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Best rail metal

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315jibber94
Posts: 880 - Karma: -39

ook i want to make a kink rail in shop. i was thinking about buying steel or going to a scrap metal place and pick some up... i need to know whats the lightest metal i can use to weld that is able to be slid by skis WITH EDGES and also the cheapest cause my sop teacher said a quote like $350 for steel alone... anyone wanna help

thanks

-phil

Oct 6 2009 9:55AM
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315jibber94
Posts: 880 - Karma: -39
also, if you know any places near syracuse ny to get cheap metal please post up
Oct 6 2009 10:06AM
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fouldsys
Posts: 7404 - Karma: 39
if your edges are steel, which they probably are, then use steel for your rail.
Oct 6 2009 10:19AM
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Ender
Posts: 2348 - Karma: 112
just go to a steel yard and get the hardest shit they have.  youre gonna dig into it for a while until it smooths out.  file the shit out of the edges if its square or rectangular tube
Oct 6 2009 10:36AM
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ride-rider
Posts: 1761 - Karma: 20
Steel.  Galvanized is good (pretty sure)  But be careful when welding galvanized it lets out toxic fumes.
Oct 6 2009 11:33AM
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Scharff
Posts: 322 - Karma: 15
cold rolled steel is what you want
Oct 6 2009 11:40AM
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Dustin.
Posts: 13839 - Karma: 7,704
Steel is very heavy and kind of expensive, but it would probably make a sweet rail.  And like he said above, I would avoid  welding anything galvanized.
Oct 6 2009 11:40AM
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BroBomb
Posts: 500 - Karma: 1,726

I'm no metallurgist, but you probably want to avoid aluminum. Too soft (and expensive). When I was a kid we had some stainless steel pipes that lined our driveway and those were good and didn't rust at all. But not economical if you don't have it laying around.

Iron is a cheap metal I believe, but you'd have the rusting issue.

Oct 6 2009 11:40AM
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C.J.
Posts: 5460 - Karma: 72
Steel Receiver tubing works great. It comes with rounded edges so its perfect to slide, only thing is its heavy. Maybe to thick and heavy for your uses, but I think it would be best. But you could cut the tube in half length wise and  have the two sections for you kink. But receiver tubing is expensive...
Oct 6 2009 12:08PM
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Billups
Posts: 3960 - Karma: 329
This is what we make all of our rails out of.
Oct 6 2009 12:11PM
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nipples-the-cat
Posts: 643 - Karma: 28
i am making a rail jam set up, i am using mild-cold rolled-steel  2.5 inch double tube,
Oct 6 2009 7:10PM
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anxju
Posts: 9371 - Karma: 61
pick aluminum. aluminum is the most sturdy metal on earth. its harder than your steel edges so its good and wont chip. dont pick steel. its too weak. much weaker than aluminum. thats why they make cans out of aluminum, so they wont burst and waste your beer or soda. buildings are made out of steel because they dont need to be that strong, and its cheap. the only forces they encounter are wind. and everyone knows when steel touches steel the metals make bonds because steel is extremely cohesive so itll fuck with your rail sliding. pick aluminum, its no doubt the best choice
Oct 6 2009 7:16PM
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mBall
Posts: 1690 - Karma: 2,827
I used galvanized for mine. But when welding you have to sand off the galvanized coating wherever your welding
Oct 6 2009 7:33PM
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anxju
Posts: 9371 - Karma: 61
it wouldve been better if i was more subtle. but then people wouldve thought i was being serious
Oct 6 2009 7:45PM
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s_k_i_e_r
Posts: 119 - Karma: 38
well from my expierience you will want to use steel. its heavy but aluminum is very tricky to weld because it doesn't turn red hot so its very easy to mess up your welds .
Oct 6 2009 9:24PM
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315jibber94
Posts: 880 - Karma: -39

how much you looking at?

and i had galvinized from an old water tramp idk if i threw it out. but you dont just sand it with sand paper? haha but umm whats the rails ski hills make it out of? im not gunna take any chances im just gunna go for it with facts and have my dads friend weld it.... like cheaper the better but i want it to be a good solid rail

thanks

Oct 6 2009 9:29PM
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.SimonB.
Posts: 1959 - Karma: 713
NO NO NO NO... there was already a thread on this, its not just toxic IT WILL KILL YOU. You need perfect welding conditions to weld it, like a fume hood and a fresh air pump, unless you are really confident at welding i would stay away from galvanized steel. Stuff like tramp metal and your car body is galvanized.
Oct 6 2009 10:04PM
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.SimonB.
Posts: 1959 - Karma: 713
or this. make sure you dont forget to sand it off though, cuz you wont be back to post the outcome on NS. Good luck and post it when you are done!!
Oct 6 2009 10:07PM
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orlowskij
Posts: 27 - Karma: 10
Something like this would work.http://www.onlinemetals.com/merchant.cfm?pid=10305&step=4&showunits=inches&id=1&top_cat=0

Cheap and easy to weld. Softer than cold rolled but should work fine.
Oct 6 2009 10:29PM
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Peter.
Posts: 23796 - Karma: 13,014
go to crucible hahahahaa
Oct 6 2009 10:37PM
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KansasCityKilla
Posts: 90 - Karma: 11
how are you going to make a rail if you dont even know what metal to use?
Oct 7 2009 1:58AM
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orlowskij
Posts: 27 - Karma: 10
Also keep in mind that the thinner you go with the walls of the tubing the harder it will be for you to weld without burning it up.
Oct 7 2009 9:57AM
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SnowRidgeParks
Posts: 2146 - Karma: 88
hahahaha nah nah, no steel there anymore, all they do is picket and strike!

But I actually asked some other ski areas what they use at the end of last season and here's what I came up with for top-notch rails...
- If you want to use rectangular pipe, go with 11 gauge steel. It seems to be the best mix of slideability and weight.
- If you're looking to make a box, use 1 and a half schedule 40 pipe for the coping. So, if you're looking to make a rail out of round pipe, just go with a little bigger diameter.

Hope that helps, it may not be the cheapest but it will work the best. Remember, you get what you pay for.
Oct 7 2009 10:25AM
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315jibber94
Posts: 880 - Karma: -39

ya im going to make a rail i hate boxs haha but ya uhhh thats why im asking cause i dont want to buy the wrong thing make the rail and have it not work then lose money... but ok ill just go will 11 guage and im gunna take a run up to the scrap place up by carosuel mall.... i think i got what i need.

thanks for the help guys!

Oct 7 2009 4:59PM
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-PowAir-
Posts: 646 - Karma: 30
what is this, rocket scientist? Your teacher must have told you that there is no such thing as a dumb question.
Oct 7 2009 5:39PM
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T.L.
Posts: 4729 - Karma: 3,008
All my rails are made of either 2" or 3" OD, schedule 40 pipe & 11GA 2x4 box.

Steel prices are super low right now around here.  I just bought 180ft. of angle iron in 1-1/2"x1-1/2"x3/16" for like 250 bucks.  I think the 2x4 box I use is down near $3/ft. compared to over $5/ft. a year ago.
Oct 7 2009 5:43PM
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nipples-the-cat
Posts: 643 - Karma: 28
holy crap... were do you live?
Oct 7 2009 6:48PM
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doGelyst
Posts: 2492 - Karma: 509
I would like super cheap argon please. :D
Oct 7 2009 7:02PM
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Justo8484
Posts: 3905 - Karma: 205
i'm scared... what are you using the angle iron for? we used to use that all the time for skate ramp crap, but it worries me a little for skis, but i trust you'll prove me wrong.
Oct 7 2009 7:04PM
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T.L.
Posts: 4729 - Karma: 3,008
haha no worries justin.  I had to make new entrance signs for all three parks.  the ones from last year took a beating so im literally putting bullet 'resistant' lexan over top.
Oct 7 2009 7:14PM
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JQ89
Posts: 432 - Karma: 10
Its not that hard to weld thinner walled stuff as long as you have your welder set up for it. For a rail i wouldnt recommend thin walled metal either, go for something a little thicker. Stainless is really hard to weld as well so i wouldnt recommend that either. Just go for some cold hard steel. You may have to use a grinder with a wire brush to get rust off every now and again but its worth it, wax it up and take care of it and youll be fine.
Oct 7 2009 7:49PM
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crazy_karl
Posts: 774 - Karma: 5,042
Thick, and then just coat it in a few layers of spray paint
Oct 7 2009 10:53PM
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ride-rider
Posts: 1761 - Karma: 20
Did you know that skate park coping is galvanized too. 
Oct 8 2009 12:08PM
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orlowskij
Posts: 27 - Karma: 10
http://www.sperkoengineering.com/html/articles/WeldingGalvanized.pdf
Oct 9 2009 9:35AM
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JahJahBinks
Posts: 3567 - Karma: 461
Can I get the metal that I need at a place like Lowes or Home Depot
Dec 25 2009 12:28AM
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