Need BT 2.14!

[Terrier]

I have been ordering from Red Arrow Hobbies for a long time now and then the outages got me just when I needed them the most. I recently ordered a gob of BT's from them and found out that the BT that I needed for my Terrier project is out for weeks. Gads, what am I suppose to do? I though about going to another tube, but the drawings done , the boosters done and the nose cone is done. I can't change tube manufactuer now! So I thought to myself. I said, "Self, How about TRF?" So here I am looking for some possibilities to my major problem. Does any body have a Red Arrow Hobbies, #RAHBT21, lying around that they would be willing to send me for a price? I don't think that I can wait any longer or I'll pee my pants. Up here in the NW we have an awesome Indian summer going and I could've got the Terrier in the air in 2 weeks for Boiler Plate flight and test. Now I have to wait a couple of weeks(?) to order. Can't do it!

Terrier

 

[wwattles]

An option if you can't find a supplier is to roll yer own. (Believe it or not, that's how The Launch Pad has you make tubes for their Plan Pack rockets.) You make them out of thick posterboard. Find your desired OD, multipy by pi, add 0.5", and cut out as a rectangle. Why the extra 0.5"? You cut that off, glue half of it on the inside of one side of the seam, and when you curl the tube, glue the other half of the 0.5" strip to the other half of the seam. Add filler to smooth out the seam, and off you go.

Not the easiest technique in the world, but certainly faster than waiting for shipping, and quite possibly easier than finding an odd-sized tube that was already made for you.

WW

 

[jflis]

Another "roll your own" type of approach is to locate a body tube with a close but larger diameter. You then remove a slice and butt-end glue the tube back to the diameter that you want. You can used the slice that you removed to glue to the inside of the tube, across the seam, for strength.

I've done this many times to great success for those odd diameters needed for scale models.

jim

 

[johnnwwa]

Terrier
you might give

ALL Hobbies a call 253 841-0089 M-Sat 10-7 Sun 12-5

Located in Puyallup.

BAR 1974
John

 

[Terrier]

Thanks everybody for your replies, but I really think that I really don't want to roll my own. I'm a chicken! I'm shootin' for a 'E' powered upper stage so I don't want it too heavy like the LOC and Aerotech tubes. It has to carry a timer for an air start so I'm limited to weight. I guess that I'll have to wait it out and order down the road. On the bright side I now have tubes to finish my Mars Lander clone. I guess there's a reason for all this.

 

[Fore Check]

Balsa Machining has that tube in stock and ready to ship (in 34" lengths.) I've used several of them (including on my current project that is nearing completion.) Trust me - after painting, you won't know the difference in tube manufacturers in the finished product.

 

[rocketsonly]

I have a few RAH 2.14 tubes, but like Fore Check said, tube manufacturers shouldn't matter. PM if you're interested.