whitefox77 Posted February 16, 2008 Posted February 16, 2008 So, I don't feel like buying 500 end plugs for $50 from Skylighter. Can anyone point me to a good tutorial on making end caps or plugs? I need to make them for some 1 1/8" tubes I'm using for smoke.
FrankRizzo Posted February 16, 2008 Posted February 16, 2008 Get a 1-3/4" circle punch from Scrapbook SuperCenter. Use coupon code "rmn10" for 10% off to save ~$1. http://www.createforless.com/InterchangeData/images/2/2005/0405/2007051803311202005-0405-7479.jpg Find a piece of scrap 2x4 lumber and use a 1-3/4" spade bit to make a 1/8" deep depression. Then, use a 1-1/8" spade bit to bore a hole all the way through the piece of scrap in the center of your previously drilled depression. Use sandpaper to remove the sharp inside edge of the hole. Using the craft punch, punch 1-3/4" circles of cereal box, beer box, card stock, etc. Place the circle into the depression, then use a 1-1/8" dowel to force the card stock through and form your plug. If you're tearing them, make sure your dowel doesn't have a sharp end (use sandpaper if it does). Also, dampening the cutouts before pressing them through will make them more pliable. If you use really thick card stock, you may have to enlarge the hole slightly. This will give you a 1-1/8" diameter plug with 1/4" high walls.
TheSidewinder Posted February 16, 2008 Posted February 16, 2008 Now there's a cheap, yet elegant, solution. Costs you all of $9 plus shipping, and you can make all the plugs you want. Make a couple hundred of them, and you have your money back.
moof Posted February 18, 2008 Posted February 18, 2008 http://pyrobin.com/files/professional%20ho...e%20salutes.pdf page 20 has a guide on plugs
Mumbles Posted February 18, 2008 Posted February 18, 2008 Hmmmmmmm, "professional home made salutes" What doesn't sound right about that phrase.
InRainbows Posted February 19, 2008 Posted February 19, 2008 At least its relevant and takes safety precautions, though the title does sound a bit "kewl"
qwezxc12 Posted February 19, 2008 Posted February 19, 2008 Man, the very first formula has Potassium Chlorate and Sulfur in it. Perfect for beginners
TheSidewinder Posted February 19, 2008 Posted February 19, 2008 "Professional Home-Made Salutes"..... yeah..... right. Does the term "oxymoron" need a higher level of definition than ""Professional Home-Made Salutes"?
lnstantkarma Posted February 25, 2008 Posted February 25, 2008 You should look up cannonfuse.com thats what I use for cheap plugs, tubes, and fuse. I think the smallest amount you can buy is 100 plugs
zwdog922 Posted February 25, 2008 Posted February 25, 2008 isnt potassium chlorate really unstable. why not just perchlorate or permanganate
Mumbles Posted February 25, 2008 Posted February 25, 2008 NEVER use permanganate in flash. If you think chlorate is pretty unstable in flash, which it is by the way, permanganate is even worse. Should be noted that any further discussion of flash, or the usefulness of permanganate in flash, will be deleted and members dealt with accordingly.
whitefox77 Posted February 26, 2008 Author Posted February 26, 2008 I buy a lot from cannonfuse.com, but they don't sell 1 1/8" plugs. 1" is the largest they have. It sounds like a small difference, but it's more than enough so the 1" plugs wont work. Funny enough, these devices will have potassium chlorate in them, but that's part of making colored smoke
Mumbles Posted February 26, 2008 Posted February 26, 2008 I just noticed something while reading FrankRizzo's post. I would think that using a 1" dowel to form the plug would be a bit better, or at least turning down the 1/8" dowel. A 1 1/8" dowel in a 1 1/8" hole allows no room for the paper product. All the formers I've seen for these type of plugs have a bit of a gap between the dowel and the cavity.
whitefox77 Posted February 26, 2008 Author Posted February 26, 2008 Ya, the 1" dowel does work better. And I could be really smart and start rolling my tubes on the 1" dowel instead of the 1 1/8" piece of PVC pipe, then buy the much less expensive 1" caps from cannonfuse.com, and I'd be in good shape. But that might be too smart for me to start doing...
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