1" tubing

max142 · Post by **max142** » Sun Aug 10, 2008 7:01 am

Hello,
simple question: what is a good source, if any, of 1 inch styrene tubing? I can find other material but, not styrene. Any help would be appreciated.

Kylwell · Post by **Kylwell** » Sun Aug 10, 2008 1:07 pm

I thought I'd ran into 1 inch styrene tubing over @ US Plastics but it may have been in their close-out area.

Sluis Van Shipyards · Post by **Sluis Van Shipyards** » Sun Aug 10, 2008 7:08 pm

www.plastruct.com

Warped Speedster · Post by **Warped Speedster** » Tue Aug 26, 2008 7:40 am

I've been hoping for years that Plastruct (or Evergreen) would come out with some larger styrene tubing sizes but they still haven't, and that's really weird. Plastruct has lotsa big "But Rate" tubing but still no styrene larger than 3/8" diameter, as far as I can see.

Maybe their Butyrate stuff if OK to use with styrene--I don't know, I've never used it?

I've been buying HO scale tank cars on Ebay as a styrene tubing source for years. Roundhouse makes one called the"Shorty." It's about 3-1/2" long by 1-1/4" in diameter. Athearn makes one about 7" long by about 1-3/16" in diameter. Nice stuff.

They're both the more modern style tanks without the huge dome on top (and no hole to have to fill). They come with a separate small top hatch (a neat greebly) that you can just leave off. They're both pretty smooth with not much detail to have to sand off. They both come with really neat semi-rounded end caps. I've also found smaller diameter tank cars too like the old Model Diecast (Roundhouse) "Old Timer." It's 3-1/2" long by almost 15/16" in diameter with nice slightly rounded end caps (It's getting harder to find that one though). And of course you can always glue these tanks together if you need something longer.

The down side is they're not exactly cheap--maybe 5 or 10 bucks a shot (if your lucky). If you buy them in the "Four Pack" box they may be cheaper, but not always. But really, some of the other parts that come with the kit are pretty cool so I think it's worth it. Hey,...when you need it, you need it.

en'til Zog · Post by **en'til Zog** » Tue Aug 26, 2008 9:59 pm

I found a whole bunch'a HO tank and box cars few years ago that had been discontinued and were really really cheap. I was thinking "Colonial Movers" at the time, and wound up with a dozer or more at a couple'a buck each. Handy. Now if only there was a BSG contest or challenge....

Mr. Badwrench · Post by **Mr. Badwrench** » Wed Aug 27, 2008 3:22 am

I know people don't like to use PVC tubing because you can't glue anything to it. But that is only because the outer surface has been treated with flourene to make it slippery. Rough up the surface with sandpaper, and it cuts off the chemically treated outer layer. Then you can glue it with CA. You can even use Ambroid or Tenax, but they don't hold quite as well as with styrene. It helps if you have a lathe, because you can cut PVC pipe to any diameter you please. But it already comes in a lot of handy diameters.

seam-filler · Post by **seam-filler** » Fri Sep 12, 2008 2:53 am

Warped Speedster wrote:Maybe their Butyrate stuff if OK to use with styrene--I don't know, I've never used it?

Plastruct's "butyrate stuff" is actually Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene (ABS). It is more resilient, heat and chemical resistant than plain styrene, but you work it in much the same way as syrene. In fact, the early Polar Lights LIS Robot was molded in ABS.

You can readily stick styrene to ABS using tenax, MEK, acetone and most styrene solvents although 'tube' glues do not work so well.

en'til Zog · Post by **en'til Zog** » Tue Oct 14, 2008 11:56 pm

bump

Richard Bartrop · Post by **Richard Bartrop** » Sun Oct 26, 2008 12:55 am

How about the clear styrene tubes that Crazy Glue comes in? Cheaper than HO tank cars, and comes with free glue.

Scratchawan Learner · Post by **Scratchawan Learner** » Mon Nov 17, 2008 2:08 am

I've always enjoyed a visit to PETSMART. Why? The hamster and gerbil department has tubing... and it's plastic solvent compatible. I believe it's marketed under the HABITRAIL brand. This tubing is tinted in blue, yellow red, green, and purple. It's see through, and I believe it's either clear styrene, or acrylic. I'm tending to think clear styrene. Tenax works well on it.
Scratch

en'til Zog · Post by **en'til Zog** » Mon Nov 17, 2008 2:48 pm

Maybe you could use the 'wands' that are used with ShopVacs? Gluable, and come in ribbed and non-ribbed types... longitudinal ribs that is. They're sorta 1 inch in diameter.

You can get the wand segments
separately at some D.I.Y. Home Depot type stores.

Stu Pidasso · Post by **Stu Pidasso** » Mon Nov 17, 2008 3:53 pm

Electrical tubing from Lowe's or Home Despot. It's usually PVC, but it bonds with super glue or 5 minute epoxy. Comes on 1/2", and up.

Also, there's some really cheap tubing used for sink drains. I've seen some 1", but 99% of it is 1 1/4" or 1 1/2".

Hope this helps.

ajmadison · Post by **ajmadison** » Fri Nov 28, 2008 9:08 pm

Warped Speedster wrote:I've been hoping for years that Plastruct (or Evergreen) would come out with some larger styrene tubing sizes but they still haven't, and that's really weird. Plastruct has lotsa big "But Rate" tubing but still no styrene larger than 3/8" diameter, as far as I can see.

Maybe their Butyrate stuff if OK to use with styrene--I don't know, I've never used it?

Just so its clear, Plastruct tubing works fine with styrene. I use CA for construction and there are no issues with that. But standard styrene solvent glues don't work on it. Tenax might work with it. Plastruct's solvent, of course does, and it will also work with styrene. CCl4 (Carbon tetra chloride also works on both).