xJaayy Posted January 28, 2017 Share Posted January 28, 2017 For the past 5 years, on one hand I had a supplier that would make me professional plugs for both these tube sizes.. & on the other hand a friend works at a local business that sells HDPE tubes of the required size for 2" & 3" display shells. As you can already know what's going on and put one and one together.. yes I would acquire the products from both persons and assemble my own mortar tubes on my racks. This past year I hit a bump on the road. Now to make it easier to understand on my next few sentences... I will put this information in parenthesis and hope you understand.. (Friends' (1) FRIEND (2) Friend (3) There's 3 people being mentioned) ... My plug supplier which was just a Friends' 1 FRIEND 2 Friend 3 disappeared during the fall. The phone number to which I would contact him no longer works. On top of that, that person did not have a website or shop. Now I do not speak to my Friends' 1 FRIEND 2, nor my Friends' 1 FRIEND 2 Friend 3 and my Friend 1 does not talk to his FRIEND 2 which would have been my Friends'1 FRIEND 2 Friend 3.A little confusing isn't it? Anyways, you should now understand that I do not have access to get the plugs anymore for the tubes that I can easily get. Some, if not most of you would be quick to say to just buy the tubes plugged already OR buy the plugs online.. Well that would be great if only the cost would be a few cents close to my cost at the very least. But the point is I have access to the tubes and the know how to built the tubes and racks. I would love to save as much money possible because I am in desperate need to replace 500 2" tubes and about 360 of the 3" tubes. Yes, that's a lot of tubes. I have done and do display shows for my surrounding area for the past 5 years. Majority of the shows are small, some are decent, few are somewhat big. I'm licensed and all, I'm sure you would have guessed that too, lol. 80% of the current racks and tubes I have now have been overused to the point that some now have become damaged over the past 5 years, that being the racks and tubes. I obviously do not want to keep using old tubes & racks for safety concerns. Yes I have replaced the rest of the 20% if they get damaged or overused but now I cannot replace. I started to built the racks I required during the end of summer into late December when ever I had the chance. Racks are done. Some tubes are salvageable but I prefer to update from my current tubes.~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~LONG STORY SHORT TO THE POINT: I reside in the state of Illinois. Let's just say I live in Chicago. I am in need of plugs for 2" & 3" HDPE Mortars. I need 550 2" Plugs and 380 3" plugs. I prefer not to buy plugs online unless LOCAL. I am willing to travel to pick up plugs if near or in a 80 miles radius of Chicago. If you're from Illinois, southern Wisconsin, northern Indiana or south west Michigan please feel free to reply as well. If you know ANYONE, YOURSELF, or any retailer/wholesaler that can makes these plugs local please let me know. Even better, if you have information on how to make them I would love to learn. This would help out a ton. Thanks~ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chuckufarley Posted January 28, 2017 Share Posted January 28, 2017 (edited) Do you have a drill press? You could remove the drill bit from the center of a hole saw, clamp the wood down to the table and cut out and appropriate size plug. I'm not sure how thick of a plug you need for that size motor, but you might be able to glue together two plugs cut out of a 2x4 if you need the addition thickness. Finding a hole saw the proper size might be difficult depending on the exact Id of your tubes. The other option if you have a lathe, is to turn a longer piece of wood to the desired diameter, then cut it to length using a chop saw/miter box. In my opinion this would be the better option. Using a 4x4, you would have the core of the log, and the grain would be running parallel to the length of the tube, instead of perpendicular to it. Edited January 28, 2017 by chuckufarley 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mumbles Posted January 28, 2017 Share Posted January 28, 2017 It'd be outside your 80mi radius but have you considered Midwest Wood Specialties? They're in Cuba City, WI and are a good supplier of wooden mortar plugs. I have no clue what shipping is like, but they're within a day trip if shipping is excessive. I go up sorta to the region occasionally. Let me know if you're legitimately in Chicago and I might be able to help you out. I live in Chicago, and could maybe swing by and pick them up for you when I go back could maybe bring them back to the area. http://www.midwestwoodspecialties.com/ 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xJaayy Posted January 29, 2017 Author Share Posted January 29, 2017 It'd be outside your 80mi radius but have you considered Midwest Wood Specialties? They're in Cuba City, WI and are a good supplier of wooden mortar plugs. I have no clue what shipping is like, but they're within a day trip if shipping is excessive. I go up sorta to the region occasionally. Let me know if you're legitimately in Chicago and I might be able to help you out. I live in Chicago, and could maybe swing by and pick them up for you when I go back could maybe bring them back to the area. http://www.midwestwoodspecialties.com/ Mumbles that actually helps out a lot. It is over my specified distance of travel but I can probably find a way to visit the location to pick up later on if shipping is expensive. How often do you visit the location? I'm curious. Where do you get your HDPE at if you're from the Chicagoland area? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mumbles Posted January 29, 2017 Share Posted January 29, 2017 I live in Chicago currently, but am originally from Southern WI. I go back and visit occasionally to visit friends and family. Most of my mortars have come from Kastner's, which is fairly close to Midwest Wood Specialities and are based out of Livingston, WI but shipping has been very reasonable due to my proximity. They apparently have a showroom in Madison now, which is much closer to me. There's another supplier in a similar area called Platte River Fireworks out of Dickeyville, WI. I've heard good things, but have never dealt with them personally. Midwest Wood Specialties is a little out of the way but if you'd throw a little extra to cover gas my way, the scale you're looking for might beat out shipping costs if you don't want to head up yourself. I'm not sure when I'll be back that way at the moment though. Outside of Kastner's the rest of my commercial HDPE mortars have come from R&T Pyrotechnic supplies. I'm not entirely sure they're still in business anymore to be totally honest, but they were out of Bollingbrook, IL. I picked them all up at Wisconsin Pyrotechnic Arts Guild shoots. They're not listed on the WPAG newsletter as commercial members anymore, but I included their contact info. It might be worth giving them a call or sending an e-mail. R&T Pyrotechnic SuppliesMortar Guns and Racks -Rick and Teri Wasicki112 Davis Court - Bolingbrook IL 60440630-854-6483displaypyro@yahoo.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arthur Posted January 29, 2017 Share Posted January 29, 2017 My way of plugging tubes is to drill three holes to push nails through the wall then pour polyester resin (50;50 with warm dry sand) into the tube. for a 3" tube gaffer tape is enough to seal the bottom. it's an alternative to wood plugs if permitted by your law and codes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Livingston Posted February 9, 2017 Share Posted February 9, 2017 Check out my buddy!! Russ http://www.platteriverfireworks.comSuper cool guy and loves taking about Pyro!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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