Ventsi Posted October 12, 2009 Posted October 12, 2009 (edited) I can't find the tube thread after 30 minutes so here goes: I just finished rolling two 1" ID tubes for some fat fountains scheduled for NYE.They are 7in long and the walls are just over 3/8". Problem is I rolled these dry[ no glue pasted] with just a bit of white glue here and there to hold the tube in place. These are thick as hell but I can easily squeeze the tubes in half since there is nothing binding the paper layers to each other. Is there any inexpensive method to strengthen them [by dipping and soaking.] like the wood hardener method by Ned G. perhaps. Edit: Oops, I misspelled tubes up there, can you guys fix that? Edited October 12, 2009 by Ventsi
Skycastlefish Posted October 12, 2009 Posted October 12, 2009 These are thick as hell but I can easily squeeze the tubes in half since there is nothing binding the paper layers to each other.I bet you’re tubes are just fine. They’re flexible because, like you said, they’re dry, but after you press/ram your fountain they should stabilize – add in the pressure from deflagration and it sounds like a strong tube to me. If you’re worried that you might split the tubes while pressing then I’d recommend using two shorter lengths of kraft -- glue one end of each paper even with a line of glue, roll, and then glue both ends flat. Hope this helps (its one of the only things I have experience with… yet )
Ralph Posted October 12, 2009 Posted October 12, 2009 sodium silicate solution is awesome and you can add calcium chloride if you want better (and safer) results
Ericz Posted October 12, 2009 Posted October 12, 2009 Just roll tubes with wood glue ( the best you can buy ) and normal paper , i alwase roll with kraft paper and they get rock hard.Soon i start buy tubes because iam sick of rolling , but if u want to make inserts its handy to roll yourself because u can choose the size of it grtz
Twotails Posted October 12, 2009 Posted October 12, 2009 Personaly, i do two things, ether dip them in a Sodium Silicate soluiton, or i've tried rolling them wet, steaming them under the pressuer of the rollers, an i fit them onto formes, let them dry, and spray a coat or two of Clear varnish over them. that way, i make some realy hard tubes.
Ventsi Posted October 12, 2009 Author Posted October 12, 2009 Thanks for the input guys. I'm not willing to roll them wet on such a large ID since it just creates more air pockets than I can remove. Rolling them dry is labor defficient and faster than having to smear glue every 10 seconds.I thinks I'll just buy some MinWax wood hardener.
Twotails Posted October 12, 2009 Posted October 12, 2009 why smear glue? Dilute it with water, and spray it out of a spray bottle. it should work fine
Ericz Posted October 12, 2009 Posted October 12, 2009 I roll all my 1 " tubes with woodglue and if u make 20 strokes with glue , i know the amout now what i need to spread out and its done in no-time.And they get rockhard , and u just need to wait a little bit , but then u can make more tubes. Just like with stars ^^ Time shouldnt be a problem with this hobby ?grtz
Mumbles Posted October 13, 2009 Posted October 13, 2009 I've never thinned to the point that it can be sprayed. I've successfully gone to 50:50 water:elmers with success. A paintbrush makes quick work of the spreading.
Swede Posted October 20, 2009 Posted October 20, 2009 I've tried variations of the dry tube method - the minwax stuff does work, but it won't penetrate very many layers. If you can pull a vacuum on in, though, the resin will migrate nicely. But it still doesn't seem to match wet-rolled tubes. If they are for fountains, not rockets, then Skycastlefish might be right, they'll have adequate strength as-is, but a dip in minwax wood hardner or sodium silicate wouldn't hurt at all, and give you something a little firmer to work with.
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