Thickness of Steel tubing

N

NeilO

0
Hi All

I have just downloaded my first set of plans, I have discovered that in the UK our box section is sold in millimetre thicknesses not inch, the closest I can get to 1/16 inch thickness is going to be 2mm or 1.5mm. This gives me a challenge as 1.5mm is not widely available in 1.5 inch box section and 2mm is going to be heavier, what would you do?
 
NeilO said:
Hi All

I have just downloaded my first set of plans, I have discovered that in the UK our box section is sold in millimetre thicknesses not inch, the closest I can get to 1/16 inch thickness is going to be 2mm or 1.5mm. This gives me a challenge as 1.5mm is not widely available in 1.5 inch box section and 2mm is going to be heavier, what would you do?
Click to expand...
I use 38.1mm Sq @1.6mm as found at... metals4u
 
Welcome to the forum! Which plans did you get, and what are your hoping to build? It's a great hobby and I'm glad to be back into it after a decade away :)
 
Here in the uk you should be able to source both 16g (1.6mm 1.5" ) and 1.5mm 40mm .
don't use 2 mm as it is TOO Heavy.
Good luck with your build.

regards Emma
 
Of course it is not THAT simple ?

First which plans have you bought ? some will turn out much heavier with 2mm some less so ?

Can you weld > if no then 2mm may give you a fighting chance if this is your first build/welding better to finish a heavy recumbent than have 10ft of tubing with holes blown in it ?

I have collect myself from these people:- https://www.parkersteel.co.uk/Matrix/40/Square-ERW-Tube

They sell in 20ft lengths so I get it cut into 2 x 7ft and that leaves 1x6ft , tell them you want the scrap ! else they throw the 6ft away !
Take some cloth to bind it in or you will mark your upholstery BADLY !!!
 
or the 2.5mm 40x40 my brother provided when my first trike (Street Fox) went together that weekend.
The thing was monstrously heavy.
 
The cannon ball express, as l remember it.
lt did look nice though , and it would give somebody a good workout.
 
I also agree 2mm is too heavy. It's dead easy to go for the safer option and over engineer something. It's much harder to move that mass when pedaling. 2mm is much easier to weld though as said. 1.5/1.6mm often requires a joined up series of spot welds rather than one continuous weld to avoid blowing holes in it. I've bought a lot of my metals from ebay. I also have a metal supermarket close enough to use (they always discount for cash!)
 
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