I need a short piece of 1" ID tube for the drain on an aluminum boat I
recently repaired. I've started realizing that may not be so easy to find.
I figured for a scrap piece Ebay would be my friend, but no such luck. Then
I checked Speedy Metals and Discount Steel on-line. Still no luck. There
is plenty of 6061 options available, but no 5052. I'm about at that point
where I am thinking I may have to make a piece of tube.

It doesn't need to be accurate to tenths, but it does need to be pretty
close to 1" when finished. The rubber expansion plug can make up for quite
a lot of variation though.

Where I am running into issues is how to actually go about making a tube
that small, that I can weld. I can weld down to .08 pretty fair with my
Miller 212, but that's not really easy to form. Also, the only .080 I have
are the scraps I removed from the boat before cutting in my patches and
welding them. The original drain tube was crushed when the boat was
damaged. I've got plenty of .1 and .125 scraps laying around.

Any suggestions?

On 11/20/2011 10:55 AM, Bob La Londe wrote:
I need a short piece of 1" ID tube for the drain on an aluminum boat I
recently repaired. I've started realizing that may not be so easy to
find. I figured for a scrap piece Ebay would be my friend, but no such
luck. Then I checked Speedy Metals and Discount Steel on-line. Still no
luck. There is plenty of 6061 options available, but no 5052. I'm about
at that point where I am thinking I may have to make a piece of tube.

It doesn't need to be accurate to tenths, but it does need to be pretty
close to 1" when finished. The rubber expansion plug can make up for
quite a lot of variation though.

Where I am running into issues is how to actually go about making a tube
that small, that I can weld. I can weld down to .08 pretty fair with my
Miller 212, but that's not really easy to form. Also, the only .080 I
have are the scraps I removed from the boat before cutting in my patches
and welding them. The original drain tube was crushed when the boat was
damaged. I've got plenty of .1 and .125 scraps laying around.

Any suggestions?

why not bore a proper sized hole in some solid material and then weld it
to the inside of the boat? or even add a flange that is outside for
extra strength

On Sun, 20 Nov 2011 11:55:44 -0700, Bob La Londe wrote:

I need a short piece of 1" ID tube for the drain on an aluminum boat I
recently repaired. I've started realizing that may not be so easy to
find. I figured for a scrap piece Ebay would be my friend, but no such
luck. Then I checked Speedy Metals and Discount Steel on-line. Still
no luck. There is plenty of 6061 options available, but no 5052. I'm
about at that point where I am thinking I may have to make a piece of
tube.

It doesn't need to be accurate to tenths, but it does need to be pretty
close to 1" when finished. The rubber expansion plug can make up for
quite a lot of variation though.

Where I am running into issues is how to actually go about making a tube
that small, that I can weld. I can weld down to .08 pretty fair with my
Miller 212, but that's not really easy to form. Also, the only .080 I
have are the scraps I removed from the boat before cutting in my patches
and welding them. The original drain tube was crushed when the boat was
damaged. I've got plenty of .1 and .125 scraps laying around.

Any suggestions?

Are there any alloys that are compatible that will work instead (5083 is
available from McMaster, but I have no clue how easy it'd be to weld to
5052, or how long it'd last in the water if you did)?

Can you make a bolt-in or screw-in drain tube from 5083? Or plastic?
Possibly with a gasket that prevents galvanic contact? If necessary you
could weld in a reinforcement plate where the tube bolts on.

--
www.wescottdesign.com

On 11/20/2011 1:55 PM, Bob La Londe wrote:
I need a short piece of 1" ID tube

Aircraft Spruce carries it.

http://www.aircraftspruce.com/catalo...mtube_5052.php

Kevin Gallimore

"Bob La Londe" wrote in message
...
I need a short piece of 1" ID tube for the drain on an aluminum boat I
recently repaired. I've started realizing that may not be so easy to find.
I figured for a scrap piece Ebay would be my friend, but no such luck.
Then I checked Speedy Metals and Discount Steel on-line. Still no luck.
There is plenty of 6061 options available, but no 5052. I'm about at that
point where I am thinking I may have to make a piece of tube.

Any suggestions?

Anneal some 6061??

jsw

On Sun, 20 Nov 2011 15:20:53 -0500, axolotl wrote:

On 11/20/2011 1:55 PM, Bob La Londe wrote:
I need a short piece of 1" ID tube

Aircraft Spruce carries it.

http://www.aircraftspruce.com/catalo...mtube_5052.php

And you can use the other 5', 9" to build another 23 boats!

(I'd call and see if they have off cuts, and be ready with my credit card
for a 6' long piece if they don't).

--
www.wescottdesign.com

On 11/20/2011 6:07 PM, Tim Wescott wrote:
On Sun, 20 Nov 2011 15:20:53 -0500, axolotl wrote:

On 11/20/2011 1:55 PM, Bob La Londe wrote:
I need a short piece of 1" ID tube

Aircraft Spruce carries it.

http://www.aircraftspruce.com/catalo...mtube_5052.php

And you can use the other 5', 9" to build another 23 boats!

(I'd call and see if they have off cuts, and be ready with my credit card
for a 6' long piece if they don't).



If the 6' bothers you, Wickes sells it by the foot.

http://www.wicksaircraft.com/catalog/product_cat.php/subid=10239/index.html

Kevin Gallimore

Bob La Londe wrote:
I need a short piece of 1" ID tube for the drain on an aluminum boat I
recently repaired. I've started realizing that may not be so easy to find.
I figured for a scrap piece Ebay would be my friend, but no such luck. Then
I checked Speedy Metals and Discount Steel on-line. Still no luck. There
is plenty of 6061 options available, but no 5052. I'm about at that point
where I am thinking I may have to make a piece of tube.

It doesn't need to be accurate to tenths, but it does need to be pretty
close to 1" when finished. The rubber expansion plug can make up for quite
a lot of variation though.

Where I am running into issues is how to actually go about making a tube
that small, that I can weld. I can weld down to .08 pretty fair with my
Miller 212, but that's not really easy to form. Also, the only .080 I have
are the scraps I removed from the boat before cutting in my patches and
welding them. The original drain tube was crushed when the boat was
damaged. I've got plenty of .1 and .125 scraps laying around.

Any suggestions?


http://www.aircraftspruce.com/catalo...mtube_5052.php
--
Steve W.

I'd look at boat supply places, and see what they have. As
someone else mentioned, might find a drain assembly you can
put on. Enlarge the existing hole, bolt or weld or clamp on.
I'd dare to guess, others before you have faced a similar
challenge.

Best of luck, hope you find something soon, cheap, and just
what you wanted.

--
Christopher A. Young
Learn more about Jesus
www.lds.org
..


"Bob La Londe" wrote in message
...
I need a short piece of 1" ID tube for the drain on an
aluminum boat I
recently repaired. I've started realizing that may not be
so easy to find.
I figured for a scrap piece Ebay would be my friend, but no
such luck. Then
I checked Speedy Metals and Discount Steel on-line. Still
no luck. There
is plenty of 6061 options available, but no 5052. I'm about
at that point
where I am thinking I may have to make a piece of tube.

It doesn't need to be accurate to tenths, but it does need
to be pretty
close to 1" when finished. The rubber expansion plug can
make up for quite
a lot of variation though.

Where I am running into issues is how to actually go about
making a tube
that small, that I can weld. I can weld down to .08 pretty
fair with my
Miller 212, but that's not really easy to form. Also, the
only .080 I have
are the scraps I removed from the boat before cutting in my
patches and
welding them. The original drain tube was crushed when the
boat was
damaged. I've got plenty of .1 and .125 scraps laying
around.

Any suggestions?

"Stormin Mormon" wrote in message
...
I'd look at boat supply places, and see what they have. As
someone else mentioned, might find a drain assembly you can
put on. Enlarge the existing hole,

I removed the existing hole. LOL.


bolt or weld or clamp on.
I'd dare to guess, others before you have faced a similar
challenge.

Best of luck, hope you find something soon, cheap, and just
what you wanted.

Interestingly I measured one of the rubber plugs today, and its smaller than
1" when compressed, and larger than 7/8" when uncompressed. Now I guess I
should crawl under my big boat and measure the diameter of the drain on it
just to be safe.

On Sun, 20 Nov 2011 20:51:36 -0700, "Bob La Londe"
wrote:



"Stormin Mormon" wrote in message
...
I'd look at boat supply places, and see what they have. As
someone else mentioned, might find a drain assembly you can
put on. Enlarge the existing hole,

I removed the existing hole. LOL.


bolt or weld or clamp on.
I'd dare to guess, others before you have faced a similar
challenge.

Best of luck, hope you find something soon, cheap, and just
what you wanted.

Interestingly I measured one of the rubber plugs today, and its smaller than
1" when compressed, and larger than 7/8" when uncompressed. Now I guess I
should crawl under my big boat and measure the diameter of the drain on it
just to be safe.


My bay boat uses a couple larger size plugs, 1-1/4". Maybe they'd fit
a pipe sized tube.

Pete Keillor