Re: [ATM] We got a bunch of those tubes from Warshow & Co

[Chris Rowland <chris_group_mail@dsl.pipex.com>]

Guy Brandenburg wrote:
> Wait a second. Are you trying to tell me that nowhere in the UK, nor
> even in the EU, are there any construction projects involve casting
> concrete foundations or columns? I find that exceedingly difficult to
> believe. Why would the US be the only place where architects, masons,
> and concrete workers use cardboard tubes to cast nice, cylindrical
> columns to support buildings? Believe me, these things were not
> invented for the telescope-making hobby! I suppose I could mail you
> one, but my guess is that postage costs on each one, from the US to
> the UK, would be between $80 and $150 each - which is prohibitive, I
> think. My suggestion is to look harder. If indeed they don't exist in
> the UK, then make square or hexagonal cross-section tubes out of thin
> plywood.

They are available in the UK but not from the construction industry. For
some reason concrete is never done in circular columns but rectangular,
made with lots of wood.

Try http://www.essextubes.co.uk or http://www.crayford-tubes.co.uk/ or
Google for "cardboard tube uk".

A friend of mine got one to make a telescope pier, IIRC it wasn't cheap.

I made a square telescope tube from 2mm MDF with wood in the corners and
ply reinforcing on the lower section. A bit heavy and known at the local
Astro society as the coffin.

Chris

> Guy
> 
> Paul Bradley <paul@paul-bradley.com> wrote:
> 
> Guy,
> 
> I'm not absolutely 100% on this, but I believe sonotube is impossible
> to obtain in the UK where I live, and if not impossible at least a
> major difficulty.
> 
> I expect it might be ridiculously expensive, but I'd be interested to
> find out how much it would cost for you to ship 3 of these to me, as
> I'm currently making a pair of 8" binoculars and am planning another
> 8" scope after those.
> 
> If you don't mind I'd really appreciate it if you could find out the
>  shipping cost. If it's even remotely reasonable I could put a post
> out on the ATM list and see if there are any other UK ATMs on the 
> list that would like to share shipping costs and get some of these
> sent over.
> 
> Thanks.
> 
> Paul
> 
> ----- Original Message ----- From: "Guy Brandenburg" To: ; Sent:
> Tuesday, October 11, 2005 3:40 AM Subject: [ATM] We got a bunch of
> those tubes from Warshow & Co
> 
> 
> 
>> Steve LaPrade and I went up to Milton, PA and took delivery of
>> about 25 10-inch diameter, 10-feet-long Sonotubes with wall
>> thickness 1/4 inch. Or are they 8 feet long? I forget. In any case,
>> we got a lot of them, and they are dusty, but otherwise in good
>> shape and reasonably round. Just need priming, painting, cutting,
>> drilling, and being made into telescopes. We will give them out to
>> folks interested in making 8-inch diameter scopes in our area. If
>> others are interested in taking the drive, Milton PA is right about
>> in the very center of PA. Steve had a small-ish pickup truck but
>> built a very clever cage to hold the tubes in place without falling
>> over the sides. ATMers in New England, New York, Ohio, Pa, Illinois
>> and beyond would probably find this to be worthwhile, if you are
>> going to do a mass trip. We also visited an optical shop near
>> Baltimore and saw how REAL professional opticians pre-generate,
>> fine grind, polish, and figure mirrors for military and civilian
>> applications. Very, very interesting. I might even figure out a few
>> things that we could transfer to our relatively much more
>> impoverished situation. Like the wire test.
>> 
>> Guy
>> 
>> Guy Brandenburg Washington, DC My home page: 
>> http://home.earthlink.net/~gfbranden/GFB_Home_Page.html 
>> _______________________________________________ ATM mailing list
>> http://www.atmlist.net/
>> 
>> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Guy  Brandenburg Washington, DC My home page: 
> http://home.earthlink.net/~gfbranden/GFB_Home_Page.html 
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> http://www.atmlist.net/
> 
> 


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