Tubing suppliers

[abeship]

As I am getting closer to attempting my first frame I've got a question regarding tubing suppliers. Ideally I'd like to buy some steel tubing locally to practice mitreing and tig welding the joints.

My first few tubesets will probably be the cheap nova cycles tubing, just so I can get a feel for how everything is. Is there a stock steel tubing size that suppliers carry that I could buy in 10 foot lengths to practice with? Is 4130 going to get me close in terms of welding for practice?

Thanks for any input

[David Tollefson]

Just get some thin gage 4130 tubing from Onlinemetals.com or Aircraft Spruce if practice joints are your goal now. Aircraft Spruce also has grab-bag tube ends that are good practice material -- usually about 12" lengths.

[abeship]

Thanks for the quick response.

One thing I figure is worth mentioning is i'd like to tig my first few frames. In a previous thread I saw a comment regarding 4130 not being great to use for a tig welded frame, and to use something closer to 1018 or the like. Any thoughts on that?

Thanks again,
Abraham Shipley

[Doug Fattic]

I will add that .035 wall thickness is good for practicing. You will want different diameters so it is easier to miter and weld or braze the 2 pieces together. Right now Wicks Aircraft is selling 1 1/8" 0.035" 4130 tubing for only $2 a foot. Typically other diameters are closer to $3.50 a foot. When I was practicing tig welding I used a Panavise I had modified by replacing the jaws with aluminum V jaws. This allowed me to place the joint in almost any position. For practice fillet brazing it is easier to put one short section on the end of one long section so the long piece can be used as a handle away from the heat to move the tubes into the best position for brazing. And after a couple of short pieces have been brazed on the end it can be cut off to begin new joints.

The price difference between straight gauge 4130 and 9/6/9 double butted is insignificant so I wouldn't bother making a frame out of straight gauge tubing.

[abeship]

Thanks for the info Doug.

Does anyone know what novas 9/6/9 tubeset is? Is it 4130? I'd like to get as close to possible in terms of practice welding for the real thing.

[edoz]

For practicing, just use straight gauge 4130 in .035-.058" thicknesses. That way you'll get the feel of welding thin to thick tubes, like when doing a top tube to head tube joint.
Whoever said 4130 was bad for a TIG welded frame has been huffing too many fumes. Countless BMX frames have been built with it, and there probably isn't much difference between 4130 and most tubing companies' entry level stuff. Start out with ER70-s6 or s2, it's cheap and every weld supply in the world will have it. For real frame building, step up to ER80-d2 or Weldmold 880.