There are plenty of threads on perforated plate flute builds, but I ran across something today that made me consider something a little different.
Behold, perforated 4" copper cups....
You can buy 21 of these 4" across by 3" deep, strung on an 8' 6" long copper chain for $165. Wonder how well they'd do as flute plates? Might have to do a little adjustment to make the 4" OD bowls fit correcting in a 4" ID pipe but it would be interesting none the less. In my minds eye, I see plenty of condensation and reflux opportunity if you string these down the center of a column, they are designed to catch liquid and allow some to pool and some to fall. Certainly interesting.
Also, the same site offers 20oz seamless copper pipe for $187 per 10' stick, it's substantially thinner than Type M or L plumbing pipe but it is also substantially cheaper (holy hell is it cheaper). You'd need some external support for a tall column, but at that kind of price you can afford it. Seamless copper gutter downspouts may be something to investigate for the larger diameter builds. I've seen it elsewhere for $1.20/foot for 16oz pipe or $1.85/foot for 20oz.