How could I use a slotted body tube as a regular tube?

[WizardOfBoz]

Just wondering if this can be done. Tube was slotted for fins. I want to use the tube as, well, as just a tube. Any way to repair this? Or should I roll my own tube?

 

[SolarYellow]

You can either cut that portion off, or glue something to the inside and fill it. Doesn't have to be a coupler.

 

[Scott_650]

As SolarYellow wrote, glue some kind of backer - a coupler is the easiest path but anything will work - even some cardstock or construction paper - and fill the slots with your favorite filler, Elmer’s Carpenter Wood Filler, spot glazing putty, epoxy, etc…then sand smooth. Working around the backing “patch” could be a bit of a challenge for a nose cone, reducer shoulder or centering rings but not an insurmountable one.

 

[Art Upton]

Buy a new tube , keep that one to put fins in later

 

[3stoogesrocketry]

Use a fiberglass sock to reinforce tge tube and fill the slots. Use a coupler with a layer of wax paper to hold the tube true and round and to support the fiberglass and epoxy in the slots.

 

[jrap330]

As SolarYellow wrote, glue some kind of backer - a coupler is the easiest path but anything will work - even some cardstock or construction paper - and fill the slots with your favorite filler, Elmer’s Carpenter Wood Filler, spot glazing putty, epoxy, etc…then sand smooth. Working around the backing “patch” could be a bit of a challenge for a nose cone, reducer shoulder or centering rings but not an insurmountable one.

or glue cardstock to the outside and paint it a different color, will look like a decorative band. Some Estes military kits were banded that way.

 

[Bruiser]

What size tube is that? This is what I have done to fill fin slots on a 3" tube I used for one of my builds. I don't think the quasi-glassing will work on anything under a 2.6 inch tube though because the nylon needs to fit tightly. Here is a link to my build that goes over the process.

https://www.rocketryforum.com/threads/cuda-build.164043/ post one then skip to post 28 for the quasi-glassing

-Bob

 

[MClark]

Unless your time has absolutely no value buy a new tube.

 

[Troy3003]

You could always design some small forward strakes to cover the slots, if you are not building anything specific.

 

[Rschub]

Balloon inside, fill, pop balloon.