What happened to the quality of 3/4 inch EMT fittings?

I've been in the trade about 12 years now, own a small shop in Pittsburgh. I swear I used to be able to buy a box of 3/4 inch set screw connectors and they'd thread on smooth every time. Last 6 months or so, I've been getting these batches where the set screws strip out before they even bite into the pipe. Had a job last week where I went through 8 connectors just to get 3 to hold tight on a simple 20 foot run. The metal feels thinner too, like they're shaving down on material to save a few cents. Is it just the supply house I'm using or is everyone else seeing this garbage from the big brands now?

3 comments

3 Comments

simon71718d ago

Everything's getting cheaper made these days, even the stuff that used to be solid.

nora_dixon18d ago

Man, tell me about it. Had one snap clean in half last week.

garcia.laura18d ago

8 connectors just to get 3 to hold" - that's brutal man. I switched to compression fittings for 3/4 a while back, costs a bit more but I stopped having that stripping problem completely. Might be worth a try if set screws keep giving you trouble.