6063 T6 Aluminum tubing for masts

[styge]

Hey Guys,

Does anyone know if T6 tubing would be suitable for masts? Juneau AK is amazingly barren, when it comes to raw materials! So, it's impossible for me to view any, physically, prior to purchasing. I found a Co. in Missouri that has .083" for $1.68 / foot! I haven't found anywhere cheaper that would ship to Juneau!

Why .083"?

I'm going for bigger sails!

[Roger Peterson]

Hi Styge,

I just ordered my masts for CS17 #58 from online metals.

6061-t6 aluminum tube

(2) each 2 1/4" ODx 0.065" wall x 96" length

(2) each 2 1/2" ODx 1/8" wall x 96" length

Grand total...including shipping... $164.50

That's shipped to North Central Texas!

Roger

[Steve Day]

Styge,

I just took shipment on my 6061 T6 tubing as specified in the Spindrift plans. I got mine from Speedmetals in Willoughby, Ohio. They weren't the cheapest I could find, but four days after my order, the tubing was on my doorstep. It was really easy to order and they were VERY customer oriented for my really tiny order. I have to admit, it was a lot easier since I was ordering 72" lengths.

Their website is: https://www.speedmetals.com/default2.asp

Thanks,

Steve

[styge]

I realize 6061 T6 is okay, but this tubng is 6063 T6.

Does this make a difference?

ie. softer, less tensile stifness, more prone to corrosion, etc...

[Roger Peterson]

I don't really know the answer to that question. Sounds like a one for Graham...

[styge]

That's what I was looking for, thanks Brad!

[Terry Dunn]

I also got my tubing from Online Metals. I got 8' sections so they could be shipped UPS. I used .065. There web site does not list .083 but it might be worth a phone call (1-800-704-2157 ).

[Scott Dunsworth]

Don't know if this company sells retail. They do claim to have most alloys in the .083 and 6063, 6061 were on their list.

www.argylein.com

Scott

[Designer]

Styge,

I would prefer that you stick with 6061 T6 for the lower section, or go up to the next gauge .125". The boats with the 1/8" wall thickness sure have nice sail shape. Your boat will have two strikes against it, it is heavier and you are going to put more sail on it.

[PinoyPiper]

question for Graham:

I've been trying to find aluminum mast tubing locally for my spindrift and so far found no local source for 6061 T6 tubes.

What i've found however was:

2" 6063 aluminum tubing 1.2mm wall

1 3/4" 6063 Aluminum tubing 1.2mm wall

2" 6063 aluminum pipe 3mm wall (out side diameter is almost 2 1/4")

2 1/4" and 1 5/8" sized tubing is aparently unheard of here.

My question.

Would it be okay to use the above materials to make a mast? 2" pipe for the bottom section and 2" tubing for the middle and the 1 3/4" inch for the top?

How heavy is standard mast for a spindrift anyways?

cheers/roy

[Designer]

Roy,

The 2 1/4" od x.065" wall 6061 T6 is just strong enough for your boat. As 6063 probably T5 is a lot weaker, then your only option is to use the heavier 2" id x 3mm wall if you can't get the right stuff. For the next section you can get whatever will fit inside the lower section and you can make a wood top piece.

[Ken_Potts]

http://www.onlinemetals.com/

I checked the cost of getting my mast tubing from these folks but I used the lengths specified on the CS17 plans (although I increased the wall thickness of the lower sections from .083 to .125). The cost including shipping to North Carolina (probably because of the thicker, longer material) was something like $335 for:

(2) pieces of 2.5"OD x .125" wall x 113" and

(2) pieces of 2.25 OD x .065" wall x 72"

6061-T6

Instead I finally found somebody (Yarde Metals, in High Point) a little over an hour's drive from here who will sell me the same stuff for $210. I'm picking it up this afternoon.

[Michael_H]

When I am ordering metal for any reason, I usually head over to the local sheet-metal fabrication shop or local machine shop. You can usually get them to place the order for you, and since they already deal in shipping in bulk you can usually get the material cheaper. One added bonus is that if you talk machining and boating with these guys, you might even be able to befriend a machinist who might be able to do some custom work for ya in exchange for a sail on the completed project!

[Kidd]

Let me add my dos centavos to the online metals. I ordered the mast tubes for my CS17 from them and 4 days later they were on my front porch in a big cardboard tube!!!! Real easy and cheap. I bought the bottom sections from a local metals dealer and paid $60 more for the bottom pieces than the top. I realize I'm not exactly comparing apples to apples as the bottom pieces are a bit bigger than the top pieces but I also had to pay shipping on the ones I ordered from online metals.

[Scott Dunsworth]

I ordered 6 tubes from onlinemetals and it came to $285. Four 8' tubes, 72" tube and a 48" tube to build the masts for my Belhaven. I could have bought it locally but I got my order in to late, it was going to be another three months before they ordered again.

Onlinemetals had it on my door step within a week. I am very happy with the tubes and onlinemetals.

Scott

[Ken_Potts]

Let me chime in that in comparing the costs there is a big difference in two areas (as far as I can tell). The first main difference is in the wall thickness because .125 ends up just being more material than .083. The second difference is in shipping costs for length. If I had been smart enough to limit the length of the 2.5x.125 tubes to 8 feet I would have probably had much cheaper shipping from Online Metals because I think UPS would have handled it (hence the $335 cost from Online metals on the other coast). In that case it sounds like it would have been cheaper for me to have the tubes shipped then to take the time to drive to High Point.

Hmm, now that I'm thinking of it I'm wondering what Graham said when we talked about the .125 wall thickness (it's been a while and I forget a lot of things quickly). I think I might have gone and spent too much money (as usual) - I remember Graham saying that the .125 wall on the lower mast section made for a better set of the sails but I can't remember if the length of the lower (and upper) aluminum pieces changed because of the change in thickness. Before I go and cut this stuff can somebody refresh my memory on the correct length to cut the lower and upper aluminum pieces for a CS17 if the lower sections are increased in wall thickness from .083 to .125? I'm sorry for the hijack but I've got tubing out there asking to be cut...