So I’ve recently gotten back into building my pack after a two year hiatus. There’s a lot that’s changed in those two years here on the forums. I’ve noticed a lot more sellers providing aluminum parts for one. While I would love to purchase some of these parts, especially from Vinny, I’m looking to go a more cost effective route. I’ve been trying to source the materials locally to make my own parts for me personally and have noticed that some local stores carry more in the way of copper than aluminum. Does anyone have any insight as to wether or not copper would be a decent substitute? It doesn’t weigh much more than aluminum, is going to be painted black so color doesn’t matter, and can be soldered instead of welded. Thoughts?
I’m no metal expert but my Google skills tell me that there is roughly 10x the amount of Aluminum versus Copper available in the marketplace and that Aluminum sells for $0.80/pound versus Copper at $2.72/pound so I’m not too sure about any cost effectiveness. I’m also not too sure I’d like to be caught in a lighting storm while holding a Copper gun or with a pack built with a lot of Copper parts either.
I do think that Lead might be the new Aluminum though
The cost effectiveness is strictly me welding and buying the material myself against paying for the labor of someone else doing it. Not saying I wouldn’t gladly pay out that kind of money for the craftsmanship…everyone who makes the parts makes them beautifully. Just that I don’t have the said kind of money. 
I just figured its a lot easier to find the copper pipe around here than the aluminum. I can order the aluminum through distributors online, but I’m sure the shipping would be more than the materials.
I have been asking around online to see if there was anyone making the aluminum parts who might be willing to sell the parts unwelded so I could do it myself, but I’m not sure if anyone is willing to go that route.
The other thing about a copper pack is all the meth heads always trying to steal it to sell for crack money.
Guy I know had all the copper heisted out of a house he was building. Twice.
I wouldn’t hold ANY metal gun in a lightning storm. Aluminum isn’t too far behind copper in conductivity.
As far as which to choose, aluminum is lighter, cheaper, and stronger. You can join two pieces of copper easier than aluminum, but personally I’d just stick with the aluminum parts.
Also, natural weathering of your pack will show copper instead of aluminum. It would have the benefit of looking cool and different, but it would also have the issue of being completely screen inaccurate (if accuracy is something you’re worried about.)
Thanks Hijacker. That’s what I wanted to hear. Aluminum it is.
Now…where to get the material…? Looks like it’s back to google.
Thanks Lando. Vinnys shopping list is what I’ve been using for measurements to take to local distributors. We have a sheet metal shop near by that deals strictly with sheets of aluminum. The foreman says he can make the tubes by bending the metal but they would need to be welded down the side. I could grind the welds down to make them smooth, but id be paying more for them to weld them than for the materials.
I’ll see what the shipping costs are through links on Vinny’s page and see how it adds up.
Speedymetals.com and McMaster-Carr are your best bets imo. Unless you’re getting the materials for free and the welder who’s doing the cold roll/seam weld is doing it for a reduced rate, you’ll spend a fortune very quickly.
Yea , they straight out told me it would cost a fortune if they went that route. The girl at the front desk called me earlier today, turns out we went to school together, so she’s going to check their supplier and see if they can get the stock I need and charge me for the raw material.
On a side note…speaking of Vinny’s page…I see he commented about his original measurements on there being a bit outdated. Are they that far off from what’s being made now? If so I’ll start researching on here for the correct dimensions. I might not know a lot about metals but I do know my way around a search bar. 
It would be nearly impossible to solder a copper thrower unless you could find a way to hold all the parts together at once.. Otherwise, once you solder one part, then heat up next to it to solder another part, it will almost always cause everything to losen up from the heat. (the annoying part of making freddy gloves)
Btw, I’m not sure of the difference in conductiveness between the two but, power lines are all aluminum.. 
Nice to see you again Chris! And yes…soldering copper is a pain in the ass. My Freddy glove was one of the first props I made.
This was an in progress picture.
I still have your aluminum thrower, I was just looking to make the pack parts. The ion arm would be the worst part I think. You could cut the whole thing from a template and fold it over easily, then solder all the seams shut. But I would really like to go with aluminum.
I PM’d you Chris about some parts. Let me know if you got it.
My advice? Buy directly from a metal supply warehouse; preferably local-ish. Hit up local welding/machine shops and see if they’ll sell you what you need; you’ll probably get a better price.
Thanks Mat! That’s exactly what I’ve been trying to do. Not as many around here anymore unfortunately.
Again, does anyone know if the Vinny shop list thread is that far off on measurements compared to what’s currently being made by sellers?
So in the end I said to hell with it and ordered some aluminum parts off Crix.
I figured better to support someone with the knowledge and talent rather than give myself an aneurism trying to do it myself. Maybe down the road when I get more welding under my belt, especially with aluminum rather than steel, I’ll venture into these waters. But for now, looking forward to Crix parts. Thanks guys.