# 12mm Brass tube



## Lonsdale73 (12 Jun 2020)

I don't suppose any of you metallurgist types have an eight and a half inch section of c12mm brass tube going spare? So far I've ordered from amazon only for it to be 'lost in post' and from the bay which, after nearly three months has now been declared 'lost in post'.


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## CHJ (12 Jun 2020)

This any use:- 12.7mm 
https://www.metals4u.co.uk/materials/br ... be/13496-p






I guess shipping is going to be the killer.


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## Lonsdale73 (12 Jun 2020)

Yes, I was on their site earlier, £18 they wanted! I'd want it in solid gold for that, not just gold coloured!


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## sunnybob (12 Jun 2020)

Have you got any model shops nearby? They always carry a good selection of brass rods and tubes for the steam engine people.


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## Phil Pascoe (12 Jun 2020)

https://www.beaufortink.co.uk/pen-tubes ... brass-tube

Thinner, but it depends what you want if for.


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## CHJ (12 Jun 2020)

Used to use these folks quite a lot when they had premises in Daventry and I could pick up a fist full of 'might need' stock when passing, once again I guess postage is going to be a killer.

https://www.glrkennions.co.uk/brass-copper-tube.html


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## Lonsdale73 (12 Jun 2020)

Phil Pascoe":13gwqrf7 said:


> https://www.beaufortink.co.uk/pen-tubes-pen-springs-and-spares/pen-tubes/10-inch-15-32-brass-tube
> 
> Thinner, but it depends what you want if for.



That might do it


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## Lonsdale73 (12 Jun 2020)

CHJ":3ata7aa3 said:


> Used to use these folks quite a lot when they had premises in Daventry and I could pick up a fist full of 'might need' stock when passing, once again I guess postage is going to be a killer.
> 
> https://www.glrkennions.co.uk/brass-copper-tube.html



Didn't get as far as postal costs, they're not taking any orders till they clear a backlog!


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## marcros (12 Jun 2020)

I need some brass from metals4u, so if you can't get any sorted before the end of the weekend let me know. It is not far from me, so I could collect mine and chuck yours in the post. I would expect that it will be the end of next week for them to get the order together though and a couple of days to you.


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## Lonsdale73 (12 Jun 2020)

sunnybob":ma2toofe said:


> Have you got any model shops nearby? They always carry a good selection of brass rods and tubes for the steam engine people.



You know, much as I love living here, it's dreaadful for buying anything that's supposedly commonplace elsewhere. Unless it's horse-related!


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## marcros (12 Jun 2020)

its an interesting thought, but I dont think that you are alone. I have a short list of things that I have been looking for and really struggling, eg some western red cedar or larch but I can't find anywhere local that I can collect from under normal circumstances (I only want a small quantity of longish lengths), one of these famous small places that sells metal offcuts and will weld for a couple of beers...


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## sunnybob (12 Jun 2020)

If your bio is correct and you live in Lincoln, thats farm country, there will be steam enthusiasts all over the place. Time to start meeting people at the pub (from 2 metres away of course) :lol:


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## hawkeyefxr (12 Jun 2020)

Model shops also have brass tubing.


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## Lonsdale73 (12 Jun 2020)

marcros":oddry43l said:


> I need some brass from metals4u, so if you can't get any sorted before the end of the weekend let me know. It is not far from me, so I could collect mine and chuck yours in the post. I would expect that it will be the end of next week for them to get the order together though and a couple of days to you.



Is that the same place you picked up the iron pipes for me? Thanks for the offer, the link Phil sent looks like it fits the bill; I've just fired off an email to confirm the inner diameter.


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## Lonsdale73 (12 Jun 2020)

sunnybob":14plgg05 said:


> If your bio is correct and you live in Lincoln, thats farm country, there will be steam enthusiasts all over the place. Time to start meeting people at the pub (from 2 metres away of course) :lol:



Yes, there's a model enginners club not far from here; the mention of model shops reminded me I spoke to them a few years ago about something or other. Their website soen't appear to have been updated since.


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## marcros (12 Jun 2020)

Lonsdale73":2fqnhkyz said:


> marcros":2fqnhkyz said:
> 
> 
> > I need some brass from metals4u, so if you can't get any sorted before the end of the weekend let me know. It is not far from me, so I could collect mine and chuck yours in the post. I would expect that it will be the end of next week for them to get the order together though and a couple of days to you.
> ...



no different place. let me know if I can help though.


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## AES (12 Jun 2020)

Hi Lonsdale73.

Yes, I have "a" length of 12.7 mm brass tube approx 12 inches long. The wall thickness is 0.25 mm, so if that's too thin for your job, I have another length exactly the same which is a tight sliding fit into the 1st piece. That also has a wall thickness of 0.25 mm also (so making a 0.5 mm wall - obviously!) and if that's not enough I have a 3rd length of 0.25 mm, ditto sliding fit into the 2nd, to bring total wall thickness to 0.75 mm (+ whatever slight extra thickness sweating it/them together with solder would make - I've done that trick several times and it does work OK, and - surprisingly - it does cause the OD of the finished tube to swell very slightly).

Where did I get it? As 2 posters have already suggested above, from the local model aero shop, and not hugely expensive I seem to remember.

You can have the 3 lengths (if needed) for nothing, BUT there's a rub (always is, isn't there?)!

You would need to repay the postage and while I've seen several gripes on here about the cost of UK postage charges recently, you lot ain't seen nothing until you've seen Swiss postal charges! I haven't checked, but at a guess (and I do have some past - bitter - experience) I'd say you'd be looking at at least the equivalent of 20 quid if not more, for tracked air mail.

Up to you, the offer is open, but at a guess I'd suggest you try local model aero shops yourself - some do mail order, and should be cheaper than Swiss Post.

If you don't know any local shops, try mags like "Radio Control Models" and/or "Flying Scale Models" for lists of shops all over the country (used to be "free for a gander" every month on the shelves at WH Smith, etc).

HTH


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## marcros (12 Jun 2020)

I would expect the Beaufort stuff to have a similar wall thickness. No pen kit maker is going to have mill runs of bespoke tube made. I know it is thin walled, .25mm feels about right.


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## AES (12 Jun 2020)

Yeah, agreed.

I don't know anything about pen kits, but model shop stuff is always (nearly always?) thin wall stuff. When I needed thicker wall stuff (back in my aeromodelling days) it was always a hassle - usually had to find metal stock holders willing to sell "little bits".

Same with copper and ali tube too - but the model specialists sell (sold?) tube in "nesting sizes, so you could build up wall thickness that way. OK for models (usually), but maybe not if the job's more "heavy duty"?


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## Lons (12 Jun 2020)

marcros":lmjkurxu said:


> I would expect the Beaufort stuff to have a similar wall thickness. No pen kit maker is going to have mill runs of bespoke tube made. I know it is thin walled, .25mm feels about right.


That's about right marcros, I've just checked the tube on a pen kit, not quite 12mm but thickness is no more than 025mm.

If it's suitable then Phil at Beaufort provides a very good service and would get it out quickly, might be worth the OP giving him a bell


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## Deadeye (13 Jun 2020)

https://www.hobbies.co.uk/materials/met ... brass-tube


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## Lonsdale73 (15 Jun 2020)

Thanks all, Beaufort came through with what I need and at a price to suit my (limited) budget.


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## Phil Pascoe (15 Jun 2020)

Excellent.


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