Cheapest place to get Ali tube

[BrokenBiker]

want to get hold of 4 lengths of 16-18mm dia Ali tube soon.

Want to make a set of shooting sticks to replace the ones I ha e now made from green garden canes. It's not strong enough when I have my centre fires on them with night vision hear and torches etc so want some light but sturdy ones to replace them

Any ideas on the cheapest way to get the lengths I want?

 

[Seadog]

I've used the Aluminium Warehouse on one occasion. Their prices seem reasonable to me - http://www.aluminiumwarehouse.co.uk/Aluminium-Round_Tube/c120_131/index.html

 

[Brad93]

AAlco

 

[BrokenBiker]

Do you think 5/8" 10swg tune would give a decent amount of strength?

I am havi g problems with the current set up flexing under the weight of the rifle set up and the movement is magnified through the scope

The stud in using now is the cheap Ali garden canes with green plastic coating so I would assume the thicker wall would give a huge amount more strength?

 

[Woody.v8]

What about 15mm copper pipe, as it's more available?

 

[BrokenBiker]

What about 15mm copper pipe, as it's more available?

hadnt thought of that...that would do the job nicely, and i could use insulation strips on the top to stop the rifle getting scratched...

any ideas on what i could use as feet for it? ideally something that will push in and then whack a screw through to stop it coming back out so i can dig them into the ground for stability? dont wanna block the end of the pipe up as it will stop it digging in in the future.

 

[BrokenBiker]

just thought, could just form a spike on the ends that will contact the floor

 

[colnerov]

Hi, Those garden canes may in fact be thin steel and plastic coated. Another option could be galvanised conduit.

Colin

 

[bigegg]

You can buy lengths of fibreglass tentpole reasonably cheaply.
As for feet - google "alpine ferrule"

 

[BrokenBiker]

Hi, Those garden canes may in fact be thin steel and plastic coated. Another option could be galvanised conduit.

Colin

too heavy for the aamount i will have, will be 4 length of 1.8M plus nuts and bolts etc.

You can buy lengths of fibreglass tentpole reasonably cheaply.
As for feet - google "alpine ferrule"

tent poles will be far too thin and flexible.


i have had a nother idea after watching a few youtube reviews...there are a set being sold custom made to shooters height and so on made form 15mm square lengths of wood...i can get some 25x38x3600 pressure treated batten for 2.99 in wickes, cut it down to the middle, trim to 15x15mm and then half them to get the 4 lengths, bolts it all up and give it a good few coats of linseed oil and then a few blasts with olive green should do the trick...i already have the fixings here so all i need is the wood...got to be worth a shout for 3 quid

 

[bigegg]

tent poles will be far too thin and flexible.

Fair enough - you can get aluminium tent poles as well tho - pick up semi-rotted 1970s canvas frame tents with all the poles for 10 or 20 quid at the car boot/gumtree.

i have had a nother idea after watching a few youtube reviews...there are a set being sold custom made to shooters height and so on made form 15mm square lengths of wood...i can get some 25x38x3600 pressure treated batten for 2.99 in wickes, cut it down to the middle, trim to 15x15mm and then half them to get the 4 lengths, bolts it all up and give it a good few coats of linseed oil and then a few blasts with olive green should do the trick...i already have the fixings here so all i need is the wood...got to be worth a shout for 3 quid

You'll probably find that the cheap battens are so full of knots that when they are ripped to 15mm square, they'll just snap.
If you have the facilities to machine it, an old scaffolding board would probably be the best source of decent strength timber.

 

[Wedg1e]

Wild card... Aldi sell aluminium telescopic walking sticks. I used one as the basis for a 'mast' on my Honda that holds a GoPro above and behind me, cost about 6 quid, far cheaper and quicker than anything I could have made from scratch. Each section has a twist-lock to keep it at the length you need.

Scales show how far you've extended the stick...

The handwheel locks the mast to a bracket on the topbox rack, the adjacent hole in the base fits over a matching peg to stop the mast from twisting...

Replicated the 'forked' GoPro fitting in Acetal...

 

[BrokenBiker]

they might be worth a look, havent seen them in my local though but will be there wednesday so will have a look

 

[Parm]

Have you thought about a mono pod used by photographers, all sorts of quality, many head styles, colapsable, with feet and mostly ready to go.

Could even modify the quick release device to match/fit on your gun

 

[Wedg1e]

they might be worth a look, havent seen them in my local though but will be there wednesday so will have a look

Usually have a rubber foot on the bottom and various handles, from the 'ski pole' type to fake ivory ones. They tend to hang around for months at my local Aldi.

 

[JEZGUZ]

You could also trawl the charity shops. The ones near me often have ali crutches for sale usually £4 -£5 a pair.

 

[Dee J]

Electrical wholesalers tv aerial pole is the cheapest I've found for small quantities.

 

[winchman]

I used a more local place who ripped me good and proper ( PM me if you want the name.)
Then I used Aalco in Liverpool, excellent.
I do also think it will be cheaper and easier to modify something else if you can

 

[BrokenBiker]

You could also trawl the charity shops. The ones near me often have ali crutches for sale usually £4 -£5 a pair.

crutches wont be long enough, need at least 1.8M on each pole

i am going to try the wood idea later, for 3 quid its a cheap risk, if that fails then i will try the copper pipe idea. i have just found a cheap set of telescopic split stick for 16 quid each, if i can find anything else suitable i will buy 2 pairs of those and turn them into quad sticks

 

[Brad93]

Copper is heavier than aluminium and not as strong. To the post above, a monopod will be no where near stable enough remember you could be shooting up to 200 yards or further off sticks trying to put a 5.5mm bullet into an area of maybe 50mm diameter