Where to obtain a 12ft top bar for my TurtleDog Stand?

[Sailor]

Interesting. I never saw the 1" EMT Conduit before, and its cheaper then the others. So you're saying that I buy 2 10" lengths, get each one cut down to about 6 feet, maybe 6.5 feet, then buy a connector? What type of conjoiner should I get? I would like to be sturdy and durable but obviously easy enough to dissemble.

Would this be good enough?
http://www.homedepot.com/p/1-in-Elec...-202241090-_-N

The coupler shown looks pretty short, but the coupler TATO sells is short too. I like the dowel because its longer and would distribute stress...

[Sailor]

I personally would be very wary or 1" emt conduit. It's thin walled, and designed to bend. If you load it under compression I don't see how it wouldn't bend.

I'd get 1" galvanized or black pipe: http://www.homedepot.com/p/1-in-x-10...00HC/100535170 use a threaded coupler and reinforce the joint inside with narrow diameter tube, or hardwood dowel.

The pressure on the top bar is minimal shear at the ends, with most weight pulling down and in. I don't think there's any worry there. With two lengths of conduit meeting in the middle of the span, the leverage there is overwhelming and therefore, shear minimal. Not my idea anyway, its what TATO uses. I've got one and its clearly strong enough...
Edit: ahh yes. The fence rails are good to!

[PappyAmos]

I used military surplus fiberglass pole sections. Found them at my local surplus store for a few dollars each.

The story is here in post 1300 .

[Rifleman]

If you go to a fence supply store or fence builder they have 21' sections of top rail. The fence builder in my area uses a slightly heavier gauge toprail than the box stores. I prefer to have the solid 12' piece for my backyard since it is less fiddly than pieces. But, I have used as many as 4 pieces of toprail with the swaged ends put together and they hold up fine under compression. I'm 6' 200 pounds, but in that configuration the pieces will hold much more. I wanted to stick with toprail rather than EMT because it fits the tarp brackets of my new stand. Hope you got it worked out already.