Making your own tube stows

[kenneth21441 0]

I have recently began making my own tube stows for my personal rigs and thought that I would assist you all in making your own thus saving you lots of money.

* Surgical tubing (Less then 1/4 inch in outside diameter) For regular stows cut about four inches. Should be avaible at home health care centers / Medical supply, etc......

* Rubber cement: this assist in lubrication making it easier to insert the ends and also keeps the bond together. Should be able to get at Wal-Mart/ Target etc...

* forceps or needle nose pliers

* razor or something to cut the tubing to size

To Make:
** Cut tubing to desired length (this may take some trial and error to find the size that works for your lines and to keep proper tension on the lines)

** Apply a small amount of rubber cement to the inside of one side of the tubing (A side) then on the other side apply a small amount at least a half a inch inwards on the outside (B side). It is ok to have a small amount of cement on the inside of the B side.

** Attach the forcpts or needle nose plyers at a slight angle to the side B of the tubing and insert the needle nose or forcepts into the A side of the tubing at least a half and inch or more.

** Grasp the area where now side B is inside and release or open the grip on the tubing. Slowly remove the tip out of the tubing. (Be sure to hold on to the inserted side B when removing) (A small amount of cement will come out this is normal and is to be expected.)

** Slowly rub your fingers around the new joint to insure that all sides of this new joint are coated in glue. Some cement will come out, but do not roll with to much pressure forcing alot of the cement out.

** Then Slightly tug and turn slightly on this new joint to make sure that it holds first off. Do not move that much, as this would force the joint to fail.

** Let set for about two hours then before apply to your d-bag check one more time before appling. The main area of holding power will be in the area of the B side tip.

I have even went on to stretch the tube stows when dry slightly and applied more cement on the B side and let the tube relax to fill in any voids that could have been created from before (if you do this let it dry for a hour before applyiing)

I hope that this assist anyone who wants to be able to make their own tube stows and save alot of money at the same time.


Ken

Kenneth Potter
FAA Senior Parachute Rigger
Tactical Delivery Instructor (Jeddah, KSA)
FFL Gunsmith

[sundevil777 93]

My method is slightly different but much easier. No need for glue. Put the 'joint' in the larkshead where there is little tension, they've never pulled apart.

I make my own tube stows from the bulk silicone tubing you can find in the fishing/sporting goods section of any department store (really cheap per foot).

Use a pair of needlenose pliers to turn one end over about 5mm. Insert the closed pliers into the other end and open the pliers to expand the tubing. Now take a pair of hemostats (sp?) or similar instrument used for other purposes to grab the turned over end of the tubing and insert it into the opened end. Carefully slide the tubing off the pliers and you're done. No need to glue anything.

People are sick and tired of being told that ordinary and decent people are fed up in this country with being sick and tired. I’m certainly not, and I’m sick and tired of being told that I am

[BIGUN 1,053]

I don't use tube stows, can you teach me how to make rubber bands?

Nobody has time to listen; because they're desperately chasing the need of being heard.

[ernokaikkonen 0]

>I don't use tube stows, can you teach me how to make rubber bands?

Sure: Take an inner tube from a bicycle and cut to size.

It does work but they don't last quite as long as Keener bands. And they tend to be a bit dirty if it was a used tube.