USA source for aluminum mast ?

[curt goodnight]

I am looking for source for a mast for my TIKI 30   Wharram's site specs:  5.5 " OD w/ .125"- .156" wall thickness.  I've spent many evenings googling all around the web but no luck  so far.  I have access to a skilled aluminum welder so i can get it shipped in as many as 3 pieces .   Would love to hear of some recent success stories!

[William Baer]

Hi Curt, try this http://www.industrialmetalsupply.com/Locations/Phoenix-Metal . Should have what you need...6061T6 prefered. Bill

[curt goodnight]

thanks so much Bill- i'll be calling them in the morning

[Brad Ingram]

Hey Curt. I searched high and low for a mast for my Tiki 21, and I finally found www.metalsdepot.com. I got my 4" X .125 ID X 24ft shipped and all for around $330. The welding cost me more than the tube itself! 

[curt goodnight]

Thanks Brad- I finally found a source a few hours from my place- Al Reco , in Brighton, Colorado.   Its thicker wall than the specs[.250"] but 31' of 5-1/2" OD [2 pcs + a 2' sleeve] for $560.00- picked it up yesterday- 

[Brad Ingram]

That's a solid deal, Curt!

[Rogerio Martin]

Don't cut, use 31'...You will like.

 But .250" maybe make a heavy mast. My Freijó wood mast have 50kg...in 30' long. 

TikiRio - Tiki 30 #213

curt goodnight said:

Thanks Brad- I finally found a source a few hours from my place- Al Reco , in Brighton, Colorado.   Its thicker wall than the specs[.250"] but 31' of 5-1/2" OD [2 pcs + a 2' sleeve] for $560.00- picked it up yesterday- 

[curt goodnight]

thank you Rogerio- that was my thought as well- 31'....  i am a bit concerned about the weight [no scale to check it, the chart shows I come in at around 167lbs/76kg] but my guess it will not be much heavier than a  per plan doug fir mast?- I did construct the mast step out of 3/4" ply and added a few inches to it's height.    I also  extended the beam's internal  butt straps to the adjacent web members, used 3/4" ply for the center web and added 1/8" to the thickness of each of the  timbers.    Zero deflection when my 175 lbs stood on it.  So maybe the next big issue will be stepping it!?

[boatsmith]

1/4" wall will make for a heavy mast...I would think this is not a good idea..  this is twice the normal thickness...no bueno!!!!

[Marc LaFrance]

In the US, you can easily get new 5" Schedule 10 irrigation pipe in a 6063 T6. It has an OD of 5.63" but with a wall thickness of  .134".

[Budget Boater]

FWIW: Because we could not find Sch 10 pipe at the time, our T30 had the .250 wall Sch 40 mast. Yes, it was heavy, but it worked perfectly fine without any ill effects (except for stepping it, which required half a dozen hands.)

boatsmith said:

1/4" wall will make for a heavy mast...I would think this is not a good idea..  this is twice the normal thickness...no bueno!!!!

[Marc LaFrance]

Here's a link for 5" pipe.http://www.globaltecheng.com/productcart/pc/5-Schedule-10-Aluminum-...

[curt goodnight]

I can never say this enough:   what a great site!!   Thanks to all the folks responding.   I'm going to sit with this for a bit- I live in a agricultural and irrigation dependent part of Colorado , so it may be that I can do a little horse trading around here for some sched 10 pipe.   Failing that, its reassuring to know that I can still get this craft on some water with material  on hand.  Again- thanks for the feedback!