Author Topic: Aluminium tubing  (Read 9111 times)

Offline yorkie_chris

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Aluminium tubing
« 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 :)

Offline AdeV

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Re: Aluminium tubing
« Reply #1 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...
Cheers!
Ade.
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Occasionally: Zhengzhou, China. An even longer way from anywhere...

Offline Bluechip

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Re: Aluminium tubing
« Reply #2 on: March 28, 2011, 06:58:00 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
I have a few modest talents. Knowing what I'm doing isn't one of them.

Offline BillTodd

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Re: Aluminium tubing
« Reply #3 on: March 28, 2011, 07:58:18 PM »
Most extruded tube will be in imperial sizes

Try searching for hollow bar stock

bill
Bill

Offline bigmini

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Re: Aluminium tubing
« Reply #4 on: March 28, 2011, 11:44:27 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.

Offline Jonny

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Re: Aluminium tubing
« Reply #5 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?
 

Offline yorkie_chris

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Re: Aluminium tubing
« Reply #6 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

Offline AdeV

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Re: Aluminium tubing
« Reply #7 on: March 31, 2011, 10:38:49 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.
Cheers!
Ade.
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Location: Wallasey, Merseyside. A long way from anywhere.
Occasionally: Zhengzhou, China. An even longer way from anywhere...

Offline No1_sonuk

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Re: Aluminium tubing
« Reply #8 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?