CharlesHouse
Active Member
I have seen concrete tubes that go up to about 12", but I am looking for something closer to 36" and 2-4 ft long. This obviously can't be shipped, and I can't find any local suppliers. Any ideas?
I need a massive tube, any ideas?
- Thread starter CharlesHouse
- Start date
Kubla Kraus
Active Member
whats the diameter of a 55 gallon drum? maybe 24"?
could you cut two of them up one side and weld them together?
could you cut two of them up one side and weld them together?
Sounds like you need a sewer concrete pipe. They come in a range of diameters and lengths. I am sure your local plumber/water treatment plant can hook you up with a supplier. No idea how expensive they are though, but you may be able to buy a pre owned one in a reclaimers yard.
CharlesHouse
Active Member
I should clarify, it is for a prop that would be carried. A drum would be around the right size, but way too heavy, and a concrete pipe, the same, however, those are formed with large hollow cardboard tubes called concrete forms, which would work well as they are quite light. The trick is finding one, as Lowes only has them up to about 12".
CharlesHouse
Active Member
I've never done pepakura. It would likely work, I would just be afraid to screw up the shape or have it be less than sturdy.
MrSouthpaw
Sr Member
Go get some EVA foam floormats. Use a heat gun to make them curve, then glue to pieces together. Make a tube whatever size you want.
CharlesHouse
Active Member
Wouldn't it bend and flex when lifted or used?
Dracosfire83
Well-Known Member
Take 3 or 4 hula hoops and drill holes in them for fiberglass driveway markers making a sturdy but lightweight frame, Then take that frame and wrap it with fleece and brush on fiberglass resin making the whole unit rigid when it dries.
Rough example of the frame.
Rough example of the frame.
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MrSouthpaw
Sr Member
If you just make a raw tube and do nothing else, probably. But there are ways to reinforce, like cardboard backing or ribs or something.
Really though, the more details of your project you can share the better people here can respond.
We don't even know if there's a weight limit or requirement to what you're making. If it's to be carried it would probably need to be lightweight for example. More details the better.
CharlesHouse
Active Member
I am not a huge fan of giving away the character, because I have never seen someone make a prop this large for the character, but it's a hammer, so as I said prior, yes, carried.
division 6
Master Member
Get a 4'x8' sheet of thin polycab and roll it to the size you need.
What you don't use for the tube you can use for the endcaps.
I used to have a sheet that size I got at OSH that I used for covering paper gaming maps.
What you don't use for the tube you can use for the endcaps.
I used to have a sheet that size I got at OSH that I used for covering paper gaming maps.
8 perf
Sr Member
ttdriver hit the nail on the head. Sonotube is your answer.
http://www.sonotube.com/products/sonotubeconcreteforms/round/sizechart.aspx
You can ship anything, ya just got to figure out how and how much you want to spend.
http://www.sonotube.com/products/sonotubeconcreteforms/round/sizechart.aspx
You can ship anything, ya just got to figure out how and how much you want to spend.
CharlesHouse
Active Member
Sonotube is what I was asking about in the first place, but no retailer locally seems to have them, and no one ships something 36"x5' or more.
RogueTrooper
Well-Known Member
36" x 5' is around 90cm x 1.5m and it's a tube shape that will be carried??...............that's a HUGE thing to be carrying around. We have sonotube at work and at that size, the weight will kill it. I like the hula hoop idea as a base, nice and light to build from, but you're going to have to keep the weight down, so I'd go with .5mm styrene sheet as a cover.
CharlesHouse
Active Member
I guess I'll say it simply then: I'm not paying to have something that large shipped. A few feet of cardboard isn't worth that.
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Wouldn't 36"x5' of cardboard be less heavy than 36"x5' of plastic, fiberglass, and resin? I like that idea, but it seems equally if not more difficult to carry. Strene would make putting a stable handle through it difficult, as there would be no stability. The 12"x6' of Quiktube I lifted weighed about the same as a cardboard box.
EDIT: Sonotube is 10lb per foot of height at 36" diameter. So it is much heavier then Quiktube.
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CharlesHouse
Active Member
That's a bit smaller than the 12" Quiktube. I would need closer to 900mm.
