Source for stock aluminum tubing with 10" ID with a tight tolerance/finish on the ID?
Source for stock aluminum tubing with 10" ID with a tight tolerance/finish on the ID?
(OP)
Does anyone know a source for aluminum tubing with a 10" ID that has a tight tolerance on the ID in its stock purchased condition? I need something with a 0.5" or 1" wall thickness and ~10" length. Ideally the ID surface would be honed or have a nice finish. Maybe something used as a hydraulic cylinder.
I have looked around pretty extensively and have found DOM and seemless steel tubing honed hydraulic cylinders with these dimensions but need something lighter, Scot Industries, etc. The stock 6061 T6 round tubing I have been able to find with a 10" ID has a controlled OD dimension and a wall tolerance of +/- 10%. Machining an aluminum tube with a ~9.5" ID is problematic because of the size and internal stresses.
Any sources to look into?
I have looked around pretty extensively and have found DOM and seemless steel tubing honed hydraulic cylinders with these dimensions but need something lighter, Scot Industries, etc. The stock 6061 T6 round tubing I have been able to find with a 10" ID has a controlled OD dimension and a wall tolerance of +/- 10%. Machining an aluminum tube with a ~9.5" ID is problematic because of the size and internal stresses.
Any sources to look into?





RE: Source for stock aluminum tubing with 10" ID with a tight tolerance/finish on the ID?
A.
RE: Source for stock aluminum tubing with 10" ID with a tight tolerance/finish on the ID?
RE: Source for stock aluminum tubing with 10" ID with a tight tolerance/finish on the ID?
You will not find a stock tube with a tight tolerance and finish on the ID. Something like that is made from stock with very loose tolerances. get quotes from machine shops.
RE: Source for stock aluminum tubing with 10" ID with a tight tolerance/finish on the ID?
Why did you mention 6061T alloy? Do you need that alloy, or was it merely convenient?
How many parts of this tube will you be making?
where is it manufactured and used, if a one of a kind piece for a lab?
(Remember, they used to make 10" smoothbore and rifled cannon bores that were simple but precisely machined tubes. High price too. High pressure application though. )
RE: Source for stock aluminum tubing with 10" ID with a tight tolerance/finish on the ID?
Is this production, or onesies? If you are doing one piece, you can machine from billet. If you are doing production, you can make casting.
10" pipe has an OD of 10.75". Schedule 40 pipe has an ID of less than 10". I don't know how easy it is to machine an accurate bore. On a casting or billet, you can flange the ends, making things more rigid.
JHG
RE: Source for stock aluminum tubing with 10" ID with a tight tolerance/finish on the ID?
RE: Source for stock aluminum tubing with 10" ID with a tight tolerance/finish on the ID?
Probably a total of 3 to 5 parts of this tubing will be made.
RE: Source for stock aluminum tubing with 10" ID with a tight tolerance/finish on the ID?
Buy round bar stock of alloy strong enough for your product. (You have not provided enough information to give us any clue about material selection. As an (mechanical) engineer, this should have been one of your FIRST decisions!)
Machine the 10 inch long, 10 inch diameter parts on a lathe using a standard boring bar tool holder.
Load on car seat or pickup truck.
Pay machinist and machine shop.
RE: Source for stock aluminum tubing with 10" ID with a tight tolerance/finish on the ID?
RE: Source for stock aluminum tubing with 10" ID with a tight tolerance/finish on the ID?
Extruded aluminium normally comes in twenty foot lengths. Do you really need that much?
I suggest that you prepare a drawing of what you want, and send it to a machine shop for quotes. Let them figure out how to make it, and how to order material.
If you machine something with a ten inch diameter hole out of a solid block, the fabricator should be able to salvage an eight inch diameter plug for other fabrication. It won't all be aluminium filings.
--
JHG
RE: Source for stock aluminum tubing with 10" ID with a tight tolerance/finish on the ID?
Send out an RFQ to all suppliers you can find.
Some consider facsimile to be state of the art.
Tell them _exactly_ what you want.
I.e., if you only need ~10" long pieces, mention that; cutoffs may be available at very competitive prices.
I.e., if you only need 10 pieces, say so.
I.e., if you are flexible about the alloy and specs, say so.
Allow some flexibility in your specs if possible.
E.g. metals suppliers can cut rings out of thick plate.
`
Mike Halloran
Pembroke Pines, FL, USA
RE: Source for stock aluminum tubing with 10" ID with a tight tolerance/finish on the ID?
10" long with a .5" wall should not be too hard to machine the with the right equipment.
RE: Source for stock aluminum tubing with 10" ID with a tight tolerance/finish on the ID?