my new mortars

[Kustom]

check out my tubes!!!!

[wrtiii]

I think you're going to have to extend fuses for these, but you should get excellent height. Plus you can fire those 75 break shells.

[Dan]

Didn't you hear....these are the NEW tubes that come with the new "quadecimator" shell kits!! :D

Dan

[Mr.Pyro]

Just looking at that pipe..I would guess it's steel.
Just think how much one 36-rack would weigh.:eek:

[RudyG]

I'm wondering if the lift charge will be able to get the shells out of the tubes.:confused:

Rudy

[Kustom]

Actually they don't weigh that much. Each Piece is 11'6" long. So I should be able to get 9 1' long tubes and 2 15" long tubes out of each one. The ID is 1.875" So they should work quite nice. The only thing I am trying to figure out now is how to plug the ends. Oh well I will probably come up with some way. Man I love my job free tubes to last a lifetime.

[Mr.Pyro]

Oh i am sure the folks up at Midwest Wood Specialties can make up the plugs for you. Call them with your measurement of the inside of the pipe. The number is 1-800-900-0054.
I would think all you have to do is predrill two pilot holes and use two self tapping screw's to secure the plug.

[Kustom]

thanks I will give them a call.

[noel]

You could probably sell the pipe to someone and buy a lighter product, but your choice.

...If you have a welder, one option is a plate of steel and weld a bead around the bottom, Or, if by chance it's normal pipe size, you could have it threaded, thread on an end cap and just tac weld it.

[Bill Corbett]

Kustom, are the steel pipes actually tubes for a boiler or heat exchanger?

[Kustom]

no. They are a drawn tubing that we make at work. We make many different size tubing from as small as 1/8" all the way to as big as 6" OD. We also make pipe that buy at like home depot or lowes for like water lines and gas lines.

[Kustom]

just wanted to show my progress with my tubes.


http://www.pyroreview.com/gallery/data/520/308060318032854.JPG

http://www.pyroreview.com/gallery/data/520/308060318032914.JPG

http://www.pyroreview.com/gallery/data/520/308060318033224.JPG

http://www.pyroreview.com/gallery/data/541/308060318033004.JPG

Just got to get the tubes welded to the plates now. the long plates are 20 tubes and the small are 10 tubes. I think that they should work nice. Not to bad for all free materials.

[noel]

How much did you spend in Electric, Cuttoff Wheels, Grinder Wheels, Argon/CO2, Welding Wire .... :)

But glad your having fun with your project and making some progress. As long as you get some shells in the air and your happy with it, that's all that really matters.

[DennyMo]

OK, in the other thread, we jumped all over the guy for suggesting using metal tubes. How come Kustom isn't getting the same treatment?

[Dan]

Denny,

I don't remember a thread with guys jumping all over someone for using steel tubes. I have been around the "biz" long enough, we shot MOST of our 1.3g shows out of all steel tubes up until about 15 years or so ago.

Steel tubes were the "norm" in the display fireworks area back in the late 70's and 80's.

Dan

[DennyMo]

http://www.pyrouniverse.com/forum/showthread.php?t=1325

Maybe "jumped all over" is a bit strong, but he was certainly met with a chorus of "Use HDPE!" I'm aware that steel used to be just about the only option. But I also recall reading that you need to be really picky on the type of steel you use for your mortars (though I don't remember which flavor was acceptable), and I just didn't see any concerns in this thread that Kustom might be making a mistake.

Kustom, not trying to dog you here, I'm just paranoid at times...

[Kustom]

No I can understand being paranoid. I figure with a wall thickness of just shy of 1/4" they should be fine to shoot class c shells from. As far as how much electric I am not sure, but cut off wheels, gas, welding wire all compliments of work.

[Kustom]

just another update showing how the finished rack looks

http://www.pyroreview.com/gallery/data/500/308030215024332.JPG

[MNPyro]

They look good...do you have a way to stabalize them?

The one 15" long one looks like the center of gravity is quite high...seems a tipping problem could come along.

But I am sure you thought of that already and are gonna add something :D

MNPyro

P.S. How much do each of them weigh?

[Kustom]

I was thinking about welding washers onto the edges and then I could pin them. i test fired one of the 10 shot 12" racks without anymeans on securing and it didn't even budge an inch from where I placed it. As far as weight the small ones (10 shot) weigh about 30-35 lbs and the big ones (20 shot) weigh about 65-70 lbs. Still have about 40 more tubes to weld. Hopefully before the end of the week they will be done.

[pyrochris]

I was thinking about welding washers onto the edges and then I could pin them. i test fired one of the 10 shot 12" racks without anymeans on securing and it didn't even budge an inch from where I placed it. As far as weight the small ones (10 shot) weigh about 30-35 lbs and the big ones (20 shot) weigh about 65-70 lbs. Still have about 40 more tubes to weld. Hopefully before the end of the week they will be done.
How does the shell sound out of a steel tube? I hear they sound quite nice coming out of them. :D

[Supdawg]

I am pretty sure there isn't a 1.4 shell out there that could even put a dent into one of these racks... But moving them is a different story!:D

[Kustom]

they sound pretty cool.

[Bmiller]

I'm glad no one got on him about his tubes, the hernia he gets will be painful enough.
Just got through making an 18/ 22 and 50 shot rack out of HDPE and wished I was 20 years younger or that Colin would order more tubes!!!(man they are heavy)
Nice looking stuff though, nice work and don't let the naysayers detract you from your mission.
Some people in here went on for days about mud on thier tubes!!