Source of pipe caps

[VK3ALB]

Where in Australia do you find nice pipe caps suitable for microwave projects? Not the flimsy ones you find in plumbing supplies. MiniKits don't have any.

[VK4WDM]

Maybe a tobacconist?

Wayne VK4WDM

[VK4GHZ]

Where in Australia do you find nice pipe caps suitable for microwave projects? Not the flimsy ones you find in plumbing supplies. MiniKits don't have any.

Lou, what do you mean "flimsy"?

I have purchased the 21mm OD end caps from Bunnings for a 2-stage 5.7 GHz filter (right), and they work a treat.

Same for the 14.7mm (OD) end caps from Bunnings, and used in a 2-stage 10 GHz filter (left).
No complaints.
Same construction technique for both.
Double sided PCB offcuts, M5 screws & nuts, and 085 hard line.



In the middle is a MiniKits 10 GHz filter on the universal board.
I wasn't that impressed with it... hence making my own 2-stage filter.

Having put the digital calipers across the 10G end caps, the ones from MiniKits are about 1.2mm shorter than the ones from Bunnings, but have the same OD.

[VK3ALB]

Adam,

Those a real pipe caps. I've seen much thinner ones that have a very low profile. Thanks for the tip, I'll take a look tomorrow.

[VK3ALB]

Thanks Adam,

Bunnings did indeed have 15mm (1/2") and 20mm (3/4") pipe caps with the correct profile. Although I didn't mention it in my original post I'm after 1" caps for a 3.4GHz project based on Paul Wade's design. I know I can probably use the 20mm caps at a pinch but I'll keep looking for the bigger ones.

[ZL2WHO]

I have had a look here... http://www.heatcraft.com.au/ but they don't list specific items. Note that they are also in NZ, they are my local suppliers.
Give them a shout, they bound to stock them. Next time im in ill ask.

73
Mark.

[VK4TI]

Those a real pipe caps. I've seen much thinner ones that have a very low profile. Thanks for the tip, I'll take a look tomorrow.

I walked into the local plumbing wholesaler and explained leaving with a suitable solution , the yellow pages might offer a local plumbing supply ?

[VK6DVR]

I think most people here are talking about copper end-caps, the topic mislead me a bit.

I immediately thought of plastic end-caps for antenna boom and element ends.

I have satisfied all my needs from the following company and there is a downloadable PDF available.

Tube Inserts - FLEXLINER (Aust) Pty Ltd | Free-Call: 1800-644-43
13 Harold St, Dianella WA 6059
Tel: 08 9371 3200 ~ Fax: 08 9371 3211
FREECALL: 1800 644 434
Web: http://www.tubeinserts.com.au/
Eml: parts@flexliner.com.au
PO Box 908 Inglewood, Western Australia 6932

Flexliner_Engineering_'TubeInserts.com.au'_Catalogue_31-Mar-2011_1144.pdf
http://www.tubeinserts.com.au/Flexliner ... 0SPRDS.pdf

Cheers and 73's, Danny VK6DVR

[VK4ADC]

I found that Tradelink Plumbing ( in Brisbane) carries a range of copper "pipecaps" however they call them "end caps" or something similar. Heatcraft at Underwood (Brisbane also) have a limited range of copper end caps too. What you need to do is to go into one of the larger plumbing supply places, say that you want an end cap to solder onto and seal off copper tubing and see what they call it - but it won't be a "pipecap".

I went into the local Tradelink with a digital micrometer one day, explained what I wanted them for, i.e for radio use & not for plumbing, and got to go out to the back where all of their copper fittings were kept and proceeded to measure the inside and outside dimensions and depths of the various pipecap versions they had in stock. { Somewhere I still have the list of all of the dimensions } One of the pipecaps was noticeably shallower that the Minikits one, possibly the 1" / 25mm one, but all of the others were comparable sizes and reasonably long.

I ended up buying a few of each size I thought would be useful for resonator use and have most of them stored safely in with some of my microwave project bits, a few have been used now....

I have used the Bunnings 15mm and 20mm pipecaps for 10 and 5.7 respectively, and mine worked fine too for those bands. The 20mm ones go down to about 4GHz, but not down to 3.4 !!

[VK3ALB]

Thanks everyone I now have what I need. The closest supplier to me with stock was Reece plumbing supplies. Most places only stock 15mm & 20mm.

[VK4GHZ]

Thanks everyone I now have what I need. The closest supplier to me with stock was Reece plumbing supplies. Most places only stock 15mm & 20mm.

Good to hear Lou.
What size did you get for 3.4 GHz?

[VK3ALB]

Hi Adam,

According to Paul they should be 1" caps. The ones I have are 1" I.D. and a smidge over 3/4" deep and are listed as 25mm. It will take me a while to get it all together but I'll post some pictures on the workbench thread when it's done.