For starters, find out what the standard length of tubing is that your supplier carries. In all likelihood it's 20 feet. Buy as many stock pieces as possible to avoid being charged for cuts, and partial pieces. As your quantity and poundage go up, your price goes significantly down.
I'm sure most people already know this, but don't use McMaster for any type of 6061 Al. I got a quote from a local supplier that's over $1300 cheaper than the same thing would be from McMaster.
If you want to make a frame out of 1x1, use 1/8" wall thickness. I would reccomend 1x2.
It is a good idea to stock up on metal prior to build, but only if you know what you will need.
We're purchasing a lot of metal now, to supply three teams--just so we don't have to wait for it. We're getting 100 feet each of 1x1x0.125 1x1x0.0625 1x2x0.0625 1x2x0.125, plus a bunch of solid bar/round stock, and a couple 4x8 sheets of thin Al plate.
Purchasing a ton of metal will work for us because we know our frame will be made out of 1x2 with some 1x1, and that any subframe/manipulator is also likely to use 1x1 and 1x2. We run through 1x1 and 1x2 tubing so fast that 100 feet of each might barely get us through the end of the year.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Hachiban VIII
Expect to spend $200. But it really depends on where your getting it from and of course how much  . |
I would say that the tubing should be significantly less than this--somewhere in the area of $70-100. The plate will be what gets expensive real quick. Unless he's ordering a full sheet he's going to get charged a whole lot to have a smaller piece cut out of a full sheet.