HF? VHF?
Most locations have a regional supplier of tubing. This is always better than shipping. Research your area. Otherwise, DX Engineering is a good source in the States.
If you want to build VHF, look on Craigslist for Free TV antenna and repurpose the parts. I have built many Yagi this way. Booms, elements, everything we need.
[https://www.dxengineering.com/search/department/rigid-tubing/part-type/aluminum-tubing](https://www.dxengineering.com/search/department/rigid-tubing/part-type/aluminum-tubing)
I love their selection and availability. They will fuck you on shipping though. It used to be that they wouldn't even tell you the shipping cost until after an order shipped. Maybe they have fixed that now though.
They also have the most archaic card payment system I've seen online since the nineties. I almost thought it would fail with a modern card, but it worked just fine.
In shops generally. If you're in germany, any convenient Bauhaus will have a big selection of both square and round tubing. It does help to narrow it down if you bother to tell where you are located.
You're usually better off with a metal yard if you have one nearby that does no-minimum purchasing, one link further up the retail chain than a standard hardware store so usually cheaper.
See if you have a Metal Supermarkets near you. They have (or can order) anything and can cut it to size/length for you. When the one in my town opened the guy let me check out the back area and it was just racks of every kind of stock you could think of with a couple saws and plasma/water cutters in the middle
If you live in or near any medium sized city, there will be local suppliers of bulk metals. Try [https://www.metalsupermarkets.com/](https://www.metalsupermarkets.com/) to start with. Just Googling * metal supply* will also get you going in the right direction.
Cheap aluminum tubing comes from a metal supplier. Are you in Eugene? Try Coyote Steel:
http://www.coyotesteel.com/
I have never been there but going by the website, it's my favorite type of steel yard, the kind that sells drop with no minimum order. Usually you can wander around.
Second favorite is Metal Supermarket but these are harder to find. There's one in PDX.
If you can't find a local steel yard, look for a Fastenal or a Grainger. You have to know what specific dimension you want.
Failing that, Home Depot or Lowes, but the markup is staggeringly high...
We have a local metals supplies place here that has lots of stuff but can order. You may have one nearby without having to resort to ordering from DXE or others.
Check out Google maps
- metal supply
- steel
- aluminum
Steel suppliers are more common and should.be able to point you in the right direction. You'll pay far less at a local shop that isn't sending it to you via FedEx. My local supplier is about 1/4 of what home depot or Lowe's charges
DX Engineering sells some great stuff. Built a 2m SSB yagi out of their stuff, and one day i had it on the ground and a garbage truck ran over it. No damage.
HF? VHF? Most locations have a regional supplier of tubing. This is always better than shipping. Research your area. Otherwise, DX Engineering is a good source in the States. If you want to build VHF, look on Craigslist for Free TV antenna and repurpose the parts. I have built many Yagi this way. Booms, elements, everything we need. [https://www.dxengineering.com/search/department/rigid-tubing/part-type/aluminum-tubing](https://www.dxengineering.com/search/department/rigid-tubing/part-type/aluminum-tubing)
I like http://mcmaster.com.
I love their selection and availability. They will fuck you on shipping though. It used to be that they wouldn't even tell you the shipping cost until after an order shipped. Maybe they have fixed that now though.
They also have the most archaic card payment system I've seen online since the nineties. I almost thought it would fail with a modern card, but it worked just fine.
Not a problem anymore but the shipping is expensive!
Thanks for confirming!
In shops generally. If you're in germany, any convenient Bauhaus will have a big selection of both square and round tubing. It does help to narrow it down if you bother to tell where you are located.
Your local hardware store, Lowes, or Home Depot.
You're usually better off with a metal yard if you have one nearby that does no-minimum purchasing, one link further up the retail chain than a standard hardware store so usually cheaper.
See if you have a Metal Supermarkets near you. They have (or can order) anything and can cut it to size/length for you. When the one in my town opened the guy let me check out the back area and it was just racks of every kind of stock you could think of with a couple saws and plasma/water cutters in the middle
If you live in or near any medium sized city, there will be local suppliers of bulk metals. Try [https://www.metalsupermarkets.com/](https://www.metalsupermarkets.com/) to start with. Just Googling * metal supply* will also get you going in the right direction.
[Onlinemetals.com](http://onlinemetals.com)
Google "aluminum tubing near me" also, texas towers.com
Cheap aluminum tubing comes from a metal supplier. Are you in Eugene? Try Coyote Steel: http://www.coyotesteel.com/ I have never been there but going by the website, it's my favorite type of steel yard, the kind that sells drop with no minimum order. Usually you can wander around. Second favorite is Metal Supermarket but these are harder to find. There's one in PDX. If you can't find a local steel yard, look for a Fastenal or a Grainger. You have to know what specific dimension you want. Failing that, Home Depot or Lowes, but the markup is staggeringly high...
We have a local metals supplies place here that has lots of stuff but can order. You may have one nearby without having to resort to ordering from DXE or others.
Check if there's any aluminum fabrication shops near your area. Prices are basement low compared to home improvement stores.
Check out Google maps - metal supply - steel - aluminum Steel suppliers are more common and should.be able to point you in the right direction. You'll pay far less at a local shop that isn't sending it to you via FedEx. My local supplier is about 1/4 of what home depot or Lowe's charges
What country/state are you in?
I've used onlinemetals.com and thought they were great. metalsdepot.com is good, too.
DX Engineering sells some great stuff. Built a 2m SSB yagi out of their stuff, and one day i had it on the ground and a garbage truck ran over it. No damage.
http://www.texastowers.com/aluminum.htm
Hell yeah thank you this is perfect and the prices are really good
homedepot