Scrapmaster87
Well-Known Member
So the back story:. I got myself a 40 some inch long 4" alumnium pipe to use as a mandrel for my next (now two) projects. I polished it up, gave it a wrap of parchment paper, sealed the seam with grease, and proceeded to make a 20" trial tube.
Rolling the 3 layers of 7781 eglass was trouble free, as was the follow-up coat of epoxy to smooth it out. At first the tube rotated freely a few degrees and moved lengthwise a few inches. Unfortunately my 2x4 and rachet strap technique only yielded a few inches.
To salvage the operation I picked up some dry ice and reversed the straps. The game plan was to get the tube un-stuck so I could polish the mandrel to allow the tube to pass. Sadly I could only reverse the tube a 1/2"
My next thought is to use my pressure washer to "float" the tube off via a hole I've drilled in it. I'm starting to think this is more trouble than it's worth and that the tube should be split to be used for couplers. Does anyone have a better idea to salvage the situation?
Once this little saga is over, what should I do next? I need a 4.5" ID tube for my projects (and I'm painfully cheap). Should I resort to a PVC or ABS pipe as a replacement mandrel, or is there someone here willing to turn this pipe true for me?
Rolling the 3 layers of 7781 eglass was trouble free, as was the follow-up coat of epoxy to smooth it out. At first the tube rotated freely a few degrees and moved lengthwise a few inches. Unfortunately my 2x4 and rachet strap technique only yielded a few inches.
To salvage the operation I picked up some dry ice and reversed the straps. The game plan was to get the tube un-stuck so I could polish the mandrel to allow the tube to pass. Sadly I could only reverse the tube a 1/2"
My next thought is to use my pressure washer to "float" the tube off via a hole I've drilled in it. I'm starting to think this is more trouble than it's worth and that the tube should be split to be used for couplers. Does anyone have a better idea to salvage the situation?
Once this little saga is over, what should I do next? I need a 4.5" ID tube for my projects (and I'm painfully cheap). Should I resort to a PVC or ABS pipe as a replacement mandrel, or is there someone here willing to turn this pipe true for me?