PolarBear007

Hi all -

OK, as the title states, what's your favorite source for 4130 CroMoly tubing?

I'm going to be making some racks for my bike and I'm trying to find the least expensive source for 3/8" or 1/2" 4130 tubing.

Thanks for your help!

Scooper

Aircraft Spruce & Specialty

ftwelder

If I need it tomorrow Mcmaster-carr, if a week is fine, aircraft spruce, online metals or ....I forgot the other one..

Plymouth tube is offering a very high quality tube called "promoly" that is fantastic to work with. I think I got some from spruce..

PolarBear007

THanks - I've been "shopping" their offerings for my little project and prices seem very reasonable!

Thank you!

Sooooo, "Promoly" - now you've got my curiosity piqued!!!! The thing about using google is that I can "learn" about a material, but learning directly from someone who has:
1) lots of experience working with light-weight tubing and
2) specific experience with the material in question
is always better than simply reading en masse

What about Promoly makes it fantastic to work with? What type of properties would make it good for making a bike rack?

Thanks again!!!!!

unterhausen

a lot of framebuilders used to get 4130 from Dillsburg, now out of business. At one point they lost their U.S. supplier and went overseas. As likely as not, the exterior of the tubing was pitted, which for most people meant it was scrap. The finish is a big deal for most of us. I'm curious about promoly too. The stuff I've gotten from McMaster has always been at least ok

fietsbob

seems the Industrial steel suppliers sell in 20 foot lengths, so would come as Truck freight rather than thru a Parcel service.

unterhausen

any steel supplier worth dealing with will cut into ups-able lengths if you buy a 20 foot length of tubing.

PolarBear007

I have an acquaintance who recomended McMaster to me as well. He mentioned their super speedy delivery, but their prices look much higher than Spruce


Because I'm just an individual and not ordering by the ton, i can't complain about not getting the same price/service as larger customers. However, i do appreciate Suppliers who *do* accomodate the little guys and i remain a loyal customer (and recommend highly those who are so helpful).

unterhausen

I have always ordered full lengths of any steel that I wanted. It's really not that expensive and it saves the supplier the headache of dealing with offcuts. Usually they offer a decent discount for buying a full length. They would much rather cut it and send all the pieces to you than to sit on the offcuts. 20' is not really a hard and fast number, as far as I can tell. Obviously, that's cut off from a huge pipe. I told the Dillsburg worker that I would take a random length about 10 times when I went down there the last time. Most of it was going to be used in 2 to 6 inch lengths anyway.

calstar 

Approx how many feet does a "typical" front and rear rack require? thanks, Brian

unterhausen

ten-ish? Depends on the design

fietsbob

Or the shop take delivery in the full length and puts it in a pipe rack .. built along 1 wall of the shop.

would be investing in a bundle rather than 1 piece at a time ..

randomgear

Ive been using Wicks Aircraft out of Highland, IL.
Wicks Aircraft - Aircraft Kits, Aircraft Fitting, Spruce Specialty, Chrome Moly Tubing, Aluminum, more - Wicks Aircraft, Highland, Illinois

dsaul

I like Online Metal Store | Small Quantity Metal Orders | Metal Cutting, Sales & Shipping | Buy Steel, Aluminum, Copper, Brass, Stainless | Metal Product Guides at OnlineMetals.com They have almost anything you could possibly need and they sell any quantity/length you want. I also buy my aluminum bar stock for making fixtures from them.

duanedr 

And they carry the promoly mentioned above. If you live near one of their shipping centers (shown on their site), they have a decent scraps bin where I have found some nice chunks for fixtures or other doodads (ie paperweights)