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View Full Version : Whatcha gunna do with all them leftover excal tubes?

URBNFLX
June 3rd, 2006, 10:51 AM
well....

I was wondering if anyone has tried to cut off the non flat stand part of the plastic tube without getting close enough to the plug(or is the ube all 1 piece?) and made a rack for them?

I figured I would ask since I have like 24 extra tubes now... and since these are hdpe what is the life expectancy of them?
Supdawg
June 3rd, 2006, 11:12 AM
well....

I was wondering if anyone has tried to cut off the non flat stand part of the plastic tube without getting close enough to the plug(or is the ube all 1 piece?) and made a rack for them?

I figured I would ask since I have like 24 extra tubes now... and since these are hdpe what is the life expectancy of them?

Yeah, I have seen plenty of people saw the base off and plug them. I have also seen people just make racks out of them with the base still attached. As far as I know, they will last forever as long as you take care of them.
pyrochris
June 3rd, 2006, 11:13 AM
well....

I was wondering if anyone has tried to cut off the non flat stand part of the plastic tube without getting close enough to the plug(or is the ube all 1 piece?) and made a rack for them?

I figured I would ask since I have like 24 extra tubes now... and since these are hdpe what is the life expectancy of them?
These tubes are good for life. Instead you could get a piece of plywood, and screw the bases down th the plywood and use that as your rocket rack.
jdean0003
June 3rd, 2006, 08:26 PM
Don't waste HDPE on rockets....

Use it to make another mortar rack. Cutting them as you first suggested would be a perfectly good idea.
Deweycoon
June 3rd, 2006, 08:48 PM
Here a few racks with consumer mortars that are plugged.
http://www.pyroreview.com/gallery/showphoto.php/photo/4947/sort/2/cat/520/page/1
Don F
June 3rd, 2006, 08:49 PM
why on earth would you cut theplug off . Ive got 70 plus that Ive just cut around the tube and put in racks been using them for years with out any problems. as for those with the solid hdpe base just screw them to a piece of plywood instant rack no muss no fuss . why make it harder than it needs to be
noel
June 3rd, 2006, 09:33 PM
some of our first shows before we got into racks was a 2x4 screwed to a set of saw horses with a line of single tubes screwed down... go down a 40' line of these lighting the fuses.

Have 2 stations setup, once one was empty, you'd go to the 2nd row, and someone would go down the line dropping in shells into the first row.

Now we have this thing called a rack and fuse, makes life easier, but that was always fun getting in there and hand lighting each one as fast as you could.
Hugh T Man
June 4th, 2006, 09:13 PM
What's the best device to use to cut? I'd probably assume just got with Don and leave the plug there.

Man power or electrical? Jigsaw?

Kyle
Deweycoon
June 4th, 2006, 09:22 PM
What's the best device to use to cut? I'd probably assume just got with Don and leave the plug there.

Man power or electrical? Jigsaw?

Kyle
A Dremel tool.
Supdawg
June 4th, 2006, 09:26 PM
What's the best device to use to cut? I'd probably assume just got with Don and leave the plug there.

Man power or electrical? Jigsaw?

Kyle
Yo Kyle... Check your gmail dude! We need to do that swap soon...
URBNFLX
June 5th, 2006, 10:19 AM
A Dremel tool.
URBNFLX
June 5th, 2006, 10:19 AM
A Dremel tool.

What bit do you use?
St1dinoh
June 5th, 2006, 11:00 AM
A Dremel tool.

bingo....thats the way to do it....either that or the "roto-zip" same thing IMO.
Deweycoon
June 5th, 2006, 12:37 PM
What bit do you use?
I don't know what the bit is called...it looks spiraled like a drill bit.
Kevin13
June 8th, 2006, 10:17 AM
I won't be using mine since I have racks. If anyone wants them (2 cases worth), drop me a PM.

- Kevin
URBNFLX
June 10th, 2006, 06:19 PM
A Dremel tool.

I tried to use a rotozip today and man does it make a mess... not to mention that it has a mind of its own. I think I will just stick to an air body saw instead.:D
Deweycoon
June 11th, 2006, 10:41 AM
I tried to use a rotozip today and man does it make a mess... not to mention that it has a mind of its own. I think I will just stick to an air body saw instead.:D

I agree a dremel is hard to control...this is why A found it easier to cut the base off and plug the mortars.
URBNFLX
June 11th, 2006, 03:31 PM
I agree a dremel is hard to control...this is why A found it easier to cut the base off and plug the mortars.

I may just end up doing that. It seems like too much of a hassle to deal with it the other way. What size hole saw did you use for the plug?
Deweycoon
June 11th, 2006, 05:23 PM
I may just end up doing that. It seems like too much of a hassle to deal with it the other way. What size hole saw did you use for the plug?

A 2 1/8 " hole saw.
If you have access to a good drill press you can do it without the drill bit....no hole to fill.
I filled the last holes with liquid nails. A screw works to fill the hole also.
jdean0003
June 12th, 2006, 08:14 AM
I tried to use a rotozip today and man does it make a mess... not to mention that it has a mind of its own. I think I will just stick to an air body saw instead.:D


I agree, I used a rotozip on some excal tubes before and it made the biggest mess. There were plastic shavings flying aorund everywhere!! Plus I had to come back and grind down the edges of the tube so it would fit into the rack because it was too hard to control the tool to make a perfect circle.

I think it would be simpler to cut the tube and then plug it myself.
URBNFLX
June 12th, 2006, 10:12 AM
I agree, I used a rotozip on some excal tubes before and it made the biggest mess. There were plastic shavings flying aorund everywhere!! Plus I had to come back and grind down the edges of the tube so it would fit into the rack because it was too hard to control the tool to make a perfect circle.

I think it would be simpler to cut the tube and then plug it myself.


Thats the direction I am headed towards... too much hassle...