Ye Olde Rocket Forum - View Single Post - Looking for a body tube.

Quote:

Originally Posted by jeffyjeep

A colleague of mine is looking for the main BT for the Estes #2111 Mercury Atlas. I believe this subject has been discussed here before but I don't if availability has changed since then.

I do know it's 3.4" OD (86 mm) x 18" long and it's VERY close in OD to the main BT of the OOP LJII.

Is there any place to get one?

Thanks!

If all else fails, modify a BT-100 or BT-101. I've done it to make both larger tubes and smaller than the original O.D. Scale guys used to do it all the time. I don't know if they still do or if they get custom made tubes.

Just slit the tube lengthwise, cutting a strip the correct width to get your 3.4" O.D. Use the strip as backing on the inside of the tube to glue the tube back together. He will need to cut notches in his centering rings, but it works great. Fill the seam just like you would fill spirals. He will finally get to use some of the high school geometry he never thought he'd ever use to figure out the proper circumference for the O.D. he needs.