Why is Stainless so dear?

[busastars]

There are a few things I would like to have a play with and make out of stainless but its just to frekin dear.

I can get a sheet of mild steel for about a tenner, try getting a sheet of Stainless, not a chance, I would have expected it to just be double the price not 4 times the price.

Well thats my little rant over.

 

[Benny]

your sheet of tin seems quite cheap last time i got a sheet it cost me £25

 

[busastars]

Usuraly get a 1 x 1/2 @ 0.8 for £10-12 from my local motor factors. Just wish stainless was a bit cheaper than it is.

 

[Arsonista]

I think it's the nickel content.

 

[hotrodder]

The nickel used in the common 300 series alloys is 'kin expensive (and only ever seems to increase in price), economy of scale is going to play a role too.

Profile cutters can be a good source of decent sized offcuts, most of my stainless sheet comes from the local water/laser cutter

 

[busastars]

I would love to have a go at making some silencers out of stainless but I sure am not and carnt afford £40+ for a small sheet of stainless. Been looking for Carbon Fiber tube but that is mega expensive aswell.

Any other suggestions

 

[Pete.]

Yeah - use 1mm ally sheet - you can bend it round by hand.

 

[busastars]

Yeah - use 1mm ally sheet - you can bend it round by hand.

I would use ally, its not that expensive but its just that I carnt weld ally. Ive got my slip rolls and it would be easy to roll some stainless, got the lathe so end caps & flanges would also be a doddle, its just the cost of stainless.

How easy and cheap is carbon fiber to make. Im gessing I could use some cardbord tube as a template, also gessing just just like fiberglass as in matt & resin.

 

[JayRS4]

How big is a "small" sheet Busa? I might have something suitable for playing with.

 

[busastars]

How big is a "small" sheet Busa? I might have something suitable for playing with.

Errm not sure, wanted to do a couple of small 2 stroke silencers for the RD Hybrid, im gessing a small piece of about 24" x 12" should cover both including caps.

Not sure if it would be worth it for you. Just carnt believe how much Stainless is, its even more expensive than Ally, mild I pay about £10 a sheet, ive seen ally at about £20 a sheet, stainless is about £40 a sheet.

Been searching ebay for a short while for any scraps near me, even old stainless cabinets but nothing yet.

 

[JayRS4]

Industrial kitchen worktops, I gained a fair bit once when we refurbed the kitchen at my old work, i`ll go measure up what I have and let you know

Edit:

In thin stuff i have 0.8mm (ish, ex worktop) 3ftx1ft, in 1.5mm (ish, new, protective coating still on one side) 28x48", in 3mm (new no protective wrapping) 2x1M.

First one you can have for postage cost (and a donation to my replacement MIG fund if your feeling nice) the other two i`ll work out a price for you, if your interested that is.

 

[wyn]

One of the blokes in work was telling me he gets some stainless bits from a scrap yard in Risca. I think they just charge him scrap price.

Don't know how many scrapies there are in Risca, i'll ask him tomorrow and let you know.

 

[busastars]

One of the blokes in work was telling me he gets some stainless bits from a scrap yard in Risca. I think they just carge him scrap price.

Don't know how many scrapies there are in Risca, i'll ask him tomorrow and let you know.

Realy, that would be Houchies scrap yard, I know them, there is only one in Risca. I got a scrap car on my drive so maybe ill call into them through the week.

Thanks Wyn

 

[hareng]

Theres various qualities and grades of CF, personally dont care if its got a nice pattern.
I have some mega expensive CF on a roll plus the scrim £1k+ made in Italy, same stuff as MOD use to patch up the aircraft. Tried it once forget it nothing like doing fibreglass or GRP. May be ok if geared up with mandrels, heaters, presses, etc.
Better off buying the tube, it aint that dear. The problem is finding a supplier who will sell in small quantities, nearly all dont want to know unless ordering a minimum of £1k. On the bright side theres no finishing involved if sealed.
There is a supplier who used to sell 2M lengths 22mm dia £30 not very good quality plus when shown some heat it expands and liquidifies, so be careful cant skimp. Not the filter the black round is CF http://pic20.picturetrail.com/VOL15/728921/6962373/304110558.jpg
Better stuff for looks and laughing in larger dia http://pic20.picturetrail.com/VOL15/728921/6962373/304110556.jpg

 

[busastars]

Just been digging round, got two pieces of 2" stainless tube, just also noticed one of my redundant wood saw's is stainless, should be able to get this job done now.

Still doesent get passed the fact stainless is mega bucks.

 

[Tino]

Some exhaust stuff here. Carbon, stainless, perforated tube etc.
http://www.pjengineering.co.uk/index.asp

 

[MajorPayne]

Industrial kitchen worktops, I gained a fair bit once when we refurbed the kitchen at my old work, i`ll go measure up what I have and let you know

Edit:

In thin stuff i have 0.8mm (ish, ex worktop) 3ftx1ft, in 1.5mm (ish, new, protective coating still on one side) 28x48", in 3mm (new no protective wrapping) 2x1M.

First one you can have for postage cost (and a donation to my replacement MIG fund if your feeling nice) the other two i`ll work out a price for you, if your interested that is.

That stainless 0.8mm[3ftx1ft] sheet you've got is it 304/L or 316/L? How much more have you got knocking around you dont want? Just a thought as I'd be happy to buy it off of you in say a week when I get some money it would be perfect for a pulsejet combustion chamber

I'm also saving for a welder myself, but it's an DC or AC/DC TiGger
I've been looking around everywhere for a sheet like that amoung others

Kind regards,
MajorPayne

 

[MrFluffy]

Ally drainpipe is the answer!

Clean it up on the lathe

Make up some innards with a pretend nod towards baffle (its for a turbo bike, so it wont be loud anyway)

Turn up endcap on lathe from ally bar offcut, then pop rivet or weld in place (I welded the endcap on and polished the welds out) and bingo, doesnt look like something made in a shed. Only tweak was to open up the end can hole and a bigger perforated tube after finding more power on the dyno with it removed. The ally section of the pipe fits tightly onto the steel collar on the inner pipe and a single bolt underneath locates it so it can be dissasembled to repack.

If you have a nice but scuffed end can, just wrap it in a thin sheet of ally and pop rivet the ally into place.