Buying SHS and RHS Steel.

[birchy]

Try local fabrication companies, they'll often supply you with cut lengths at reasonable prices as they'll have offcuts from bigger jobs. Regarding the cellar workshop, is it a Victorian house with the chimney breasts in the cellar? What I've done in mine is cut a hole into the chimney breast and fitted a 9" extractor fan. When welding, the smoke goes straight up the chimney.

[Wal]

Hello mate,

It's not so much the fumes I'm worried about (although, of course, I'd always guard against 'em) but getting the frame in and out once it's welded together in one piece. In it's current spec it'll weigh in the region of 110kg - not really a viable lift into and out of an awkward and steep cellar entrance..!

I've been in touch with several local fab companies, getting a response from any of 'em seems to be an issue. So far I've been emailing, maybe a call's a better bet...

Cheers.

Wal.

[birchy]

You're better off phoning them or going to see them. If you know anyone who works at a fabrication company, they might be able to get "mate's rates". Have you also tried online suppliers such as metals4u, Hub Le Bas or one of the many eBay sellers? Another option to consider is your local scrap metal merchants as they'll have "offcuts", sometimes up to 2M in length!

Looks like you have plenty of steel stockists locally: http://www.yell.com/s/steel+stockholders-stockport.html. You should be able to get some prices within half a dozen phone calls.

[Wal]

>You're better off phoning them or going to see them.

Yeah, I'll have to start doing that - trust me, I've emailed loads of 'em (just more convenient that way for me) and I'm not getting anything back...

I think the sizes I'm after (particularly the 6mm wall thickness) aren't helping. Only found 2 companies on-line that list it in their catalogue.

I'll stick at it.

Thanks again.

Wal.

[birchy]

Ahhh, yes...you might struggle to get those sections in 6mm wall thickness. 4mm is probably more readily available. Dunno how critical your sizes are, but perhaps a 150 x 75 channel section (a common size) could be used instead of the 160 x 80 box?

[Wal]

>Dunno how critical your sizes are

Well, I'm probably over-engineering it a bit, but it's 6mm for two reasons - a. weight (as it's a small squat design) and b. thread-engagement for the screws that are holding the bugger together. The chunkier the better, as far as I'm concerned!

Cheers.

Wal.

[birchy]

How about using a thinner wall and reinforcing with either plates or tubes inside the box? The tubes go across the inside faces to prevent the walls collapsing when you tighten the bolts...