I’m probably going to pre-build some assemblies to take with me to SMRRF in the UK.
I want to build it with UK-standard materials because it’s being left behind after the show, and I do not want it to be an oddball setup for whomever gets it.
Does anyone know of a US (preferably local to Colorado) supplier that I can get some 30mm OD 2mm or so wall thickness stainless tube for a small LR4 beam?
I like showing people they can make a decent CNC using common cheap EMT, but, showing them a stout pipe based build is neat too.
You cant get common to us EMT where he is going with this machine. So he is using pipe that is common for over there
Personally, think it’d be funny leaving imperial freedom unit dimensioned EMT in the UK. Plus cheaper to build a very decent give away CNC, where you can share the actual build cost with event attendees too. Am ASSuming you don’t get overly stung by airline checked baggage.
If you tried hard enough someone’s probably got a back room full of the old British Imperial black enamalled conduit… a thing of beauty those! Though you’d still run into the fact that our conduit is specced by OD, not ID (I have to admit that the US approach makes more sense here…)
Anyway. The idea of bringing the beam on a flight seems mad to me - assembled YZ plates yes, but surely it makes more sense if I make the beam here?
Are you dead set on stainless? It’s three times the price of ERW mild!
We’ll keep chatting in the other thread. Distributed build hadn’t occured to me, but what a great idea!
I still have on the backburner the stark raving mad project of a milled/printed travel case that folds apart, transformer-style, into a portable small LowRider.
It won’t be ready for SMRRF but maybe for next years’ rounds of shows. I heard of a couple of intesting possibities in France early last year during a couple of business trips there, and I’ve heard of a couple of like things in Germany.
And at some point there’s a small maker community space in Norway that I need to go visit.
Interestingly, 30mm stainless seems more available to me here in the states than other options. metric tubing is hard to find here. Or at least to my untrained sourcing skills.
Not that mad honestly. We’ve made travel cases for weirder things, particularly in the theatre scenic aspect of my world. Practically my whole life can be cased up and put on a truck!
Making it light enough to fly would be a whole different ball game, though…
Me too!
My sourcing skills are not that honed either. Essentially they boil down to go to the FH Brundle warehouse and ask 
Apparently they’re the supplies to some of the other metal wholesalers in the UK - they move a serious amount of volume. Pretty good range - the only things I’ve had to go elsewhere for so far are conduit and spiral ducting.
Can you convince my wife to let me tag along when you are here? 
Did someone say kidnapping?
I can try. It sure sounds fun to hop around visiting makers all over the place, doesn’t it…?