[chbot] Suggestions for mild steel rod supplier in Chch?

[chchrobotics@lists.linuxnut.co.nz]

Hi Richard

Acorn models sells "music wire" - its cheap, and I think it's in imperial sizes 
ranging from about .25mm - 10mm in diameter. Its a very hard steel - easier to 
cut with a grinder than a saw... 

George Henry on Manchester St sells silver steel rods - superb quality metal in 
metric sizes (they will have 4mm), but it's expensive.

Pete

Quoting Richard Jones <rjtp@ihug.co.nz>:

> I want to build a complete micromouse maze, which according to my
> simulator
> has about 280 or so walls, but I'm having trouble getting hold of mild
> steel rod or wire to make the pins. I've enrolled at woodwork classes
> and
> can make the walls and base out of mdf for about $100NZ :-)
> I made a small sample maze shown in this picture:
> http://groups.msn.com/chchrobotics/micromouse.msnw?action=ShowPhoto&PhotoID=4
> I bought the
> bithttps://webmail.ihug.co.nz/webmail/?_task=mail&_action=compose&_
> reply_uid=558&_mbox=INBOX#s
> in the UK 10 years back. The steel pins are 25mm long and 3.93mm dia
> according to my very near calipers.
> My guess is that this is an imperial size 5/32 inch.
> 
> So far I've tried Mico Metals, they only supply Aluminium or stainless.
> The Steel and Tube catalog seems to start at 6mm.
> Ideally I'll buy the same size as my existing walls, but I might be
> able
> adapt the old walls and bases to a new size.
> If I get really desperate I'll try Bunnings for 4mm nails.
> In total I'll need about 16 metres of rod to make 600 pins of 25mm.
> Once I've obtained the rod I've located a metal guilotine (next door to
> the
> woodwork class) that should make quick work of the slicing to 25mm once
> I've put a guide fence on it to get the dimension roughly repeatable.
> One suggestion that I've looked at is no8 wire. I can get this free from
> a
> friend, but its a little corroded and measures about 4.4mm.
> 
> Any thoughts or suggestions?
> 
> Richard Jones
> 
> 
> 
> 
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