Where in the world can I get Quest tubes . Other than getting them from Quest direct. I'm looking for 1.57" tubes, same size as the Full Moon but looking for longer length 17" or 34" if 17" also need coulper and motor mount CR for two motor cluster A,B,C Help.


BAR
John

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John

NAR #91135 L1
SAM #0037

John,

Semroc's LT-150 (1.59" OD) is very close to the 1.58" OD that you are looking for. (Quest's website shows the Full Moon as having a 1.58" OD.) Semroc has LT-150 in 8", 22" and 30" lengths. For a coupler, you could get a length of BT-55 that is 5x the length that you need for the coupler. Cut the BT-55 into 5 pieces. Slit 4 of these pieces down the side, and wrap and glue each of them around the 5th piece, one on top of the other, offsetting the slits for each wrap. (The gap in the slit will keep getting wider with each wrap, but this method should still work as long as you offset each layer's gap.) That will give you a piece with an OD of 1.493", which will nicely fit into the 1.5" ID of the LT-150.

A dual 18mm cluster, using two BT-20's for motor tubes (0.736 OD x 2 = 1.472"), will just fit into an LT-150. (It may or may not be a little bit loose.) You will need to make your own centering rings for it (just position two pieces of BT-20 inside a 1.5" diameter circle and trace around them) or else you could use the old tissue and glue method. If necessary, you can make the dual BT-20 mount fit better by using the slit-tube method again. After gluing the two BT-20's together side by side, take a couple more pieces of BT-20 and slit them down the side. Glue each slit piece onto the dual mount, with the slits oriented toward the glue seam between the two tubes (you may have to trim the slit tubes to open the gap a little bit so that they clear the seam). This will give the dual mount an OD of 1.498". As an alternative to cutting your own centering rings, you could also try filling the gaps around the motor cluster with 2-part expanding foam, or even with Gorilla glue after wetting the surfaces slightly with water.

Hope this helps.

Mark \\.

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SAM # 0011

It would be a lot easier to use the method described in this thread

I don't see how that method really saves very much, if any, time or effort. With the method I described, he doesn't have to do any measuring inside the tube, and he won't have to do any trimming to make the coupler fit perfectly. Just cut up a 5"-8" length of BT-55 into 5 pieces, slit 4 of them down the side and then glue them all together. Nothing to it; he wouldn't even have to get the slits straight or parallel. It might take all of 5 minutes to do, if it even takes that long. If he happens to have a scrap piece of BT-55 on hand, it will cost him nothing. If not, then a 9" piece of BT-55 from Semroc will cost him $0.95 with an NAR discount. He can tack that on when he orders the LT-150.

Mark \\.

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SAM # 0011

I have spent some time looking for parts for Quest body tubes . To no avail. I will probably order all the parts I need directly from Quest. I will decide which method of the two couplers ideas is best for me and use one . Thanks all for your ideas on what has worked for you.

The only hangup is figuring out what the I.D. of the 1.58" body tube is . I do not have any way to measure a tube or centering ring or a unassembled kit on hand . A built Half Moon I do have . I used the old Mark 1 eyeball method and it looks like to me that two bt20's will fit with a little room to spare , if I butt the two bt 20's together. I may want to used a single 24 mm D motor also not sure yet on that. If I knew the I.D. I could have Cr's made by BMS or Carl.

your thoughts.

BAR
John

__________________
John

NAR #91135 L1
SAM #0037

The Quest tubes all have a standard wall thickness of 0.020", which is comparable to Estes BT-55, 60 and up. (Smaller Estes tubes have an 0.013" wall.) The tube in question has a 40mm OD (T-40 in Quest nomenclatue, I believe). That's 1.575", very close to your measured 1.58. With an 020 wall, that gives an ID of 1.535". If you ordered custom rings from BMS with those dimensions, they should fit just fine.

FWIW, I've put 24mm motor mounts in three of these tubes, but have never had to get rings made. In all three cases, I used balsa ply and cut the inside hole by hand, then sanded it to fit. The outside was rough cut. The rings were glued to the motor tube, then the tube was chucked in my lathe and I turned them to down to fit. If you have a lathe, maybe that will be of some help.

Couplers for 38mm motor tubes, with a couple wraps of tissue and dope, work well with the Quest tube.


Doug

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John,

I wasn't aware that Quest sold individual components - that's why I suggested the substitutions. If you cannot get the parts from Quest, there is one other way to get them - the old, tried-and-true method of kit-bashing. Quest kit prices are low enough that this might be a viable alternative, especially if you are set on using genuine Quest parts.

Other Quest kits that use the T-40 tubing are Big Betty, the Tomahawk Cruise Missile, the Harpoon and the Space Shuttle Intrepid.

Mark \\.

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SAM # 0011

Red Arrow Hobbies BT-15 body tubes have a 1.525" ID and an OD of 1.58". They are available in kraft paper and in "phlexible phenolic." They also have LOC 1.52" (1.525" OD) tube couplers and their own phenolic tube couplers (PTC15S). They also have 24mm to 38mm (BT-15 tubing) centering rings, in your choice of birch plywood or phenolic. And in case you might be interested, they also have a piston ejection kit for the BT-15 tubing.

Mark \\.

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SAM # 0011

I bought several Bettys when they were on sale at Hobby Lobby. I call this trio Betty Bash. If they were still at HL, I might even consider hosting a Betty Bash contest Doug




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That one in the middle, Doug - is that a new design???

Mark \\.

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SAM # 0011