Author Topic: cardboard tube powder storage containers (Read 4881 times)

Rickk · « **on:** August 18, 2006, 03:38:42 PM »

Lotsa the safety rules say that aluminum foil powder charges are best stored in telescopic cardboard tubes in the ammo chest. Occational pictures of them iin use make them appear to be surplus grenade or other ordinance storage tubes.

I am personally looking for some 2.25 to 2.5 inches ID by 4.5-6 inches long inside.

I have found some 2.5 inch diameter tubes about 12 or inches longer that take the plastic end caps. I guess I could start cutting those in half and settle with them, but the telescopic kind are heavier duty and the ends don't simply fall off.

Has anyone actually found a really good source of useful for cannon sized telescopic cardboard tubes?

claypipe · « **Reply #1 on:** August 18, 2006, 05:17:32 PM »

Here try this:

http://www.paper-tubes.net/?source=google&gclid=CIKp4ODk6oYCFT9mGgodAwTJAA

cp

Rickk · « **Reply #2 on:** August 19, 2006, 02:31:44 AM »

been there Claypipe... e-mailed them all... little luck so far.

Some resonded with things like, "we don't make those, "minimum order 1000", and also got lots of no responses (probably only deal with large volume).

If rules require them and people are using them, someone has to be making them. Again, they look military surplus.

I saw 3 WWII grenade tubes for sale on e-bay. They looked about right, but 3 ain't gunna do me and even they were a bit pricey.

Artilleryman · « **Reply #3 on:** August 19, 2006, 06:00:59 AM »

Do you have to have paper or cardboard?

Double D · « **Reply #4 on:** August 19, 2006, 07:05:58 AM »

Okay, Norm what do you use?

Artilleryman · « **Reply #5 on:** August 19, 2006, 08:18:34 AM »

For N-SSA loads (10pdr Parrott, 6.5 oz charge) I use the plastic containers that store bought icing comes in. They have nice tight lids and keep the charges safe from moisture. For full service charges I use cardboard tubes with plastic lids that were used to hold tool bits. For my 12 pdr I had to make my own tubes and lids out of cardboard.

Rickk · « **Reply #6 on:** August 19, 2006, 02:55:57 PM »

OK... I was hoping someone had the web site addy for the "cannon charge cardboard telescoping tube online store", and I guess one doesn't exist. I sorta figured as much after looking online for three weeks, but had to ask before I delved into my "Plan B".

I'll let ya know in a coupla weeks if my "Plan B" works. If it doesn't work, I'll shamefully hide the results in a dark corner of my toolshed.

Rick.

Cat Whisperer · « **Reply #7 on:** August 19, 2006, 03:12:04 PM »

Doing a search for such a SPECIFIC application, as you've found, probably won't be successful.

So, are you looking for both being able to have secure lids and specific ID and height; or would a particular diameter with open ends be OK?

I'd consider finding a stock flavor of tubing of the right size (copper, pvc, cardboard) that is commonly available and figure how to put the ends on.

There are plastic tubing and ends of a range of sizes commonly listed in catalogs that cater to shipping departments.

Rickk · « **Reply #8 on:** August 19, 2006, 03:25:05 PM »

Metal storage tubes are definitely scarely, and PVC is a close scarey second. They both resemble pipe bombs. While the explosion of large amounts of BP in itself is ... ummm... "really bad ?" if the unthinkable happened, cardboard shrapnel is less scarey sounding than metal or PVC.

I saw a couple of Anti-Tank Missiles fired a few weeks ago and even they showed up at the test range in wooden crates rather than metal or plastic boxes. I think the shrapnel issue is one of the reasons why cardboard and wood is prefered for explosives storage.

I found some cardboard tubes that I think are close to the right size and thickness to make telescopic tubes. To make telescoping tubes requires getting sizes that are not all that common, but I think I found some on one of the pyrotechnics sites. I found end caps there as well.

I will have to cut some of the cardboard to length... that may be the tricky part. I'll try a fine bade on my compound miter saw and see how much of a mess it makes.

Double D · « **Reply #9 on:** August 19, 2006, 05:30:36 PM »

http://www.poly-cons.com/

Double D · « **Reply #10 on:** August 19, 2006, 05:40:20 PM »

http://www.brownells.com/aspx/NS/store/ProductDetail.aspx?p=574&title=CELLUPLASTIC+TUBES

Rickk · « **Reply #11 on:** August 20, 2006, 02:49:04 AM »

The poly-cons are a bit small for what I am looking for right now, but they do look like something that a golf ball or mini-cannon shooter would use.

Cpt Ed · « **Reply #12 on:** August 21, 2006, 08:57:52 AM »

Rickk;

This is the container I have been using for a couple of years now. The dimensions outside are 3” diameter and 4 3/8” high. Inside it is 2 5/8” dia by 3 ¾” high.

On the top is states that it is a Container M415A1 and on the side 1-Grenade Hand Frag. Delay M67 w/Fuse M213.

I found and purchased these on eBay several years ago. They are a nice size for my applications.

Rickk · « **Reply #13 on:** August 21, 2006, 02:44:29 PM »

Yup... that's what I have seen being used. I say 3 on e-bay for $10 each... I wan to buy about 3-4 dozen and pay $2 or less. Probably ain't gunna happen.

The materials for "plan B" should arrive by Friday... a home made version.

Rickk · « **Reply #14 on:** August 27, 2006, 04:18:35 AM »

Here is "Plan B", from beginning to end:

The raw material... somewhat tight fitting cardboard tubes - check the pyrotechnics vendors for tubes that you might be able to use.

Cut them. Power saw worked nicely, just go slow. You can cut both the inner and outer at the same time if your particular needed sizes are the same as mine were. I was starting with a couple of 3 inch pieces and needed a couple of 2's and a couple of 1's

After cutting, this is what I had

They didn't fit as tightly as I wanted, so I glued a layer of drywall tape in the inner cardboard where the slip-fit joint would occur.

End plugs sized to fit the inner piece of cardboard (from same pyro dealer as the cardboard tubes). Also some colored cardboard to cover teh ends. The orange is a "color code" for a blank charge, and it gets glued on so that it is visable on the cover.

Goop some glue on the end...

And stick it to the colored paper. This is the "bottom half" so the colored side of the paper is not going to show when it is finished.

Glue an end-disk into the bottom of the can-half. Use lots of glue here.

The bottom half got a long inner and a short outer piece of cardboard tubing. Repeat the process to make teh top half with a short inner and a long outer

The I put the color coded side face down and spraypainted it with flat black spraypaint

In goes a charge

And on goes the cover

The first one was a bit tricky, but they are getting easier. It only takes about 5 minutes apiece in batches of 4 once you get the hang of it.

CU_Cannon · « **Reply #15 on:** August 29, 2006, 03:41:09 PM »

Thanks for the pictures. They look fairly straight forward. What is the approximate cost for each?

I’ll have to make a couple at some point. I was planning on making some metal ones. I hadn’t thought of the shrapnel if a charge went off.

Rickk · « **Reply #16 on:** August 29, 2006, 05:16:33 PM »

Cost (including shipping) for enough stuff to make 50 from www.skylighter.com was about $75 bucks. Add a few bucks for elmers glue, paint, drywall tape, poster paper for the ends and I am probably up to about $100 / 50 (2 bucks apiece).

The internal dimensions are 2 1/4 diameter by about 2.8 long.

Specific Skylighter p/n's that I ordered are :

TU2220 General purpose casing $12.59 / 50
TU2233 3 inch star shell $29.28 / 50
DK2201 2-1/4 inch inch End Disks $16.19 / 100

They do have other size tubes, and they arn't the only supplier... www.pyrocreations.com has various tubes as well.

With the same size tubes tubes I was able to make one that is twice as long, if longer is needed. Technique available upon request.

I wound up making a guide for my compound miter saw (a piece of 2x8 under the clamp the saw has on it) so that I don't have to measure the tubes, and it hleps steady them for the cut... knocks a few seconds off the production time.

brass cannon · « **Reply #17 on:** September 28, 2006, 10:13:02 AM »

You might consider making your own. Wrap an appropriate form with wax paper to be able to remove your tube. Leave enough wax paper sticking out beyond the form to make a handle to pull with. Paint a long strip of wall paper with either wallpaper glue or use prepasted wall paper and wet as per directions. An old roll of pasted wallpaper should be easy to find. Roll it around your form until you like the thickness and tape it to hold it together. Remove from form and let it dry for several days. Paint it with shellac or something similar to seal it then with a coat of black paint or other appropriate color.

Double D · « **Reply #18 on:** May 26, 2010, 06:37:08 PM »

I am bringing this back to the top to see if any body has any new ideas.

KABAR2 · « **Reply #19 on:** May 26, 2010, 07:01:29 PM »

I've been buying a generic diet drink mix at wally world that is in pre measured containers in a plastic tube with a cap,
I have been saving them for storing powder charges I probably have about 20 of them so far...... I'll photograph one
tomorrow with measurements.

Allen <><

RocklockI · « **Reply #20 on:** May 26, 2010, 07:15:00 PM »

how about shipping tubes with the snap on tops ...maybe with the fixed end glued to the tube .

subdjoe · « **Reply #21 on:** May 26, 2010, 07:15:27 PM »

Check here: http://www.packagingprice.com/forms/sub_category.cfm?CategoryID=1008

Heavy duty mailing tubes:    P3024KHD     3" x 24" (kraft - with caps)     24/Case    $26.64 / Case      OS1
     Item ships from: IL
   P3030KHD    3" x 30" (kraft - with caps)    24/Case    $30.48 / Case    OS1
     Item ships from: IL
   P3036KHD    3" x 36" (kraft - with caps)    24/Case    $31.92 / Case    OS2
     Item ships from: IL
   P3042KHD    3" x 42" (kraft - with caps)    24/Case    $34.56 / Case    OS2
     Item ships from: IL
   P3056KHD    3" x 56" (kraft - with caps)    24/Case    $49.44 / Case    Truck
     Item ships from: IL

need the caps too:    MTCAP3     3" White Plastic End Caps     100/Case    $18.00 / Case
     Item ships from: IL
   MTCAP4    4" White Plastic End Caps    100/Case    $26.00 / Case
     Item ships from: IL
   MTCAP5    5" White Plastic End Caps    100/Case    $58.00 / Case
     Item ships from: IL
   MTCAP6    6" White Plastic End Caps    100/Case    $75.00 / Case
     Item ships from: IL

dominick · « **Reply #22 on:** May 27, 2010, 02:55:17 AM »

Rick, Here's a link to uline. http://catalog.uline.com/WebProject.asp?CodeId=7.3.1.1&BookCode=udg10flx Go to page 75, 76 & 77. They come with plastic end caps. Also cutting with a fine tooth metal bandsaw blade works well too. Dom

smokemjoe · « **Reply #23 on:** May 27, 2010, 02:22:27 PM »

Thanks for the tip on the mailing tubes, I been buying them from copy works, 3 in by 36 from about $2.25 to ship repor cleaning rods for the 41 swiss that I make. They have smaller sizes also if you want to check them out. Thanks