Has anyone had any experience with the use of Hastings aluminum tubing? Can one expect it to be quite round, and not significantly out-of-round? I understand they roll it and then seam/butt weld it from sheet stock. I'm about to buy some to use in making an OTA, in conjunction with a 6.2" f/10 triplet that I obtained here on Astromart a while back. My concern (fear?) is that it might have an elliptical rather that circular cross-section, when it arrives...
Hastings aluminum tubing
Started by zaharja, 12/09/2005 02:10PM
Posted 12/09/2005 02:10PM
Opening Post
Posted 12/09/2005 08:24PM
| Edited 12/09/2005 08:30PM
#1
Hastings? I should try them and see how their tubes look.
I ordered some from Parallax Instruments for a refractor project. The tubing I received was out of round, had a grotesque butt weld down the side. On both sides of the butt weld were angled dug-in clamp marks going down the length of the tube. I assume whatever machine welded the tube together must have grabbed the tube forcibly to pull it through and left those marks. The weld area was humped up as well. I don't know if this what to expect of all re-purposed tubing? or, I wonder if some sizes of tubing, or some distributors have nicer tubes than others? (Not blaming Parallax.. it's not like your ordering a precision piece of tubing.)
I asked my painters to smooth it all out, but I think it was the impossible dream without having them work it for too long to be affordable. If you do body work or have a clue though about it (like me NOT), then the tubes I rcvd could probably be nice looking. As long as you have a rolled end or something shoved in them to force them round.
I ordered some from Parallax Instruments for a refractor project. The tubing I received was out of round, had a grotesque butt weld down the side. On both sides of the butt weld were angled dug-in clamp marks going down the length of the tube. I assume whatever machine welded the tube together must have grabbed the tube forcibly to pull it through and left those marks. The weld area was humped up as well. I don't know if this what to expect of all re-purposed tubing? or, I wonder if some sizes of tubing, or some distributors have nicer tubes than others? (Not blaming Parallax.. it's not like your ordering a precision piece of tubing.)
I asked my painters to smooth it all out, but I think it was the impossible dream without having them work it for too long to be affordable. If you do body work or have a clue though about it (like me NOT), then the tubes I rcvd could probably be nice looking. As long as you have a rolled end or something shoved in them to force them round.
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