Okay, how about cardboard mailing tubes for single-use mortars?

[upNdown]

https://www.staples.com/Staples-White-Mailing-Tube-1-1-2-x-18/product_467852

Why shouldn't these work for a single shot? Many of these shell kits come with cardboard tubes. Of course they're much thicker, but they're supposed to survive for six shots. Plugged and reinforced with duct tape, what's wrong with using these for a single shot?

I appreciate the feedback guys - I'm gonna figure out a way to get these shells up.

[Birdman]

I'm pretty sure you're not going to find anyone on here that will suggest using anything but HDPE or maybe fiberglass tubes.

[upNdown]

I'm pretty sure you're not going to find anyone on here that will suggest using anything but HDPE or maybe fiberglass tubes.

I'm beginning to suspect that, but why? I understand everybody knows that HDPE works safely, time after time. I get that. But I'm not looking for a reusable product. I'm looking for something to safely get a shell up in the air once. I don't want to sound flip, but honestly, this isn't rocket science. It's really just simple physics, isn't it? A tube gives the shell one place to go. So what's wrong with thin walled cardboard for a single use?
I'm not trying to argue with people; I'm just looking for helpful opinions.

[Birdman]

Because sometimes shells don't go up, they just go boom. Do you know the physics involved if that should happen? Would a failure like that damage other tubes and what would happen if a shell fires from a damaged tube? It's not just about long tern durability of the tubes. It how they perform when something goes wrong:


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iDex1_c33HI

[upNdown]

AHA! I just figured it out! Not sure why I didn't think of it before. I'll put the mailing tubes inside my DR11 tubes! Perfect solution.

[Birdman]

Do you know that these mailing tubes will hold up to the pressure of a lift charge? They are meant to protect the contents from external pressures in the mail. Are they designed to contain internal pressures from a lift charge? What I do know is they weren't designed for this purpose so there is no knowing how each tube will perform. You still have a chance of a low break if the lift charge damages the cardboard tube. I understand that all of this seems nitpicky but safety is the top priority and everyone just wants to ensure you have a safe enjoyable show.

[upNdown]

Oh, I'm definitely going to test one first. That's a given.
It isn't nitpicky at all. If I wasn't interested in hearing things like that, I wouldn't be posting here.
And no, I don't KNOW that it will hold up. But I suspect it will. A test will be informative.

[Fulliautomatix]

You're willing to pay $14.99 for a single paper tube that *might* do the job?

edit... ok, 12 pack, but still.

Just make sure to have video running when you test it.

[upNdown]

You know, depending on how much space is left in between the inner wall of the DR11 and the outer wall of the mailing tube, I could fill the excess space with sand. That could only help.

[displayfireworks1]

Years back spiral cardboard tubes were used for professional fireworks. But they were very thick. I remember seeing them years back particularly around the July 4th holiday when every mortar in the entire plant was out in the field that day for all of the shows. The old timers would tell stories about doing an all cardboard mortar display and on the way home they would see smoke coming out of the back of the truck. One of the mortars was in back smoldering. They had to pull over and start taking racks out to find the one smoldering. LOL

[HGS01]

yes back in the day we used the spiral cardboard racks that were around 1/2 thick to 3/4 inch thick...many times we had issues with smoking racks and ones that were just to unsafe to keep shooting from... at that point they became fire wood so to speak... glad we finally switched to hdpe pipe ... would never go back to cardboard racks!

[upNdown]

Didn't have to do any craziness. Found some foam tape that works as a perfect sabot, so I can shoot them in regular tubes.