Sono tube diameters! - Northern Colorado Rocketry

This topic has 11 replies, 7 voices, and was last updated 13 years, 7 months ago by Art Hoag.

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January 21, 2012 at 2:17 pm #41448
BEAR
Most of the time when we think of Sono tubes, I believe we are just thinking of the ones we see at Lowes, Home Depot, etc. I also know that such stores only sell what is most popular and rotates the fastest. That said, I went to the manufacturers website and found out the tubes are made in mainly increasing sizes of 2″, until you get to 36″ diameter, and then it goes by 4″, and then 6″ up to 60″ in diameter in 5 and 6 foot lengths. WOW!!! What an upscale you could have with this. Imagine Der Red Max with a 5′ diameter tube. It could take an “O”. (Where do I get a nose cone that size? How do I lift? Can you imagine trying to glass it? What do I use for fins, 2 X 12s? LOL 😆
January 24, 2012 at 3:55 am #55616
edward
Moderator
Newark Tubes in Denver makes some very large tubes. There are definitely better brands out there than Sono that keep better tolerances. Or almost as cheap you can go to Yazoo Mills and they’ll make them to order.

Edward
January 24, 2012 at 5:13 am #55617
Ed Dawson
Sonotube in 6’6″ diameter….Sounds like we have a plan for the full scale Mercury.

Art, you still want to ride on top?
February 3, 2012 at 2:51 pm #55618
smashburn
Newark Tubes in Denver makes some very large tubes. There are definitely better brands out there than Sono that keep better tolerances. Or almost as cheap you can go to Yazoo Mills and they’ll make them to order.

Edward

Newark does not sell to the public, do you know if they have a distributor here in the area? I’d like to see some pricing. I doubt they can compete w/ the sona tube price .. and these days especially price matters.

Thanks!
February 3, 2012 at 3:54 pm #55619
Tim Thomas
8) Guys, I have a pard, Greg Kuta, that owens a rebar and concrete specialties company. He deals in sona tubes. What size and how many feet? I can get them dirt cheap or free. Greg and his kids fly estes rockets. His shop formans daughter just won her science fair with a rocket project. I have given them piles of rockets and motors over the years. (Always good to pay it forward) He (Greg) has trucks going to Denver often, should be easy to hook up. Tim
February 3, 2012 at 4:43 pm #55620
smashburn
8) Guys, I have a pard, Greg Kuta, that owens a rebar and concrete specialties company. He deals in sona tubes. What size and how many feet? I can get them dirt cheap or free. Greg and his kids fly estes rockets. His shop formans daughter just won her science fair with a rocket project. I have given them piles of rockets and motors over the years. (Always good to pay it forward) He (Greg) has trucks going to Denver often, should be easy to hook up. Tim

Thanks Tim .. we can get up to 12″ sona tubes here and they’re quite cheap, can you see how big a tube he can get? 16″, 20″, etc…

What I was looking for was a more ‘finished’ tube, not sona. My friend in NC, Ken Allen, has 16″ heavy cardboard tubes in 5′ lengths for $60 .. a pretty good deal. However, shipping them here is more expensive than the tube. That’s why I was hoping to get access to Newark as they carry both sona and better finished tubes.

Steve
p.s. still wanting to get that Excaliber kit one of these days. I’ll be doing the Upscale on that after the Proton is done.
February 3, 2012 at 5:59 pm #55621
Tim Thomas
I will stop by today and see what he has or can get. I have used them in 60″. More later… Tim
February 12, 2012 at 5:54 pm #55622
smashburn
I will stop by today and see what he has or can get. I have used them in 60″. More later… Tim

Hey Tim! I’m starting to look at/plan the next big project and will need some 16″ or maybe 20″ tube .. just one 4′ pc. I’d also like a few 6′-8′ sections of 6″, 7″ or 8″. Can you see if such things are available and how much?

I’m looking at building a huge upscale of the PML Little Lunar Express.

Thanks!
February 12, 2012 at 8:27 pm #55623
Tim Thomas
8) You DOG! I will check it out Monday. Should be able to get the 6″ – 8″ for free, I will check on the 20″ Tim
February 13, 2012 at 11:47 pm #55624
MLionberger
Participant
If Tim’s source doesn’t work out, Rio Grande Supply in Denver carries the Newark tubes.

These tubes are not always perfectly round or concentric, so I suggest that you draw your specified diameter on a piece of cardboard. The tubes are kept vertical in racks, and they will let you sort through them to get the most round tube. Place the cardboard template on the floor, then stand the tubes up on the template and buy the one (or more) that matches your template best.
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