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It appears that cold rolled steel is best because it is stronger that hot rolled.

What is everyone using out there? I have not seen one or the other recommended in the Haynes book.

Hi SeattleTurbo, there are some strength differences between the two processes, but there are limited choices in what's available for a given cross-section. Generally, square and rectangular section tubing is hot rolled, DOM round tubing is cold rolled and flat stock is available either way. Angle stock is hot rolled only and usually needs some clean-up.

That said, Online Metals warehouse is in Seattle and most of their product is very clean and you can do will-call to save shipping. Check out their website for size/section availability http://www.onlinemetals.com/

What are you building?

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Cheers, Tom

My Car9 build: viewtopic.php?f=35&t=14613
"It's the construction of the car-the sheer lunacy and joy of making diverse parts come together and work as one-that counts."
Ultima Spyder, Northstar 4.0, Porsche G50/52

Welcome back! Still planning to build a Haynes chassis with Miata running gear?

Just what I need...ANOTHER local builder that will have their car on the road before me!

To Tom's point, everybody building with RHS tubing as called out in the books are building with hot rolled. It is a proven material with more than sufficient strength for a reasonably well designed tube frame chassis. Along those lines, make sure the steel you're getting is cleaned of mill scale ("pickled"?) and oiled. Mill scale sucks.

Also I thought that Online Metals will let you order sizes for will-call that are not shown online too, since they don't have to meet shipping requirements. For instance, most tube comes in 20 or 24 foot lengths from the mill. I recall them stating that if you ordered in 'half' lengths, or maybe it was pairs of 'half' lengths (full stick total lengths with a single cut charge), that the per unit length price came down a little bit further yet. Don't quote me on that though, as I got my steel from Everett Steel, because they are close to my house and open on Saturdays. Yeah, I was lazy like that. I should have gone with Online Metals from the start, since some of it has had mill scale, and my whole last batch of it somehow measures out 1 gauge thinner (17 vs 16) than advertised...Which I figured out after using it for a large portion of my cockpit.

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-Justin

"Orville Wright did not have a pilots license." - Gordon MacKenzie

I am building a Haynes roadster modified to take Miata hubs and running gear. Online Metals is actually pretty close to my house but it would be difficult to haul home 24 foot lengths of tubing. I need a helicopter (maybe the next build).

I measured just how much steel I need and was surprised that I need 111 feet of 25 mm and 46 feet of 20 mm. I put all of the parts in a spreadsheet and summed up the lengths. Is this the amount others have determined they need?

Mike

Go for cold-rolled whenever possible. It's more money, but the time (and consumables) used to grind the scale off is enough to offset the cost.

Was a long time ago, but I'm pretty sure my first tube order was around 120ft so you are in the ballpark. Shop around and get friendly with whoever you go with...... you will be there a lot.

Cheers.

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Build log: viewtopic.php?t=9291

Beware of the precision that spreadsheets afford. That is, if it's a precise total, when you get near the end of construction and the next tube is 48", you may well find that 48" in 17 cut-offs from other cuts. In short, order at least one full-length spare. And cold-rilled whenever possible, as getting all the oil off isn't worth the small savings.

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Midlana book: Build this mid-engine Locost!, http://midlana.com/stuff/book/
Kimini book: Designing mid-engine cars using FWD drivetrains
Both available from https://www.lulu.com/

Cut 'em into 12-foot lengths. Most of the time, for a nominal feel, the vendor will do that. If not, take a hack saw or a battery-operated something-saw and do it yourself in the parking lot.



I determined that I need at least another 20 feet when I start to run low. Consider it "purchasing on demand" or something.

I figured at the start (and I was correct) that I'd create some extra bits for the recycle bin due to my lack of experience. I also used some bits to build a rig to hang the front suspension. I needed a few feet to simulate the shocks. And so it has gone.

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Geek49203 aka
Tim Wohlford
Louisville, KY
Hayes front, S10 +2 rear, Lalo body.

The hot roll tubing I got from Online Metals was pretty smooth and shiny. I think I used a bit more than 110 ft. of 1" square. Maybe 150 ft. It comes in handy for other things as well, and there is the occasional do-over.

There are only two tubes on a book frame longer than 4 ft., so don't sweat having those 24-footers cut up.

Unless the tubing is outrageously expensive, a few extra pieces for "inventory" can be useful. You'd be surprised how handy it is for fixtures and doodads.

I have a nifty tubular support structure that replaced the 2x4 holding up the window air conditioner, for example...

Add up what you think you will need and then buy an extra stick, or two. Also, don't cut all of your tubes at once, especially the diagonals. Some of them will probably need to be cut a little long and then ground down to fit.

Mike, since you are so close to Online Metals, just figure on multiple trips over time. I was just down there (again) yesterday to pick up a replacement piece of angle (my scrap bin runneth over )
Oh, and they have frequent promotions. See if you can get one of their 10-15-20% off deals, at least for your initial purchase. Set up an online account and get their promotional emails. And "will-call" saves a ton of shipping charges.

_________________
Cheers, Tom

My Car9 build: viewtopic.php?f=35&t=14613
"It's the construction of the car-the sheer lunacy and joy of making diverse parts come together and work as one-that counts."
Ultima Spyder, Northstar 4.0, Porsche G50/52

The rub is I don't have a truck and 12 feet of steel will not fit in the back of my Porsche. I need to cozy up to the neighbor who has a Subaru with a roof-rack.

I am going to put together lengths in my spreadsheet to determine which multiple pieces can be cut from a 12-foot length. Hopefully this will save a bit of metal but for sure, I will not scrimp on steel.

Thanks for all the input.

I'm with the rest of 'em - buy extra!! The price of steel ain't going down anytime soon (and I wish to heck I'd bought a few extra lengths back when I bought the stuff for my frame - the price here has doubled since then!), and you WILL want extra tube during the build. I did buy a little extra, just to be on the safe side, and I've used (literally!) every single inch of it. Now, I'm faced with acquiring more...at the princely prices demanded now.

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Scratch building, at continental-drift speed, a custom McSoreley-design framed, dual-Weber 45DCOE carburated, Zetec-engined, ridiculously fast money pit.

http://zetec7.webs.com/

Do you have a Home Depot near by? I haven't rented one of their trucks for awhile but it was like $20 for the first hour or so and the mileage was unlimited last time I did it.

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-Andrew
Build Log
Youtube

My local steelyard will deliver for free if you're willing to wait. They run a truck on a different route three times a week. Worst case you might have to wait a week... and someone would probably need to be home to meet them.