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Source of steel pipe for tiller bar?


agg221

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We have the standard sized swan neck, well the imperial one at least which takes a 1.25" bore tube as a tiller bar. The present brass one has a 1.5" OD (so a 1/8" wall) and works fine, but I would like a painted steel one for the winter and boating in the rain. I thought it would be easy to find a bit of steel pipe with a 1.25" bore and a 3mm or 4mm wall thickness (it could stand to be a little thicker than the present one as the swan neck is over 1.5") but it is proving surprisingly difficult as t'internet either turns up thin wall or bigger/smaller sizes but nothing with these particular dimensions. Anyone have any ideas? Even a piece of old-style galvanised water pipe of the right dimensions would do nicely if I can find one about 30" long.

 

Alec

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Wouldn't you want to use the brass one rather than a painted mild steel pipe? I always try to avoid adding any ferrous metal to my boat. Just less stuff to go rusty. Galvanized might be ok I suppose, but it doesn't really look the part. I don't understand why you can't use your brass tiller in winter?

Edited by blackrose
  • Greenie 1
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What about a bit of scaffold bar?  Heavy mind you.

Or go see your local model engineers and get a steel sleeve turned to fit your chosen steel tiller and bored inside to fit your rams head.  You can fasten the two together with araldite, or contersunk screws.

 

N

 

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26 minutes ago, MartynG said:

 

Seconded.

 

A piece of 1 1/4" black iron pipe (as it is called colloquially in the plumbing trade) will be pretty damned close to what you want. The inside diameter might need cleaning up and/or a few thou turning off it by someone with a decent lathe to fit onto the rams head.

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Thanks All, particularly MartynG as that's exactly the what I have been trying (and failing) to find.

 

Blackrose - I understand where you're coming from but the swan neck is steel anyway, not to mention the cabin, decks etc (the hull is ferrous too but that's wrought iron). Ours is an industrial-looking boat and once re-painted plain dark grey will be increasingly so, so a plain off-white tiller bar will be in keeping with the look and a lot less of a pain to keep looking decent over winter and in the rain. A day's rain spots is another thing to polish up and I have enough of those with the portholes and the Kelvin!

 

Alec

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The chap next to us on the marina has used some brushed Aluminium tube for his (he's got a longer tiller made up for when his Mrs is steering), not sure where he got it, but he gave us an offcut a while back. Just checked it and it's inch and a quarter I.D. and inch and a half O.D.

 

No need to paint, and it doesn't rust. Next time I'm at the boat I can ask where he got it if you want.

 

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Thick wall aluminium 

 

I have had brass, chromed steel and aluminium for tiller bars. The ally is a good option but one problem is that if left plain it will develop a self protective layer of oxide which comes off on your hands when you take it on and off. 

 

Not a big deal and obviously you would have a wooden insert in the end but it does get quite mucky specially when wet. 

 

I've got an aluminium tubed kayak paddle which makes my hands very dirty indeed.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited by magnetman
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8 minutes ago, magnetman said:

This might do it but would be worth checking the diameter of the tiller first as it is quoted in metric for ID 31.58mm.

 

https://www.1stchoicemetals.co.uk/product/1-12-x-10swg-38-1mm-x-3-26mm/

I suspect any pipe you can buy today will be to metric specifications, even if those are the old imperial values converted to metric, and maybe quoted in imperial in the advert/catalogue.

 

This is my local supplier. The minimum length is too much for you (unless you want two spare tiller bars as well), but it shows the stuff is available online.

https://www.themetalstore.co.uk/products/3-metre-length-10swg-mild-steel-tube

Edited by David Mack
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I'm currently laying the base for my soon-to-arrive shed that will house my still-in-its-packaging-in-the-garage lathe.  When its installed and I've learnt a few things about how it works, I should be able to manufacture a tiller bar.  Hopefully in about 2-3 months.

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I hadn't thought of using aluminium. It will be painted regardless but it might be a good idea for weight and corrosion reasons. Painting will also stop it from leaving grey marks all over the steerer's hands. I think 3m may be a little long - serious tug deck that!

 

Alec

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So 1.25" converts to 31.75mm

 

I found a site that has pipes of 31.7mm internal diameter with 3.2mm wall

 

They supply mild steel, aluminium and stainless steel cut to length

 

https://www.rapidmetals.co.uk/product/mild-steel-erw-tube-38-1mm-x-3-2mm-wall/

 

https://www.rapidmetals.co.uk/product/aluminium-tube-1-1-2-x-3-2mm-wall/

 

https://www.rapidmetals.co.uk/product/stainless-304-tube-38-1mm-x-3-2mm-wall/

 

Hope this helps

 

 

 

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Iron pipe of a given external diameter comes  in three different wall thicknesses  to suit the pressure to be handled: thin wall (gas), medium wall (water),  heavy  (thick wall, steam).  Screwed iron pipe has not been metricated. My understanding is that   BSP threads are the recommended general purpose world standard for countries other than the USA and its sphere of influence, and the petroleum industry. 

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7 hours ago, Ronaldo47 said:

Iron pipe of a given external diameter comes  in three different wall thicknesses  to suit the pressure to be handled: thin wall (gas), medium wall (water),  heavy  (thick wall, steam).  

 

This is true, but in order the get a choice one has to buy it in 6m lengths in my experience, and it is nosebleed money! 

 

What I've never worked out though, or more accurately bothered to look up, is what those three wall thicknesses are. 

 

 

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21 hours ago, agg221 said:

Ours is an industrial-looking boat and once re-painted plain dark grey will be increasingly so, so a plain off-white tiller bar will be in keeping with the look and a lot less of a pain to keep looking decent over winter and in the rain.

A steel tiller bar doesn't have to be painted a plain colour.20211108_115232.jpg.77e0b454138c28609cf50a10c684719b.jpg

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47 minutes ago, David Mack said:

A steel tiller bar doesn't have to be painted a plain colour.

Indeed not. I think they look good banded in the colours of the boat.

image0 (8).jpg

 

However, with a plain dark grey boat it doesn't want to be too fancy.

Edited by agg221
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