1/2 round groove

[Sargan]

I have a garden item (rotating compost bin) which is made of 1 1/4" galvanised tubing ... This has 2 x section about 1.5m long resting on ground ...and as galv is only thin electro galv it has rusted, especially as it tends to be dragged about a bit. Just de-rusted and painted.

Thinking it would be good to have the frame rest on some treated wood rather than on floor. This would as example be a bit of 2"x 1" or similar, but I would been to put in a longitudinal 1/2 round groove ... about 15mm deep 32 mm wide

Anybody know a neat way to machine this ... have table saw and router - but no ball end cutter of that size.

Plan B I may just slit lengthways a piece of PVC waste and fit that - not as neat though.

[Andy Burns]

I was just going to suggest sacrificial "skids" made from PVC pipe

[John Rumm]

Could you not just cut a vee groove with the table saw (two passes from opposide ends, with the blade set at 45 degrees)?

[alan_m]

Why a round section groove? The tube could rest in a V groove cut on a table saw.

[Theo]

If you're worried about rusting, the main thing is to let it dry quickly. I suspect some wood is going to hold the moisture next to the metal and make it rust faster.

If you want some skids for mechanical protection that's different. You could maybe standoff the metal from the wood so the wood is in contact with the ground but sacrificial, and the metal frame is in free air.

If that's going to fit tightly onto the metal so that the ends seal, then ok. If it's going to collect a puddle and keep it next to the metal, that's less good. Maybe you could spacer it off the metal and drill holes so the water drains away.

Theo

[Colin Bignell]

Could you fit castors to the bottom? That would keep the steel out of contact with the ground and make it easier to move about. Use locking castors if you don't want it moving on its own, e.g. in a high wind.

[fred]

I'm having trouble envisaging this. Out of 1 1/4" tubing ? Is this correct ?