit on a trailer. (Typical box shape - one side on hinges.)
I've got various sizes of wire mesh ranging from flexible rolls like you would get for a fence to 1/8" welded wire mesh. What I'm struggling with is how to get a nice tight cover. The rigid mesh I could take the galvanization off, and spot weld each prong... but that's pretty excessive. I wouldn't mind using the fence mesh. (It's not high security, just to keep some things in when I'm on a job site.)
Does anyone have any ideas on how to attach it and keep it stretched nice and tight? Especially over the door?
The only thing that comes to mind that we've seen before is this hinging ATV trailer cover. Seems like a pretty similar framework - https://connect.makerpipe.com/post/frame-for-4-wheeler-cover-is-complete-chose-to-modify-the-ridge-to-provide---63e7dc5f1e0f286592e300bb
I recently learned about metal zip ties. They might be a good option for holding the mesh tight on your frame. https://a.co/d/98rQiVR
For now, on the cap, I used 2 hole straps bolted thru the crossbars of the roof rack , but there is some movement when empty so I will likely use rivet nuts and bolt thru the pipe eventually. The truck roof I used smittybilt roof rack mount
Cage for the back of the side by side for the dogs to come riding. Really happy to come across maker pipe. Otherwise it would have been much more expensive
Cool project from Ken!
"It has worked great, even better than I envisioned.
I added a couple sidebars, and on one, attached a WWII shovel, I originally bought surplus, as a kid right after the war. That worked so well, I still had 4 connectors on hand, so I made another improvement. I added two bars with a couple of of original ruck sacks across the front. Perfect for extra equipment and still have plenty of room for Desi! You have a fantastic product!"- Ken
Frame for 4 wheeler cover is complete. Chose to modify the ridge to provide better pitch for snow accumulation while parked. Cover is hinged along the front via 2 eye bolts. Awaiting gas spring install before I cover with shrink wrap.
Dan recently shared this awesome side-by-side basket rack. There's a really cool mix of custom brackets, conduit, and maker pipe!
Kodiac seat bar (keeps loads from shifting forward toward rider) . front rack seems odd but made to fit a tub used when gardening. the front rack accepts 3/4 fittings easily. the rear is inbetween 3/4 & 1" fittings so I used clamps to squeeze the 3/4 to the rear rack bars.
This is a cool one from Tim!
"Super nice product. Here's the end result. The grab bar that I connected to is in between 1/2 and 3/4 EMT size, so I took a plumbing wall tube (polypropylene and thinner than PVC) and made spacers for those connections. Works great."
Don recently shared this great build through email. He made a rack that supports his weed eater while mowing the lawn. Smart idea to keep from wrestling with it or having to walk around a bunch to retrieve it.
Christopher recently sent in these photos through email. He made a roof rack for his Tacoma that can slide out into a canopy. Awesome idea!
Beautiful and exactly what I need except I need it higher to clear my hatch back when opened. I’m new at this any ideas on how I can make exact sliding awning but it has to be higher
Hi there Dale. Here is a link to a bunch of vehicle racks shared in the community. https://connect.makerpipe.com/topic/vehicle-racks
Jason recently shared this front rack that he built for his side by side. It looks like he used some existing mounting arms to attach it to the front guard and sides.
Michael recently shared his pickup truck bed extender with us. He said all in he spent about $100 vs $280 for a pre-made solution. Great way to get some extra bed space for hauling stuff around.
Jacob recently shared some photos of his Baja Bug roof rack made with EMT Conduit and Maker Pipe. It turned out awesome!
I guess we need to add tow hooks to the list of possible connection points for Maker Pipe Connectors!
"Love the Maker Pipe system! I found out about Maker Pipe while doing a search for conduit fittings for another project but ended up using them to build a rack extension for my truck. The materials I needed to carry are not too heavy but needed support for a long and somewhat bumpy journey. I used 3/4 pipe, t's, and 45° ends along with shrink wrap and 1/2" hot water pipe insulation. 45 minutes after starting I had built my solution. And it detaches in less than 2 minutes leaving no trace. I can't wait for my next project!!! This stuff is amazing!!"
Which diameter EMT for car roof rack? I saw the video of the awesome van rack and am pursuing a similar design; mine will be maximum 7’x4’ perimeter. Which size of EMT will be stronger given the various potential stresses of tie-downs and load shifting? I understand that larger interior openings are more crushable, but the larger sizes have slightly thicker walls. I am less concerned about cross-bars because they can be easily replaced. The curves and bends of the perimeter are what I want to optimize. TIA for any advice!
Hi Ver, thanks for the question! Several embers of the community have had success using 3/4" EMT Conduit in their roof racks without any issues so far. I think it really will depend on what you want to carry up there.
Thanks Jake. That’s good to hear. I suspect that 1/2” might be stronger than 3/4” in some aspects but I haven’t found any specs. I might use some of each, because I’m thinking of telescoping the front and rear horizontal sections to support the edges of a canopy. Still working on the design, and I’ll probably come up with more questions!
Inspired by Todd Shaffer's kayak rack, I built a kayak rack for my minitruck. I couldn't go side-by-side, so I went vertical. I also incorporated the pool noodle roof rack idea for over the cab. We came across the gator on our first venture using the new rack.
In order to carry my Fat Tire eScooter with me on my cross country trip I made this with Maker Pipe
That's great Jeff Bromley! You are going cross country on that scooter???? That sounds like an adventure. Keep us posted.
I built a frame to hold a cover and windshield for my Max II.
Max II is a 6 wheel amphibious ATV.
They dont make Max IIs anymore, so parts and accessories are difficult to find. So I built a frame, and designed a vinyl cover and a windshield to attach to the frame to protect myself from inclement weather during my rides. I couldnt have done it without Maker Pipe's awesome product!
