Spiral Paper Tube Roller

[Mumbles]

With the recent loss of NEPT as a supplier, and some of the increased talk of rolling our own tubes I've been browsing various tube rolling machines. I was wondering if anyone had tried something like in the following videos. It looks like a quick way to make thin spiral tubes, such as for quickmatch or lance work. It wont solve any issues for tubes for rockets or inserts, but just a thought I was having as I browsed various other things.

 

[BurritoBandito]

Looks fast and easy. Thanks for sharing.

[Sparx88]

Havent done it with a drill but with dowel rods in varied diam. with 3 thick coats of clear gloss polyurethane and hung verticle to dry so it's smooth and sticky free. Wet sand/polish if needed. The paper I used is 24 lb white paper, printer paper like. Comes in rolls. I'm thinking kraft would be good doing it like this. I soak the paper down with 70/30 water/tightbond original. Slow dry the tubes indoors, any fans or heat will warp the tubes. Not sure if this is what you were thinking about but I give it a shot.

 

TY for sharing this is indeed a great idea for quick match pipe. Just have to experiment to see just how long the rod could be before the tube won't slide off is all.

Edited September 29, 2014 by Sparx88

[schroedinger]

Didn't use that drill, just used hand rolling, but it works the same way.

 

One thing you got to make different compared to this video is, that you need to apply glue along the long edge which get rolled on last (just like on a cigarette paper) not only at the short end edge.

If you apply it like in the video just to the short end edge of the tube will unravel if you cut it down into smaller pieces.

[dagabu]

Looks like a new thing to try. I like the method a lot, off to get some news paper!

[Col]

If you use plenty of glue and a stainless rod you could probably do 6ft`ers, clamp the drill down, slowish rpm and walk backwards sliding a bearing in front of the wrap point to support the rod. Finding a 6ft newspaper could be an issue.

[dagabu]

If you use plenty of glue and a stainless rod you could probably do 6ft`ers, clamp the drill down, slowish rpm and walk backwards sliding a bearing in front of the wrap point to support the rod. Finding a 6ft newspaper could be an issue.

 

I have end rolls of newsprint, only 100' or so on each but I could easily make a 20' tube with a long enough rod and a whole lot of luck!!!!

[schroedinger]

Should it not be sufficient to just drill a hole into a wooden block and insert the rod tip on the opposite of the drill into this, this way the rod doesn't have a chance to warp, also you could get creative and just attach a foot switch to the drill/motor so that you can work h ands free.

[mkn]

That looks great, too bad the high performance rocket tubes are not as easy.........

[dagabu]

Should it not be sufficient to just drill a hole into a wooden block and insert the rod tip on the opposite of the drill into this, this way the rod doesn't have a chance to warp, also you could get creative and just attach a foot switch to the drill/motor so that you can work h ands free.

 

Skinny rod will 'jump rope' even if tensioned. Incremental support is needed and slow speeds are a must.

 

Cheap motors for spinning a rod:

 

http://www.surpluscenter.com/Brands/Merkle-Korff/100-RPM-115-VAC-1-10-HP-MERKLE-KORFF-IL-GEARMOTOR-5-1219.axd

 

http://www.surpluscenter.com/Brands/Molon/135-RPM-115-VAC-MOLON-GEARMOTOR-5-1504.axd

 

http://www.surpluscenter.com/Electric-Motors/AC-Gearmotors/AC-Gearmotors/118-RPM-115-VAC-SHADED-POLE-GEARMOTOR-5-1714.axd

Edited September 29, 2014 by dagabu

[Arthur]

What happened to the machines that NEPT used. They may be big and heavy but could save a lot of trial and error if someone can buy a machine or two.

 

Problem may be that pyro hobbyists don't use many tubes.

[dagabu]

They are no longer available to us, the building was apparently sold with all the equipment still inside and I am told that it all will be sold for scrap.

[schroedinger]

Dag you got me hooked with that motors, i still got one of those in oxidizing around, now i just need to make a connector for that.

[Col]

Their paper spec/supplier and the chemist that formulated their glue recipe would be more useful than the machines. Strange that no one ever covertly snapped a pic of one in action

[nater]

There was a video floating around when Steve LaDuke toured the factory. It shows some of their rollers in action. I do agree that their paper specs and source along with their glue would be more valuable than a rolling machine.

 

The video Mumbles shared looks like a great way to make piping for QM leaders. I typically use leaders cut off from commercial shells when we set up displays. They work fine, but I may try this with homemade match on some of my shells for purely aesthetic reasons. Something does not look right when the waterproof, plastic wrapped QM is used for a passfire and leader on a nicely pasted, handmade cylinder.

Edited September 29, 2014 by nater

[Arthur]

I don't think tube making technology has progressed for many years and there are many youtube vids of spiral and convolute tube making. I'd suggest that a wad of dollar bills would see the digger driver put one machine on your truck, but you'd need all the tooling for each size. BUt I think home pyro is a small market.

[wildcherryxoxo]

TheMixer on fireworking has made much stronger tubes than NEPT ever did, and all he uses is premixed wheat paste. NEPT was notorious for relatively large dimensional variance, which is more trouble than its worth. I wouldnt want to mess with their machines, besides they would probably want a fortune for them.

 

The market isnt big enough for it, but my hopes would be with finding a source in china for our tubes- (inb4 hate on China)

[Col]

As long as the id is ok, the od can be fixed pretty easily using a mandrel and a sanding drum driven in opposite directions. In a few seconds you`ll have a perfectly round tube with the desired od.

[dagabu]

Their paper spec/supplier and the chemist that formulated their glue recipe would be more useful than the machines. Strange that no one ever covertly snapped a pic of one in action

 

Your wish, my command...

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6jFuocMtT-Y

[Col]

Cheers Dag,

I was expecting something a bit more modern looking The paper looks to be of the laminated multiple sheet variety as that sheet cant be much more than 2ft wide. Did you clock a laminating calender?