Hanging conduit from Unistrut is commonly done on commercial jobs. Typically is is used when you have a lot of pipes running in the same direction. I've installed pipe racks for as little as maybe 4-5 but they were larger size pipe, maybe 2" or more in diameter.
IMHO, a Unistrut pipe rack overkill for a home workshop. In my last two workshops, I installed EMT and never had the occasion where I saw a pipe rack being desired. If you plan ahead for expansion - run additional conduits or oversize the pipe - you may never need to make another run from the panel. Here's an example of conduit runs in a single car garage:
These are the symbols
“Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness..." - Mark Twain
If you get the idea to use larger conduit and run several circuits together, be careful. The code requires de-rating the conductor capacities in certain situations. Be careful about number of conductors allowed too, and don't mix low voltage circuits with power circuits. In a one car or larger size shop I would go with EMT, and Unistrut wherever I decided to use it. Large benders are expensive, but you can get sweeps for standard bends. !/2, 3/4, and 1" EMT conduit benders are reasonably priced and fun to use, once you understand the methods. Julie Moriarity posted a quick course in bending some time ago. She did a great job of explaining it, so it's well worth searching for.
Charley
Charles, that thread, which used to be a sticky, lost all the images and became useless. But I copied most of the thread and inserted the lost images. It can be found HERE.
“Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness..." - Mark Twain
Julie,
I haven't done any of my own electrical work and may not ever do any, but I really appreciate all of the effort you have put into advising all of us on the topic. I live in the Chicago area so, if I ever do any of that work, I will be rereading all of your posts. Thanks!
Jon
For at least the last twenty years on commercial work in the central ohio area, ground wires are pulled in ALL conduit systems regardless of local or state inspection. Based on observation working on jobs as HVAC controls tech and as owners rep. Not certain who requires it or if the engineers specified it.
35 years in the electrical trade and the only time we pulled a ground in conduit was in hospitals or for isolated grounds, which was a thing when computers came into the work world. But when I moved to Florida and installed EMT in my workshop and garage, I pulled in a ground wire because rust never sleeps here. I used set screw fittings, but even if I used compression, I would still have pulled in a ground.
You can't go wrong pulling a ground in conduit. For the most part, it isn't done because of the added cost. But there were instances - like the time GRC under slab had rusted away - that the case grounding of the pipe was lost. We got called in because of problems related to the lost ground. Had there been a ground wire, no one would have known the GRC was rusting away.
“Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness..." - Mark Twain