where can i get 7" metal tube (for pier)

[teztwister]

I want to build a pier and need a piece of tube 7" round and about 1 meter tall,I know people have built there own and wondered where they got there materials from,I have done a google search but they either dont do it that big or its aluminium

Tez

[Darryl]

Look in the yellow pages for "steel stockholders". Find a local one and give them a call, load of diameters/ wall thicknesses will be available.

Darryl

[blinky]

I used a piece of 10" diameter Air Con conduit.

[Phil Fargaze]

I was going to say, I got a few 6" aluminium tubes hanging about, 5mm wall thickness. A good idea is to have a creep about the local industrial estate and ask in any steel fabricators for any tube. They might be able to give you a bit if you flash a tenner to the right person.

[SteveA]

I got 8" stainless tube from here;

http://www.stainlesssteelsections.com/index.htm

Can certainly recomend them..

Steve

[ollypenrice]

Scrapyards! I think they still exist. Wonderfull places. My father was brought up on one and the faimily never bought anything, they just waited...

Olly.

PS Be very careful when cutting with an angle grinder. Don't blind yourself building an observatory!!!

[Starjumper]

Dont wish to hijack the thread but is there a minimum distance from ground level to top of pier.??

John

[teztwister]

Well thanks for all the replys , i think either the scrap yard or have a walk around some factorys is going to be my best bet (allready got some thick 10mm hardend steel plates cut for top and bottom and also one top plate for the mount with 65mm hole,just need some m16 threaded rod , nuts and some way to fix it to the ground, without haveing anything stick up out of the concrete.Was thinking about some long nuts and then when i take it down i can just make some grub screws and put them in to stop any dirt going down them)

Tez

[albedo0.39]

Easy.. go to your local builders merchant. Grab a 6"-8" plastic sewer pipe - thick walled. Sand, Medium Gravel Cement. Mix, add water to make concrete.

Position pipe vertically in the ground where you would like your pier to be - sink as required etc..

Pour concrete into the pipe. Wait until set. Cap the top of the pipe with sheet steel and voila - you have a perfectly steady, grounded pier. Of course, you could sink it really deep / add wider foundations for even better stability.

That's what I'd do anyhow.

[teztwister]

Yer but i just want to be able to take it up in the summer (the lady of the house says so) barbecue etc , you know how it is , plus not a very big garden otherwise that is exactly what i would be doing (no hassle)

Tez

[ollypenrice]

Regarding minimum height, as long as your scope can slew to the zenith without the bottom end hitting the ground, there isn't one. However, things to consider...

Imaging only with a computer screen-based camera; keep the system as low as possible for stability and wind protection.

Observing; think about the range of eyepiece heights.

Imaging with a DSLR; can you get underneath it to see the camera screen?

Olly

[George]

I used a piece of 10" diameter Air Con conduit.

Ditto, rescued mine from 'work'

[Starjumper]

Thanks Olly.

John

[flyingspud]

I want to build a pier and need a piece of tube 7" round and about 1 meter tall,I know people have built there own and wondered where they got there materials from,I have done a google search but they either dont do it that big or its aluminium

Tez

try mackays of cambridge.very good .no idea where you are though!

[annid]

Hi Tez

I work for a pressure vessel fabrication company. 7" pipe may be difficult to get - though not impossible. We tend to use 6" or 8" NPS - which means the ID is the correct size, but then the material thickness is added depending upon the schedule of the pipe you want eg. schedule 20 is thinner than schedule 80, to get the OD. The schedule number also has increased thicknesses depending on the diameter of the pipe - effectively proportional to the diameter. I have never come across 7" steel pipe as yet. Primarily - if you are looking at Stainless steel - the material thickness will be thinner and likely to dent if moving around, and the pipe more expensive if you are buying it. Carbon steel would be better and cheaper - but the disadvantage is it would be heavier if moving it around.

The suggestion of checking the scrap yards first is a good one - but if you don't find anything try the steel stockist as they sometimes have 'remnents' that may do and you may be able to negotiate a price.

HTH

Ann