help please - large...
 

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help please - large diameter tubing? (800mm)

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I am helping a pal out with a project for autistic kids.   She would like some large diameter - around 800m tubes in around a 3m length for crawl tubes.

 

I have been trying to find some but the only thing I can find is waste water pipe at a ridiculous cost - £1000+ for a single 3 m length

 

Anyone got any clues?

 
Posted : 01/10/2025 8:27 pm
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Not exactly cheap but a good bit under £1k on this listing:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/285272123097

 

edit, or this one

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/225160767446

 
Posted : 01/10/2025 8:51 pm
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If the kids can breath in a bit (and fit down a 600mm pipe) things get quite a bit cheaper too, £170 for a 3m length of twinwall here:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/306062371453

 
Posted : 01/10/2025 8:55 pm
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Does it need to be rigid? Would the lightweight dog agility tunnel work?

 
Posted : 01/10/2025 9:00 pm
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ta folks

 

It needs to be strong enough to have kids sitting on it and also big enough for an adult to get in and drag them out

 
Posted : 01/10/2025 9:05 pm
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those ebay links are all collection in person from miles away - this is for central scotland.  ta anyway

 
Posted : 01/10/2025 9:07 pm
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Play equipment manufacturers use rolled sheet metal to make sections that they fix together. I would find a local sheet metal fabricator and see what sizes they can roll. 

The safety standard for play equipment states that tunnels must be large enough that an adult can get inside, 800mm should be fine. 

 
Posted : 01/10/2025 9:23 pm
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How about Builders chute or rubble chute, probably not wide enough , 

 

try arsebook etc for 900mm or 1050mm drain pipe 

 

 

 
Posted : 01/10/2025 9:27 pm
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Posted by: leegee

I would find a local sheet metal fabricator and see what sizes they can roll. 

thats a really good call.  ta

 
Posted : 01/10/2025 9:35 pm
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A bit leftfield, but the guy that owned our house previously was a shipwright. He used what he told me was the packaging from ship masts to make culverts on our driveway.

They'd be perfect... although i'm not volunteering to crawl through ours. 

I've bought the real stuff since to add additional drainage from our local hardware place - this kind of stuff: BlackMax® Drainage Pipes & Systems | Get a quote and paid about half what you're quotes. But in your situation I'd be trying to get it at cost or as a donation. 

 

 
Posted : 01/10/2025 10:39 pm
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Contact the manufacturer(or more)

Tel them what you want. Tell them its for a project for Autistic kids, and tell them you can give them pics they can put up to show potential clients some good works that they are part of.

Be surprised what they might offer you.

When i did the vso in Romania, one of the things they were doing was to empty an orphanage, take the kids camping for a week, while the work crews did remedial; works(including some quite extensive( plus repairing old people homes etc etc)

Anyway, in one of the team meeting, they said that one of the problems they faced the previous year was the kids got cold because the blankets were thin and sleeping bags were scarce.

 

So I phoned Polywarm, put the problem to them and asked could they give us some sleeping bags and rejects woulds be fine.

How many kids ? 80 .Right leave it with us.

Van from them arrived at our HQ and it was packed full. Couple of hundred all in I think.

I gave them permission, though i had no clearance, for them to use the donation in their adverts.

I did the same in a few places for other equipment and I found companies were keen to help.

 

People like helping 😀

A supply company for big plastic pipes will have 'ends' and other pieces that you could maybe joint into the length you need) and also ones which extruded poorly, or have flaws making them unsuitable for pressure.

 

As long as this is for an actual project, and not just her own kids I doubt there will be many refusals

 

 
Posted : 01/10/2025 11:03 pm
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When I buy the 600mm twin wall I just go to my local agricultural merchants and he will order them in and deliver at probably less than those ebay prices. Worth doing a google search for your nearest one up there and give em a ring

 

 
Posted : 02/10/2025 11:49 am
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Donations might work either developers with spares to get rid of or suppliers who are "nice".

As above i would go to suppliers if donations aren't forthcoming. Things like this on ebay will be laughable in cost.

 

 
Posted : 02/10/2025 12:51 pm
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Email the A9 contractor for kick off.

Lots of temporary works on that job.

 
Posted : 02/10/2025 12:52 pm

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