Do these exist? It strikes me that there are places where I have an open ended tube exposed. Are there a plastic bung for these, or shoudl I weld a little plate over the end?

you can get them - look on the legs of metal frame tables like a school

As you can (we've seen you metalwork skills) I'd be empted to weld shut with small plates. The end result will look better much better IMHO.

Towsure...try a google search

I got half a dozen or so off ebay for a few quid. Probably would be able to find them cheaper somewhere else, maybe a big B&Q.

Try Moss Plastic parts at Linky

I have about 300 off that have a OD of 22mm square and fit a hole approx 19mm sq. Let me know if these are of interest. You can have them for 20p each (cost price)+ P & P

I've got a bag full of plasting bungs for 1" square tube. Do you want some?

Personally, I'd weld over the end of any tubes. Salt water from the road will probably find its way around the bungs.

I welded mine, for the reasons already given (and also because I couldn't find any flush fitting plastic ones! )

Cheers

Alex

see:

http://www.locostbuilders.co.uk/viewthread.php?tid=93983

This place does them, just phone 'em as they don't do online ordering.

It's just over the road from me too.

I've used them on the bottom of my fish tank stand that I made, but on the Locost the ends are closed with welded plate.

Ok, I'll put the link up then

Bradford Rubber

I can remember seeing these on counter at Eggleston bros in Derby, maybe other steel stock holders have them.

I took some bolt cutters to 1" strip to cut the tube end plates. A good bit quicker and less agro than hacksawing a bunch of these things.

Weld them up. If nothing else it makes the tube stronger.
Bruce

Another thing worth pointing out is that sometimes you can make the endcaps do double duty.....e.g. extending them and putting a hole in to mount something, or if at a corner extending the sides and make it into a triangle to serve as a gusset.....

Just a thought...

Colin would be proud of you..

I welded the ends of mine.

Cut out squares from 1.6mm sheet to be a loose fit in the ends, held them in place with a small magnet and tack-welded, then removed the magnet and finished the welding. After cleaning up with a flap wheel in an angry grinder it looks like a solid piece of metal.

[Edited on 2/10/08 by David Jenkins]

Or some 25mm flat bar cut into 25mm squares. A Local machine shop should be able to guillotine these for you out of 16g or even 8g for the use that Alan B says above.

On a ladder type chassis that went all the way from front to back I filled the entire tube with aersol foam called Great Stuff here in the US. It is expandable and works best when its warm. It keeps everything out of the tube.

quote:

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Originally posted by wment
On a ladder type chassis that went all the way from front to back I filled the entire tube with aersol foam called Great Stuff here in the US. It is expandable and works best when its warm. It keeps everything out of the tube.

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Just bought some off eBay, look up item no:250383807445 £2 for 8, not cheap but how many do you need?

I cut my tubes with integrated end caps so when it's all welded and smoothed out you can't tell which side was open.

Moti

[Edited on 13/3/09 by Blackbird]
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