Metal tubing for gun barrels: what to get, how to cut?

[Seahawk]

In my desultory way I'm picking at a 1/72 Fw 190.  I think it might be enhanced by some cannon barrels with real holes in them.  I see Albion Alloys do them in both aluminium and brass.  Which is likely to prove more suitable for small (0.50"/ 20mm in 1/72) gun barrels please?  And how do you cut the stuff to length with minimum clean-up?  I had some stainless steel tube once and the guidance was to roll it under a sharp knife blade but I never really got on with that: is that still the best available way?

 

Thanks in advance for your help.

[Richard E]

11 minutes ago, Seahawk said:

I had some stainless steel tube once and the guidance was to roll it under a sharp knife blade but I never really got on with that: is that still the best available way?

That's always worked for me - a new sharp blade usually helps give you a clean cut.

[Jon Kunac-Tabinor]

Albion Alloys brass tube for me, and yes - 'fraid so - rolling it under a fresh scalpel blade to cut is the best way. You can clean up the end with a fine swiss file too as sometimes you get a little burring that prevents smaller diameters sliding inside easily, or only becomes apparent when you paint it!

 

cheers

Jonners

[LotusArenco]

21 hours ago, Seahawk said:

stainless steel tube ... but I never really got on with that

Compared to stainless, ally and brass are much easier to cut.

Have a look through this for a handy video:

 

Mart

[Seahawk]

Many thanks everyone for your helpful suggestions and advice.  Albion brass tubing ordered, fresh scalpel blade at the ready!

[Aardvark]

I don't know as far as we will apply 
this way in relation to your country, but when to me it is necessary
thin tubule, I just go and I buy sterile disposable
the medical syringe in pharmacy.
Color markings of type as help with this table to me with the choice of the necessary diameter and needles are long. 

(in the table the second column - diameter of a needle, the third column 
it is long needles. Color of a line matches the color of a tip syringe)
For the best processing needle annealing
in a flame.
Tubes of big diameter it is possible to receive from metal refils for the ball-pen Parker type.

Or other type, not for Parker ball-pen as it:

But clean him from ink!

And best way buy aftermarket from Master, ABER e.t.c!

 

B.R.

Serge

Edited January 29, 2018 by Aardvark

[Giorgio N]

A bit late to the party, but I would also suggest brass and rolling the tube under a new blade.

I've used this technique plenty of times and I've probably become one of Albion best Italian customers..

Interestingly my latest use of Albion tubes has been exactly for the gun barrels of a Fw.190. Other uses are Pitot tubes and I'm now even trying their thinner rods for rigging biplanes. There are other brands around but Albion is the only ones with such a variety of diameters that is easily available. As their quality is top notch, I don't hesitate to recommend them

Edited February 7, 2018 by Giorgio N

[Max Headroom]

I’ve started saving the metal tubes from Revell Contacta bottles as I’m sure they will find a use one day. Not used one yet so the problem of cutting hasn’t arisen yet, but I was thinking maybe inserting a narrower diameter one or fuse wire in it so to stop the end from crimping and snipping it to the desired length.

 

Trevor

[PhoenixII]

For ease, rather than a scalpel, use if you own one,

a Dremel type drill with a 'cut off' disc.

It'll cut ally, brass and stainless steel.

Safety first, wear safety glasses......just in case

the disc shatters.

 

Paul

[Black Knight]

To go over a few points raised;

1. I use the rolling cut on brass and aluminium tubes. I use a snap-off blade knife for doing the rolling cut, its more robust

2. I can't buy or get surgical needles here unless I have a 'drug problem' or type 1 diabetes; both of which I do not want to acquire

3. I bought some fine Tattooists needles. But they are stainless steel and virtually impossible to cut - even with a dremel and metal cutting blade. The s/s was destroying the cutting blades and they cost more than a packet of brass tubes

4 Putting a wire inside the tube is a good idea; it helps keep the hole open even with a rolling cut, The wire should be the exact size of the hole. A good scource for thin wires are electric power flexes or wiring looms from old cars

5 for larger diameters, 1mm upwards, I have a miniature pipe cutter which goes thru the tube very cleanly

6 I use a micro drill for tidying out the cut end of the tube hole. Micro drills can also be used to remove inner material to give thinner walls to the tube and with care they can be used to flare the end of the tube , ala the ends on German M/gs

[Corsairfoxfouruncle]

On 1/29/2018 at 4:43 PM, Aardvark said:

I just go and I buy sterile disposable
the medical syringe in pharmacy.

Not legal in the USA without a Dr’s prescription. Its considered a felony in some states to be in possesion of them without a Dr’s prescription. Im lucky as i have to give my dog allergy shots once every 2-3 weeks so i have two years worth of needles to use. Though i use brass/aluminum tubing for barrels. I use the hypodermic syringes for injecting C/A into cracks and gaps for filling purposes. 

[Aardvark]

3 hours ago, Corsairfoxfouruncle said:

Not legal in the USA without a Dr’s prescription. Its considered a felony in some states to be in possesion of them without a Dr’s prescription.

I assumed this restriction! The logic of the American laws is clear. To the population the syringe without recipe of the doctor is no need to have houses.

 

In the territory of the former USSR the legislator recognized logic that the addict will always find drug at the drug dealer.
If to forbid sale disposable the syringe in pharmacy

, then addicts will use reusable syringes. Thus the incidence AIDS will be higher at the ban of sale disposable the syringe. Besides in 80-90 years there was a period when the population isn't present trust to medical personnel of hospitals therefore if in it there was a need, patients
to buy disposable the syringe in pharmacy before a visit to the doctor. Now trust to purity of the medical tool in hospitals high therefore nobody goes in hospital for one-time treatment with the syringe except the paranoid.
At medical examination in a hospital of hospital a situation slightly another, but long to describe it, and I am not sure that wash knowledge English will be able correctly to describe it. And what for? it has no relation To a topic subject. 
But has to note that local approach on legal sale of the medical tool is more preferable for the modeller.
For example this disposable needle for anesthesia through a backbone not only a source of a long tubule but also very strong long thin wire:

 

https://s10.postimg.cc/dkfuru195/20180207_234345.jpg

However there is one more source of receiving thin tubules of various big diameters! These are telescopic antennas for radio receivers:

https://m.made-in-china.com/product/Antenna-Telescopic-Rod-Antenna-FM-Radio-Antenna-Radio-Antenna-275397.html

I think possession of them legally?

 

B.R.

Serge