First I had some composite ideas for the telescope tube, but after looking at examples and guides for 'Coopered' wooden tubes here and here, I decided it was quicker and cheaper to forget the carbon fiber.
Materials:
- Four 3 m lengths of 28x90 mm Aspen (Puukeskus). (This stuff is meant for the bench in a sauna!)
- PU-glue (Puukeskus)
- 150mm diam. tube-clamps (10 pcs) (Biltema)
- 50mm wide masking tape (2 rolls) (Biltema)
Methods:
- Cut the 3m lenghts in half for a 1500mm long tube.
- Locate a nice big table-saw, one where the blade can be angled accurately.
- Cut six ca 10.5x28 mm strips from each 88mm plank. That makes for 48 strips. We'll need only 40 for the tube, but it's good to have some spares.
- Angle the blade at 4.5 degrees, and cut one side of each strip with this setting.
- Adjust the table-saw to produce 23 mm wide strips, and cut the other side at a 4.5 degree angle.
- You've now cut each strip at least three times. Thats at least 144 cuts with the table-saw. If you're an office-rat like me you will have had more than enough of the noise and saw-dust for a few months onward. Have a shower and go to sleep.
- With the narrow side facing down, align 40 strips on the floor, and exchange any bent or bad ones with the eight spare ones. Tape it all together, I did it first across and then along the seams.
- Turn the strips over, and apply PU-glue to the seams. I used a small round plastic rod under the strips so the seam to be glued opened up slightly for easier access with the glue-bottle. (remember to wear working clothes and gloves. PU-glue is nasty stuff.)
- Roll it into a tube, remember to apply glue to the final seam, then apply the tube clamps (which previously have been connected pair-wise end-to-end to produce 295mm diam. tube-clamps).
- Check that the tube is round. Leave to set overnight. (More to follow as progress is made...)
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