Re: ATM Sonotube is good for making cement columns...

[Brad Davy <bdavy@bigdog.fred.net>]

At 08:06 AM 7/15/97 -0400, you wrote:
>Why is everyone looking for Sonotube?  It is cheap (but often it looks
>cheap)... it is heavy.... it is often covered in wax... it is paper and
>absorbs holds moisture... the spyder may collapse the tube without
>reinforcing, etc.  
>10"                    $16
Primarily because of cost.  for the 6 foot tube , Sonotube cost $10,
whereas the Apogee tube would have been $96.  Thats two Sirius Plossl
Eyepieces.  The Sonotube was quite stiff, and when cleaned with Steel Wool
and painted with Testors Flat Black Model Paint (two cans $3 each), works
extremely well.  I don't plan on standing on my Telescope.  I'd personally
rather spend money on quality optics and build a tube that's "good enough".
 My primary disagreement with the QuikTube was that it only came in 48 inch
lengths.
Brad
bdavy@fred.net               http://www.fred.net/bdavy/home.html
bdavy@nox.cs.du.edu