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Tube and Disc supplier wanted


Arthur

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I'm looking for a supplier of tubes and discs for a pyro project in the USA next year, Can anyone recommend themselves or another supplier please?

 

If you have a list, please send it by PM.

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Really depends on size, quantity, quality of tubes you are looking for.

There are a number of cardboard tube companies listed on google, some of these companies make tubes for pyro uses.

Depending on the application and the tooling you have, you can source readily available tubes at a reasonable price for certain pyro applications. A cardboard tube that is a one off size made specifically for one use can be expensive compared to a common made tube made for general applications for various industries. There are plenty of small size tubes available in the market by various manufacturers when you get into the larger sized tubes your selection and availability narrows.

 

On occasion I have found good deals on certain sized tubes and made my tooling fit the size of the tube.

Depending on the pyro items tools can be made of wood quickly and easily for various applications.

Aluminum, Brass and Stainless Steel tooling can be made to any size by a tool maker or yourself if you have a lathe & mill.

 

Several of the pyro tool makers will make any size end disc that you need. Wolter & Caleb offers this service

Edited by mikeee
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I really don't understand why anyone would bother buying end discs. Just buy an Alpax gasket cutter, they're cheap enough second hand on ebay, and you can knock them out yourself any size you like for a few cents.

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Wolter has a great selection of disks

PPI has disks and some tubes

I like Caleb for custom disks

Phil has tubes

Hobby horse has tubes

 

I have an allpax cutter, and I'd still rather buy standard stock sized disks. 120pt chipboard isn't available locally, and gluing up ramboard sucks . . . Of course ymmv

Edited by Carbon796
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I like Caleb's discs because I don't have to spend time cutting them! As I stated in another thread, you have to weigh the time available against what needs doing before you can build something. I have an Allpax and plenty of chipboard but I also have a drawer full of laser cut discs ready to go. While Caleb's laser was tooling away I was pressing stars and ramming spollettes.

Could I have done it cheaper myself? Sure.

Could I have had my shells done in the same amount of time? Nope.

A man has got to know his limitations and one of mine is free time.

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Most of us have some style of hydraulic press for the rockets, don't we? Just make a die, and press to cut all the discs you need?

I'm trying to have "flowers" style dies made so i can cut shell material for making the hemispheres. I failed completely in trying to make those my self. But the round ones are "easy".

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Dagabu was looking into some rule die cutters but I think he ran out of that free time I mentioned...

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Cutting dies are ideal for smaller sizes. For anything bigger than 4" (8x8 die) i`d go with a stack of circles compressed into a solid block with a pattern plate and cut the unwanted sections out with a bandsaw. A cheap scroll saw might be enough.

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Edited by Col
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Dagabu was looking into some rule die cutters but I think he ran out of that free time I mentioned...

 

Indeed! Eldest son got married this week, glad that is over!!

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Indeed! Eldest son got married this week, glad that is over!!

Did you have to pay for it? I've offered to pay for the ring AND the wedding if my son would hurry up and marry the mother of his soon to be two children but he's a stubborn do-it-yourself 30 year old kid. His beloved is the best gal I know and I don't want her to get away but she seems to agree with him on the DIY thing so I'm letting it rest.

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Funny story, my son wanted a traditional hand fasting Viking ceremony. I let them do this on their own terms without my meddling and assist where I was wanted. Worked like a charm! I love the axes, swords and shields, all were part of the ceremony.

 

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WTF is that Dave? Looks like a Bison that rear-ended a Badger at high speed!

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