SpudFiles

Well i found a supplyer of aluminium rods, they are 3cm wide and one meter long(smallest possible measurements) and would cost me 24.70USD per kg(about 12 per pound). Therefore the rods would cost about 48USD, am I being ripped of or are these the normal prices?

You might go to McMaster.com and compare there prices. McMaster is rarely the cheapest place to get something but they do carry just about everything imaginable.

Part #4572T17, 30mmD, 1mL, type 2007 alloy, $64 each.

Aluminum tends to be fairly expensive. That's one of the reasons why it is about the only metal that is recyclable in small quantities.

I think I remember you saying you had a small foundry at your disposal?

Depending on the purpose to which you intend to put the aluminum, you might consider casting some rods.

My dad uses the sprue portions of his castings as turning stock for his lathe.

It works fine as long as the part isn't "critical". (Sprues are still a casting, and may have voids and inclusions, as well as "guess that alloy" problems.)

Call over to another city and see if the price is similar??

Well I would cast the rods but I am not sure about it for this projects, as it will be under pressure(piston housing) and I do not wish to take chances. What are the cheeper, workable metals that are how ever strong eanoth to hold pressure.

Also I have just recieved a phone call from a plastics manufacteurer: 1meter of nylon, 1cm thick for 22$, how is that price wise?

john bunsenburner wrote:Well I would cast the rods but I am not sure about it for this projects, as it will be under pressure(piston housing) and I do not wish to take chances. What are the cheeper, workable metals that are how ever strong eanoth to hold pressure.

Also I have just recieved a phone call from a plastics manufacteurer: 1meter of nylon, 1cm thick for 22$, how is that price wise?

what pressure are you talking about, because if your using low pressure, copper should be strong Enough

I would say the gun should be ablt to hold up to 800psi...Copper is extremly expensive but really anything will hold the pessure in terms of metals also with notmal wall thicknesses

Steel is cheaper than aluminum.

Which specific kind of steel?

Also if steel is cheeper per mass, is it per volume seeing as how a 1meter by 3cm rod is always the same volume.

john bunsenburner wrote:I would say the gun should be ablt to hold up to 800psi...Copper is extremly expensive but really anything will hold the pessure in terms of metals also with notmal wall thicknesses

then is brass cheap? may be i got the two confused

The tubing used on the co-ax is 1026 dom with a .120" wall.

There are many other types. It would be best for you to talk to the people you are buying the steel from. They should know what they have in stock, that will do what you require.

Get the yield strength, wall thickness etc. and punch the values into this calculator to double check.

http://www.engineersedge.com/pipe_bust_calc.htm

Use yield strength where it asks for material strength, and no less than a factor of 3 for a safety factor.

I want a rod not a pipe that means the materials have to be machineble and available in rods.

1045 will work then.

I found those sizes of rods once in a place where they sell second hand stuff. There was a cheap tool supplier (chinese imports and such) having some stock of metal bars. The price if I remember well for alunimum was 12$ ($CAN!) for 6 foot long (about 2 meters) and 15/16". Metal is quite expensive anyway, specially if you search a specific quality and a small quantity.

Don't you have metal markets places or metal junk yards where you live? Those places are usually dirty and greasy, but you can find small quantity for low price by weight. Have a look to your yellow pages at metal supplier or something like that.

Metal market places we do not have, and dumpster diving is illigal. This makes the matter alot more complicated...any more ideas?

I was not thinking of dumpster, but places where they collect used metal for recycling. Usually they don't mind making some cash money for selling little bits (they usually sell by the truck).

Maybe try to find a machine shop with nice people, and ask them where they buy their metal? They could even give you some free or at a cheap price. Depends how nice they are

In any case they could provide you some alternative I'm sure.

I think the price you have may be okay for new classified metal, but surely you can find cheaper.