pleating 3" can shell case ends

[MadMat]

Up until now I have been gluing my pleats on the ends of my can shells. I go around each turn (3 turns of 70# paper) folding and pleating with glue on every pleat. I recently saw a video where the guy simply made a cut through all three layers and folded the ends in, without any glue. According to his logic, the spiking would do all the work of holding the ends together. Now this sounds easier and without glue, it would be less expensive, but would it be a good idea? Any comments on this procedure?

Edited July 15, 2017 by MadMat

[lloyd]

It works fine, Mat.

 

You just need to be sure to NEVER cut the pleats past flush with the outer-most surface of the end-disk (and it doesn't hurt to put a little glue around that union between pleats and disk before you start to fold them in.)

 

Lloyd

[dagabu]

I agree with Lloyd, I have yet to have fire sneak by the pleats if I glue or not. I leave the last 1/16" to the disk uncut if all the "petals" get folded down at once and cut TO the disk if glue is used and each of the "petals" is folded down separately.

 

Here is a tut I did about 8 years back, its a very solid build for rockets.

 

https://sites.google.com/site/spamento/

[Wiley]

Paul Moulder's videos (Bangkok Pyro) show how to do this along with many other aspects of cylinder shell construction. He doesn't tear the casing paper before pleating it down, and I wouldn't either. I'd only do that on rinfasciature wraps. But yes, it's actually common to make cylinder shells, even very long/large ones, with no glue at all.

[dagabu]

Tearing, cutting, pleating whole or tongue fold methods are all accepted according to the Fulcanelli papers. Individual opinion changes and they can provide hard core resistance to your method but bottom line is that pleats or not are your decision, if you do get a flowerpot, you may want to change your methodology.

 

I use what is best for the particular shell and don't stick with a particular rule for all shells.