Broken nasa mount tube

[scozzy]

Hi all
So...the mounting tube for my nasa wind instrument (v1)at top of mast has broken(dont ask)Rigger took it away to get fixed while he makes my new forestay and a few other bits and pieces.Unit otherwise fine with replaced vane to boot

So....

Then tells me his tech guy says it's a write off and can't be fixed because nasa don't make them anymore( i knew this about v1).....I queried this and wondering am I bonkers... surely a new tube to mount and the unit itself and all good?? Aluminium tube is still easy to source?am I missing something? Is it just to hard basket and they want me to re sleeve it?

Thanks in advance

 

[Graham_Wright]

Is this any good to you;-

 

[scozzy]

Hi Graham

Thanks for response. Sadly no...It's actually a long thin ,dark blue tube with 2 bends in it, barely a ft long that's attached at mast with a double bracket and keeps unit away from all other gubbins up there in clean air....its pretty much snapped in half and to me,just needs a new tube and that's that,I've even found a replacement one online for 9£!!but apparently its not suitable for v1!? I'm thinking it's all a bit too much of a "throw away society" thing rather than anything else and they can't be bothered and I'll be doing it...which is fine...I'm just stumped as to all the can't fix it chat...its just a tube...isn't it?

 

[Graham_Wright]

Hi Graham

Thanks for response. Sadly no...It's actually a long thin ,dark blue tube with 2 bends in it, barely a ft long that's attached at mast with a double bracket and keeps unit away from all other gubbins up there in clean air....its pretty much snapped in half and to me,just needs a new tube and that's that,I've even found a replacement one online for 9£!!but apparently its not suitable for v1!? I'm thinking it's all a bit too much of a "throw away society" thing rather than anything else and they can't be bothered and I'll be doing it...which is fine...I'm just stumped as to all the can't fix it chat...its just a tube...isn't it?

What's the diameter?

 

[scozzy]

I knew you'd ask that!! In reality I don't know and won't see Rigger till tomorrow when he brings it back in same sorrystateit left in. Having seen more than one I'd say the outside diameter is probably 10,maybe 12mm.

 

[Minerva]

The tube NASA use will be guaranteed to be a stock size from an alloy tube supplier. It’ll be easy enough to get a bit of pipe and bend it into shape with an appropriate pipe bender.

Can’t see the replacement taking much more than half hour to knock up in your garage

 

[scozzy]

Cheers for response and yes I agree I'm perfectly capable of doing the work etc but having the feedback from them had me doubting myself! The forum wins again !

 

[PabloPicasso]

Please do report back, and take and post some pictures

Always useful foe. Others who'll undoubtedly face similar issues.

 

[scozzy]

The offending bit of kit returns...you can see the broken tube from the never speak of again incident and apparently its now "redundant and unfixable"......
Dremel,new section of tube,and some polymer resin......numpties

 

[Daverw]

As others have said, it’s only a bit of tube and easy to make a new one from short length of Ali tube

 

[Refueler]

Or slide a section of larger diameter tube over and insert broken ends in ... with epoxy or liquid metal to fix ...

 

[LittleSister]

Looks an easy fix to existing tube with some glass tape and a bit of epoxy resin. It doesn't need to be pretty, as no one except seagulls will be viewing it close up.