Telescoping Tube

[SavannahLion]

I've spent about a month working this out and hunting on the web but I'm somewhat stumped. What I would like to obtain is something similar to this telescoping tube.

What I need is for the inner tube to have an OD no more than .43" (approximately 11mm) and the outer tube to have an OD to be no more than .60" (no more than 16mm) and obviously an ID to mate to the OD of the other tube. It would be really nice if the material is soft enough that I can cut them to length (plastic, copper, or something similar) but not so soft that it bends out of shape during use.

Shape isn't necessarily an issue. It could be round, square, rectangular whatever. Other shapes, I'll have to make measurement adjustments of course.  

I looked at telescoping antennae (too thin and fragile), PVC pipe (walls too thick and requires extensive reworking, copper pipe (found 1/2" pipe which works out to be just shy of 16mm, but still trying to figure out where I can get pipe to fit inside). I have found mention of 1/8" to 3/8" pipe available in copper, iron and PVC pipe, but I'll be damned if I can find anyone that sells pipe that small. Looked at "rail" type fittings but they're unsuitable since I need to cut my pipe to length.

Any ideas on a source for this kind of thing?

[Ed_McCarron]

http://www.mcmaster.com/#aluminum/=6uu6b6

They have a .509 id tube (5/8" OD, .058" thick) that should slip fit (9 thou over) on a .5 od tube.

What are you doing with it?  Does it need to be structural?  Might be able to just get a telescoping painters pole from Home Depot or the like.

How long?

http://www.homedepot.com/h_d1/N-5yc1vZ1xgy/R-100324872/h_d2/ProductDisplay?langId=-1&storeId=10051&catalogId=10053

[EwJ]

A telescoping baton might fit that requirement - not too thin and fragile like a telescoping antenna (cops/security use 'em to beat your ass).

[SavannahLion]

http://www.mcmaster.com/#aluminum/=6uu6b6

They have a .509 id tube (5/8" OD, .058" thick) that should slip fit (9 thou over) on a .5 od tube.

What are you doing with it?  Does it need to be structural?  Might be able to just get a telescoping painters pole from Home Depot or the like.

How long?

http://www.homedepot.com/h_d1/N-5yc1vZ1xgy/R-100324872/h_d2/ProductDisplay?langId=-1&storeId=10051&catalogId=10053

Holy crap, those are like $30 and $40 for the shortest lengths! I really only need a total length no more than 12". It's going to be cut apart into lengths approximately 2-3".

It's not structural in any desirable sense.

I guess I should explain. I'm crafting my own buttons for the Start, Coin and a single admin button. The tubing would be the equivalent of your standard button shaft pointed to in red below.

[Ed_McCarron]

Ah.  Try this:

http://www3.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin/WTI0095P?FVSEARCH=brass+tube&search=Go

I tend to think structurally.

[CCM]

Just curious, why not just buy the buttons?  They're like $2.50 each...  Seems like making your own buttons is not very economical in both money and time.

[SavannahLion]

Ah.  Try this:

http://www3.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin/WTI0095P?FVSEARCH=brass+tube&search=Go

I tend to think structurally.

Holy smokes. I'm always telling people to go to the hobby shop for this or that and it never occured to me to look there for the tubes.  There's one just down the street from me.

Just curious, why not just buy the buttons?  They're like $2.50 each...  Seems like making your own buttons is not very economical in both money and time.

The HAPPs buttons don't fit and the smaller buttons that would have the wrong "vibe" for the cab.