Couple of related questions. I have a boat trailer and want to add 2 vertical tubes .. which act as guides for recovery of boat.
these are typically about 60" long steel tubes, smooth bent at 90 degree at one end, the last 4" or so flattened to allow it to be clamped to trailer longitudinal chassis member, with a pair of U bolts & plate. The vertical part of the tube then has an plastic pipe slide over it to free rotate and give a bit of protection to gunwale of boat ... the purpose made guides have an outer finished diameter of the Plastic pipe of 2"
I contacted Snipe Trailers and they want >£90 for 2 of these. As this seems extortionate for 2 pieces of bent pie, thought I would make them or get them made.
So first off .. anybody know standard size for steel pipe .. with ext diam of about 38mm, that way I can use a standard ABS waste pip of internal diam of 38mm ( 11/2" waste) to slide over it. or alternate size of 55mm outside diameter (which would then suit 2" waste)
I went to a local fabrication shop, but their steel was too tick .. it was all about 3mm thick wall, I guess I am looking for something similar to what they make handle vars on bikes/motorbike out of ... at a guess something around 1.2mm (18 gauge) or 1.6 (16 gauge) if swg applies to pipe wall thickness ?
Anybody know the standard thicknesses for steel pipe ?
Second question would be, how to form a smooth bend, a 90 degree bend, a large radius is not a problem, 10 x radius or even more. The fabricator I went to advised he can't bend thinner tube as it would kink .. but people who make handle bars & exhausts obviously manage this ?
Final how to turn the last 4 - 6" of this from round to having 2 flats (ish) to allow easy clamping to box section chassis?
Hope someone out there has some ideas ?