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Old 05-19-2010, 07:01 AM
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gpoehlein gpoehlein is offline
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Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: Evansville, Indiana
Posts: 1,181
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I've both rolled my own and used cardstock for tubes. 110# cardstock (you buy a whole pack at Walmart for a bit over $5) works fine - just roll a piece about a quarter inch larger than you need around a motor (or better yet, use a piece of coupler stock as a mandrel) and glue the tab. It will be plenty strong.

Second method was to create a mandrel with a piece of brass tubing just smaller than the tube needed and build up the rest with wax paper (use digital calipers to get the diameter right). I bought a package of cash register tape at the office store and use that - you can cut nice long lengths of it. Cut it about 1/2 inch wide and wrap it around the mandrel in the spiral with the edges touching but not overlapping and tape down both ends. I then test wrap a second piece going in the opposite direction and tape down one end. I thin a bit of white glue and paint it on the new strip about 10 inches at a time and work it around the tube, again careful not to overlap or get gaps between the spirals. Once that layer is done, I put on a third layer in the direction of the first. After the third layer is on, cut the tape ends off and carefully slide it off the mandrel to dry. Once dry, square up both ends and you've got a nice tube.

BTW, I also use cardstock for body tubes in general and I have also used the coupler stock mandrels for vellum tubes.

Greg
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