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Gallery, Projects and General => How do I?? => Topic started by: yorkie_chris on March 28, 2011, 05:06:10 PM

Title: Aluminium tubing
Post by: yorkie_chris on March 28, 2011, 05:06:10 PM

I'm looking to source some aluminium tubing.
Must have a nice finish on OD, be 12mm OD fairly exactly, and have 3mm wall thickness.

Answers on a postcard :)

Title: Re: Aluminium tubing
Post by: AdeV on March 28, 2011, 05:43:10 PM

Your local metal merchant should be able to source that, but it's going to cost you top dollar...

Title: Re: Aluminium tubing
Post by: Bluechip on March 28, 2011, 06:58:00 PM

Quote from: yorkie_chris on March 28, 2011, 05:06:10 PM

I'm looking to source some aluminium tubing.
Must have a nice finish on OD, be 12mm OD fairly exactly, and have 3mm wall thickness.

Answers on a postcard :)

I can find 1/2" x 10SWG ...

http://www.aluminiumwarehouse.co.uk/Aluminium-Round_Tube/c120_131/p17830/Aluminium_Round_Tube_(6063T6)_1/2_in_x_10_swg/product_info.html

So ..... How fairly is your exactly ??

Shipping is horrendous ... but

Tube itself is cheapish ... maybe give some idea ( if you find some in a local stockist  ) if it's a rip-off or not ..

Dave BC

Title: Re: Aluminium tubing
Post by: BillTodd on March 28, 2011, 07:58:18 PM

Most extruded tube will be in imperial sizes

Try searching for hollow bar stock

bill

Title: Re: Aluminium tubing
Post by: bigmini on March 28, 2011, 11:44:27 PM

Quote from: yorkie_chris on March 28, 2011, 05:06:10 PM

I'm looking to source some aluminium tubing.
Must have a nice finish on OD, be 12mm OD fairly exactly, and have 3mm wall thickness.

Answers on a postcard :)

I have some fairly short bits (20-50mm) that are 1/2" OD and 1/4" ID. Is that similar to what you are after? My father gave them to me. I can find out where he got them. They have a fairly even matte finish, and I'm pretty sure they're aluminium.

Title: Re: Aluminium tubing
Post by: Jonny on March 29, 2011, 02:23:27 PM

Aluminium sizes are nominal at best and are not round, vary in diameters from one extrusion to the next.
Add to that unless a special its only in imperial, so well above dia in bore already but could turn o/d down.

What lengths we looking at here? From round, drill and ream?
 

Title: Re: Aluminium tubing
Post by: yorkie_chris on March 31, 2011, 08:46:45 AM

Too long to drill and ream, 700mm approx depending on the bike.

It has to slide in a bushing which is fixed into fork internals

Title: Re: Aluminium tubing
Post by: AdeV on March 31, 2011, 10:38:49 AM

Quote from: yorkie_chris on March 31, 2011, 08:46:45 AM

Too long to drill and ream, 700mm approx depending on the bike.

It has to slide in a bushing which is fixed into fork internals

You could drill that deep with a blacksmith's drill + long extension bar - but it'd be a long job (pardon the pun) and very boring (sorry, sorry...).

Could you line bore it? I think that's the only way you'll get decent internal bore accuracy along that sort of length.

Title: Re: Aluminium tubing
Post by: No1_sonuk on April 04, 2011, 08:36:22 AM

If it's a production job, some kind of gun drill could work.

If my calcs are correct, a solid 12mm bar, 700mm long would weigh about 213.7g (@ 2.7g/cm3).  12mm tube with 3mm wall would be 113.4g.

Could you live with it being 100g heavier, and use a solid bar?