Does anyone know somewhere that I can get some 28mm OD pipe (preferably in the UK)? The pipe can be almost any material, but VERY lightweight would be preferred, so probably thin wall aluminium or plastic....

Any help would be appreciated. I only need a length of about 12", but I'd buy a longer length if necesary.

Regards
Eddy

Hi PD's....yes Eddy, 28 OD is a funny size .....in OZ, a wooden broom stick handle is 25 OD.......you could consider fabricating your own  tube

Hold the broom stick securely, then secure & wrap say 0.010 "[10 thou] polystyrene sheet until you build this up to your desired 28 OD...naturally gluing with a styrene cement as as you go

By selecting a relatively thin material you would eliminate any tendency to buckle or go egg shaped etc......Derek

BTW.....a similar approach could be attempted in aluminium foil...in OZ  the same Al foil is 0.003" or 0.0762 mm thick

So a simple calculation confirms that to increase the broom handle from 25 OD to 28 OD would require
39.37 layers of Al foil on diameter or 19.68 layers per side to achieve the said increase.....

I think the styrene wrap would be the best option 

Hey

Derek's solution is probally better but if you dont fancy fabrication, you should be able to get 28mm dia copper pipe from any UK plumbing store, it is one of several 'standard' sizes of water pipe so should be universally available. I just had a kwik look and see B&Q have it, but only in 3m lengths for £22, going to a smaller supplier should get you offcuts or smaller lengths at more sensible prices, the wall won't be too thick but it won't be ultra lightweight.

http://www.diy.com/diy/jsp/bq/nav/nav.jsp?action=detail&fh_secondid=9264638&fh_view_size=6&fh_location=%2f%2fcatalog01%2fen_GB&fh_search=28mm+pipe&fh_eds=%c3%9f&fh_refview=search&ts=1230687714880&isSearch=true

Just an option!

Cheers

Thanks guys,

Copper pipe would be too heavy, but using that and Dereks idea brings me to a solution - 28mm copper pipe as a former, then plasticard or thin alloy sheet wrapped round and glued - voilla, a thin light piece of tube! 

Regards
Eddy

Hi Eddy. I have some very thin printers alloy sheet at the club. You could even emboss joints and rivets into it before rollng.  See you this afternoon all being well. Regards, walter.

Hi Eddy,
You could try plastic electrical conduit pipe, think its 30mm dia but i have sliced it & narrowred it, & covered it in thin plasticard covering for funnels before.
Depends what you intend to use it for, but it is easy to work with & manipulate

regards Clark

Hi Eddy,
I did a boiler stack by wrapping brass shim stock around a dowel, soft soldered the overlap. I uses a sewing marking wheel to impress rivet lines on it. I have also used cigar tubes as stacks.
Regards,
Gerald.