Wood tube questions

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Volksdad

New User
Glen
I'm working on a case to carry the rod that my late brother gave to me just before he passed. It's a freshwater bait casting rod, about eight foot long that breaks into two sections. I'd like to make it out of wood covered with tooled leather.

Does anyone have nay experience with making wooden tubes, as for a telescope? I need a 2 1/2 inch ID x 28" long tube. I'd like to make it out of something light, like cedar. I was going to start experimenting with thin plywood formed around a PVC pipe.

Any suggestions? Does anyone know a local supplier for this type of thing?

I'm still working on my design, but I'd really like to work with a wood tube if possible.
 

Mark Gottesman

New User
Mark
I see on possible way to make it by spirally wrapping veneer around a removable core. You could wrap it in a spiral and use a long length of surgical tubing as a clamp. Basically plywood, but easier to handle in thinner layers. 2 1/2" is a pretty tight bend.

I'll be interested to see how this turns out.
 

Volksdad

New User
Glen
I see on possible way to make it by spirally wrapping veneer around a removable core. You could wrap it in a spiral and use a long length of surgical tubing as a clamp. Basically plywood, but easier to handle in thinner layers. 2 1/2" is a pretty tight bend.

I'll be interested to see how this turns out.

Mark I thought about the veneer, but I am worried about the strength of it. I would think that the finished material needs to be about 1/4" thick...minimum.
 

SubGuy

Administrator
Zach
How about using veneer and 2 part epoxy as in the type used on fiberglass. Use a cardboard tube wrapped in plastic and sprayed with mold release. You could even laminate the tube with fiberglass first and top with wood. Just a thought.
 

smallboat

smallboat
Corporate Member
I'd go with Chris G's suggestion and laminate veneers over a paper tube.
I'd spiral wrap and alternate the angle of the layers similar to cold molding in boats.
that dia will be challenging.
I'd use WEST or similar epoxy, no problem with strength.
If you want to pull the paper tube out and be left with a wood tube, you'll just need to use a plastic film as a "mold release"
Almost anything will do, just leave your paper tube long so you have a convenient way to fasten the release film to the form and go at it.
trim the ends nice on the band saw and slide the paper tube and film out.

biggest problem will be that diam. some woods may perform better than others.

The technique shown in the MlS link is similar to making a hollow spar for a sailboat.
I know one of our members has done that maybe he'll pipe up.
For spars this small they are usually solid or a hollow square so you'll have to interpret the technique for your round tube from a larger model.

you might consider going to the woodenboat forum and searching "hollow spar" and see what comes up.
 

Berta

Berta
Corporate Member
Just some wild thoughts...I have recently seen videos of people making wood mugs. They are made by ripping the slices at an angle to get the desired finished diameter. I am not a math expert. Sketch Up might help with that. You could also stack rings until you Get it as long as you need. Possibly pinning the rings with dowels.
 

Jeff

New User
Jeff
That's gonna be a fun exercise but knowledge helps. The joinery for adjacent staves is a bird's mouth cut on the router table and the tubes can be hexagonal, octagonal, or a 12 sided dodecahedron.

These bird's mouth bits from Lee Valley fit the bill. The exact requirements and measurements for a tube are described in detail in their attached PDF file below.

http://www.leevalley.com/en/wood/page.aspx?p=45160&cat=1,46168,46174

There appears to be a lot of suitable wood choices for rod holders. Of course, you could spring several $100 and just buy one of these. :eek: There are a lot of good pics within these sites.

http://sillwooddesign.com/cases.html

http://www.sweetgrassrods.com/index...od/accessories-gifts/category/5-fly-rod-cases
 

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  • Bird's mouth bits.pdf
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farmerbw

Brian
Corporate Member
Do you want it round or with angled sides? How about making it out of a series of segmented rings, ala Charlie or Earl, and either turning it round or leaving the edges on. Might be a lot of gluing though and you'd have to deal with glue squeeze out on the inside.......:icon_scra

B.
 

Jeff

New User
Jeff
This is an octagon which is 28" long and has an internal diameter of 2.5" per the OP. Each stave has a bird's mouth joint on one edge.

Rod_holder.jpg


The joints are slightly proud of each other but they can be planed/sanded so that the exterior approaches a circle.

Bird_s_mouth_joints:facets.jpg




Rod_holder_facets.jpg


Doing this in the shop is a different matter.
 

gator

George
Corporate Member
Could you take a piece of square stock the right length and wide enough to get the final diameter out of. Then using a large radius round-over bit in the router table bring it down to a round piece of the proper diameter. Then split it in half and using a large core bit on the router table hollow out the center then glue the two halves back together. This way you can make it as long as you need (one or two pieces) and make the walls as thick as you feel is enough to protect the rod. If you make the initial piece oval in crossection, you could make two hollows in it to hold both sections of the rod in one case.

George
 

KenOfCary

Ken
Staff member
Corporate Member
George's suggestion also works well on a lathe large enough to make a 28" solid pipe. Cut in half and hollow out on a router table. You could even add some decorative coves and other features then.

Might even want to hollow it and glue it back together before turning it.
 

chris_goris

Chris
Senior User
How about a completely different approach? Did you consider taking a 6/4 (or so) x 2 (again roughly) x required length and splitting it down the middle, so that it opens like a book and routing out channels for the rod to sit in?. Hinging the "book" along its length. You could line the grooves with felt to protect the rod as well. Just a thought.
 

Volksdad

New User
Glen
How about using veneer and 2 part epoxy as in the type used on fiberglass. Use a cardboard tube wrapped in plastic and sprayed with mold release. You could even laminate the tube with fiberglass first and top with wood. Just a thought.

I believe this would work, but I cannot work with that stuff in or near the house yet (SWMBO is fervently anti chemical smell). It would indeed be plenty strong as well.... I could even use wood strips like a canoe if I went this route. That would be pretty.
 

Volksdad

New User
Glen
Could you take a piece of square stock the right length and wide enough to get the final diameter out of. Then using a large radius round-over bit in the router table bring it down to a round piece of the proper diameter. Then split it in half and using a large core bit on the router table hollow out the center then glue the two halves back together. This way you can make it as long as you need (one or two pieces) and make the walls as thick as you feel is enough to protect the rod. If you make the initial piece oval in crossection, you could make two hollows in it to hold both sections of the rod in one case.

George
Thanks George, I DO have the tools for this, but if I understand correctly, I would have short grain on part of the curve. I'm worried about strength there. Still it's an idea. I'd like to try it just to see how it comes out.
 
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