Tis the season!

[Lugnut]

Wife was wrapping Christmas presents the other day, and threw out the empty roll once she pulled all the paper off of it. I pulled it out of the trash and thought "Rocket!"

Its about 24"- 30" long, very sturdy and my caliper says its a little over 1.5" outside diameter which I think is the rather rare BT-58(?) used primarily for one of the old Saturn kits. I'm thinking maybe a balsa NC-60 sanded down to fit, or maybe a simple cardboard cone(?) never tried to cut one out so that might be interesting (hand make a shoulder I guess).

Big spiral gaps on this thing so I might fill and sand, and then paper coat the whole thing. Probably a minimum C rocket, but probably a better D engine bird. Hmmm.

Anyone ever do these before?

 

[scottrc]

I work with a lot of blueprints, and many times they come rolled up in 36"x2 1/4"x3/32 tubes. Needless to say, guys in the office are begining to ask why have have amassed 30 or so of these in the corner of my office. I just grin and give a wicked little laugh in reply.

My wifes a teacher so she snabs the wraping paper tubes for her class before I get a chance at them.

 

[hokkyokusei]

It doesn't say "Tube Collector" under my name for nothing.

I'm a big fan of reusing found tubes, but when I do, I don't tend to obsess too much over the finish. I find a coat of finishing epoxy goes a long way to making something half presentable..

 

[cls]

why use finishing epoxy, why not use some of the wrapping paper the tube came with?

 

[hokkyokusei]

Well, if there's any left...

 

[LtSharpe]

To fill in gaps just use a brush on paint instead of spraypaint. I use brush on craft paint almost exclusively and after about 2 coats, sometimes three the gaps disappear and I have a nice solid finish. This may take some experimentation because some craft paints don't go on the same as others.

 

[Lugnut]

These things are G A P S, not creases, I think Fill and Sand is the only away to go.

 

[LtSharpe]

Nope any thick craft paint will fill it right up. I gave up on spray paint, I could spray and spray and never get anywhere. Now I granted have not tried to paint a piece of wrapping paper tube but I know it covers my estes tube spirals just fine. Plus if you get the right stuff (apple barrel colors brand etc) it dries in an hour or two and you can put on the next coat. Some of it dries in 15 minutes or so. I hate sanding on anything, don't like the sound.

 

[jflis]

Here's a picture of my old "Junk" made from a Christmas wrap tube. Card stock fins and rolled, cardstock nose cone I even rolled the launch lug and motor tube!

https://jflis.com/hobbies/rocketry/photos/junk01.jpg

jim

 

[rstaff3]

This brings back memories. I haven't used a wrapping paper tube for years, although I have one big one stashed. When I got back into rockets, my son enjoyed playing with the rolls, swordplay and the like. Now my dog loves to shred them

 

[jflis]

Here's a tip folks, for those spare wrap rolls that don't make it into rockets...

Cut a 1" notch in each end. When you take the lights off the tree this year, tuck the plug end into one end of the tube with the wire in the slot. Roll the entire string around the tube, ending at the other end, then tuck in the socket.

Next year when you take them out, you can test them *on* the roll, replace any bad bulbs then hang them without tangling



Been doing this for 20 years now

 

[SwingWing]

Originally posted by jflis

Cut a 1" notch in each end. When you take the lights off the tree this year, tuck the plug end into one end of the tube with the wire in the slot. Roll the entire string around the tube, ending at the other end, then tuck in the socket.

Won't this add a lot of drag to your rocket?? Whaddya mean the ones that DONT make it into rockets???