Aluminium Rods

[multiweb]

Went to Bunnings last time to get some extruded aluminium. They have all sorts of profiles, L shape, square, round tubes, etc... but no plain round or even plain square 10x10mm let's say. Where can I get this stuff in small length? Can't be hollow.

[kinetic]

Here's one link Marc,
http://www.hobbyparts.com.au/store/partslist/rodroundaluminium/materials/wide/1/

Since getting a lathe my senses are tuned in to seeing almost anything in
every day life as potential lathe stock, so I almost never buy raw stock
myself.;)

Steve

[multiweb]

Thanks for the link Steve. Yeah, I'm the same. I have a nice old alu block that I got off a very old CPU that I could get the volume of alu I'm after off it but it looks too good to hack :)

[koputai]

Back in the 80's and 90's when I used to make a lot of antennas I used to often wander in to the local aluminium supplier (can't remember the name, but the big mob who became Capral - That's right, Alcan). They had a huge variety of shapes and sizes, and had a little pocket sized cattledog called 'The Little Green Book' with all their profiles and related data. After they became Capral many of the outlets shut down, but there are still a few around. It's ridiculous that you have to now buy raw materials from small resellers.

So, try Capral if there's one nearby.

Cheers,
Jason.

[peter_4059]

I get mine from Action Aluminium - not sure if they are outside QLD. Ebay also has small lengths of bar.

[marki]

Yes Capral will sell you any size you want, they do here anyway.

Mark

[multiweb]

Thanks for all the info guys. There's one in wetherill park. Will give them a call on Monday. :thumbsup:

[mikerr]

Marc these guys are open 7 days and I have bought from them on a number of occasions.

http://www.buttsworth.com.au/



They stock round and square Alluminium bar and will cut to lenghth. You don't have to buy the whole lenghth.

Michael.

[multiweb]

Thanks a lot Mike. Bit far from me but still, they're open 7 days which is very cool. :thumbsup:

[Barrykgerdes]

I used to buy all my aluminium stock from Capral as they rented the other half of our factory at Powells Rd in Brookvale. Because I got to know the operators I had the run of the store. I bought a lot of aluminium from them for the factory and have a large supply of scrap but very little round.

Sadly they have moved the store again so they are not so easy to get supplies from now.

Barry

[multiweb]

What I want to do is cut a small piece of alu let's say 10x10x20mm or so round or square doesn't matter. Then fit it between the back of the sensor of my QHY5 and the alu body with thermal paste. The idea is at night to have the sensor cooled by the body which does get very cold, so I'll get increased sensitivity for guiding and finding guide stars. Someone on the QHYCCD forums used that as a form of passive cooling and I find the idea excellent, simple and elegant. He reckons he gets a 4c delta between the sensor and camera body opposed to 17c normally.

[marki]

Mark if you can make some precise measurements I can machine a piece for you and chuck it in the mail. I have plenty of scrap here that will do the trick at those dimensions. I thought you were using the lodster???

Mark

[Hagar]

Marc, such a small bit. I wondered by your post to BSG if you are coming to it this year? If so and you can give me some measurements I can turn it up for you and give it to you there.
I have plenty of stock lying about here in 2" and 3" which sounds like what you want.

[multiweb]

Thanks guys. You're tops! Doug, I'll be at BSG from Wednesday to Friday Arvo. So if you're going, yeah that would be great to meet. The link to the mod is here (http://thx8411.over-blog.com/pages/Cooling_the_QHY5_imagerautoguider_s tep_1-3170312.html). Pretty straight forward? Let me know. :thumbsup:

[Hagar]

Shouldn't be a problem Marc. I will mill it up tomorrow and bring it on Wednesday to BSG.

Cheers.

[Barrykgerdes]

Hi Marc
If that is all you need. I have 10 mm thick plate in the scrap box would only take a minute or so to liberate a piece big enough for what you want and finish it off in the mill or in the lathe.

Barry

[marki]

Looks like a straight forward job Marc, 2 mins on a mill. Might have to try this myself.

Mark

[multiweb]

Thanks Doug. :thumbsup: See you at BSG.

Yeah it sounds like an easy mod enough.

[scopemankit]

try non ferrous metal dealers

[Poita]

I probably have a piece that size in copper if you'd prefer?