How to make 1.25 inch tube not wiggle around 1.5 inch sink tube?

[phook15]

I have two sink tubes that make up my hilt, one is 1.25 and one is 1.5. I wrapped aluminum tape around the 1.25 inch tube and set it with two screws but It keeps wiggling around. And I can only fit it 1.5 inches into the other tube due to limits in space.

[jbkuma]

I put 3 dome topped screws around the outside of the 1.25" tube so that it's a tight fit. Three points are the key to make it stable.

[noslenpar]

I used 1-1/4-Inch Poly Slip-Joint Washers. They should have them at the same place you bought the sink tube. They fit nice and snug and worked great for me.

[jbkuma]

20160603_141054.jpg
This sink tube saber is held together entirely by the rubber sink tube gaskets that are sold in the same aisle, except for the pommel end which is the 1.5" nut on the 1.25" tube. It works well enough for a cheap, fast, and easy build, but I will definitely being applying some upgrades and tap it in when I add a blade holder and blade.

On my in progress "Pathfinder" the emitter shroud is kept snug using the screw method I mentioned and it is rock solid. I am using 17ga for the 1.5" material, so it's significantly more solid than the cheaper 20ga or and much more than the 22ga. Now that I think about it, it might not be a recommendable method for the thinner material.

[phook15]

Should I put them all on the same height, near the top of the overlap, or mix it so that two are at the top and ones at the bottom?
.5

[jbkuma]

If you are talking about using gaskets, just buy a bunch and space them out.

If you are asking about the screw method, they should be approximately evenly spaced around the circumference at a particular point at each end.

I recommend you just use the gaskets and see how it feels. It's much easier and will probably be sufficient. The screws need to be done just right and if you are using sink tube material you may see deformations.

[phook15]

The 1.25 inch gaskets you recommended still a low the 1.5 tube to wiggle around it.

[jbkuma]

If you post photos of the pieces you are trying to mate it may help.

The gaskets are designed to fit snugly between the 1.25OD sinktube and the 1.5OD sinktube. If it doesn't fit perhaps your parts are a bit out of spec? You can try rolling craft foam around the inner tube. I used it while mocking up my hilt and it worked really well for that. I'm using a 17ga outer tube, so maybe 2 layers would work for you. It costs less than a dollar per sheet, so it could be worth trying. A little electrical tape at the ends will help you slip your sleeve on.

[phook15]

Ok but the foam would still allow the hilt to wiggle. Maybe it's not noticeable when there's no blade in it, but when you add one it makes the emitter side way heavier than the 1.5 inch side, causing it to wiggle. I doubt foam would work but I'll try it

[phook15]

Here's a pic http://m.imgur.com/lUlsYFf