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Thick wall steel tube

I need a 6 inch length of thick wall steel tube (to make a quill for a small milling machine.)

Finished outside diameter after machining needs to be 2.500 inch. Wall thickness not too critical, but 1/4 inch would be about right (a bit more would be no problem).

I've tried all my usual Model Engineering metal supplers, not no one has anything suitable. Yes, I could bore out a piece of 70 mm solid round bar, but the work involved (and the waste) does not appeal.

Can anyone suggest a supplier?

Thanks

Mike

Reply to
mike.crossfield
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--Look for cored cast iron bushing stock. I've got a hunk of the stuff that I intend to use to build a 3-cylinder steam engine one of these years; it's cast in lengths of a little over a foot and has a hole maybe an inch in diameter. Lotsa boring ahead but it's probably what you want.

Reply to
steamer

Cored? Most if not all hollow cast bar is centrifugally cast. Results in a far more homogenous material.

Tom

Reply to
Tom

Mike,

The RULE is to pick your material size from what's available, THEN finalize the design!

Your dimensional requirements could be met by a piece of 2.5" DOUBLE EXTRA-STRONG commercial steel pipe. Try a scrap yard that accepts stuff from old factories.

OD = 2.875", ID = 1.771" uncorroded. 2" pipe is only 2.375" OD; 3" pipe is 3.5" OD with a 2.300" ID, double extra strong wall.

Alternatively you might try mechanical tubing, which, at 2 5/8" OD has wall thicknesses available up to 5/8". Again try a scrap yard or a heavy steel fabricator.

Good quality cast iron is also a good choice for this application.

Wolfgang

Reply to
wfhabicher

There is a company in Chesterfield that carries blanks of centrifugally cast, cast iron. The make spares for engines, liners etc and they will sell to the public as I collected a couple of liner blanks for a friend a couple of years ago.

I think they have an arrangement with one of the larger companies locally for the supply of this stuff, probably GKN Sheepbridge.

Peter

-- Peter & Rita Forbes Email: snipped-for-privacy@easynet.co.uk Web:

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Reply to
Peter A Forbes

I'd really, really like to see centrifugal casting in action one day.

It *sounds* insanely dangerous, so it appeals enormously! :^)

Reply to
Nigel Eaton

--Yah, maybe that's how they do it. I just meant to indicate it comes with a hole down the middle; very convenient not to have to drill out the middle! :-)

Reply to
steamer

Thanks Wolfgang. I'll try the scrapyard approach.

By the way, I need the tube to repair an old machine. If I'd been designing from scratch I would certainly have started from an available material.

Mike

Reply to
mike.crossfield

Thanks Peter

Any idea of the name of the company concerned?

Mike

Reply to
mike.crossfield

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