# Flatbed pipe load



## mopac (Feb 24, 2011)

I have had a bag of ink pens for a long time that I was going
to gut and use the bodies for pipe. Finally got around to
doing it sunday. It will be going on a 50 ft flatbed car. HO.
36 ft Cast iron black pipe. I think I have enough pens to do
2 more loads. The pens had a raised business name so they
had to be sanded and painted flat black.


----------



## ontario mainline (Dec 6, 2008)

they look cool !! :thumbsup:
just ink pen tubes, guess it's time to start saving pens.

Ron


----------



## tankist (Jun 11, 2009)

i think the walls will be to thick, (unless it is a bulkhead car, where the ends are covered). straws or the bigger coffee stirs will work really well.
just a minor neat-pick however


----------



## mopac (Feb 24, 2011)

I have seen some too thick, usually the octagon shaped pens.
Here is a pic of the ends. Not too bad. These are not bic pens.
I don't know who's pens they are. No name on them.


----------



## mopac (Feb 24, 2011)

Also, if I need to weight the car more I can put BBs and white
glue down the pipe.


----------



## ComanderAce (Sep 16, 2011)

really cool idea


----------



## NIMT (Jan 6, 2011)

Mopac,
The pipe load looks excellent!:thumbsup: If you use rubber bands for the banding straps it will come right together!


----------



## Massey (Apr 16, 2011)

Speaking of rubber bands my sister uses these non hair pulling bands in her daughter's hair and they come in black and I think they would make a great banding straps.

Massey


----------



## mopac (Feb 24, 2011)

Yep, need 3 black rubber bands. Maybe a marksalot on a rubber band
would do it. Need to color so it dont look like a rubber band.


----------



## NIMT (Jan 6, 2011)

Put rubber bands on, then sharpie them black!:thumbsup:
Another Idea would be to use almminum tape (metal duct tape) for metal bands, tricky!


----------



## tjcruiser (Jan 10, 2010)

The pipes look great ... very clever / easy use of old pens. Nice!

TJ


----------



## minitrucker (Apr 28, 2011)

any one try shrink tubing for pipe loads and pinstripe tape for the tie down straps ? Just curios Julie


----------



## tjcruiser (Jan 10, 2010)

Never tried it, but ...

Heat shrink tubing is rather flexible ... not sure it would end up looking as straight as a rigid pipe.

Someone else had a pipe flatbed load the other day. In the dialog, I got to thinking that the ribbon from an old audio casette would make a good tie-down strap material. It's flat, relatively strong in tension, and has a brown/metalic look. One might want to slice it lengthwise to a scaled width, but I think it could be a good choice. Never tried it myself, though.

TJ


----------



## minitrucker (Apr 28, 2011)

I don't know how to post pics here but I have a bundle of shrink tubing I think looks good on my s scale trucks I also have pinstiping for tie downs it comes in a variety of colors to color code anything you want. Julie


----------



## xrunner (Jul 29, 2011)

minitrucker said:


> any one try shrink tubing for pipe loads and pinstripe tape for the tie down straps ? Just curios Julie


I used 1/16" black graphics art tape for my banding. I have since re-done it because the banding was too wide for N scale. I cut it in half lengthwise, but for HO scale it would be pretty good as-is.

Here is the load -

http://www.modeltrainforum.com/showpost.php?p=100255&postcount=57


----------



## Big Ed (Jun 16, 2009)

minitrucker said:


> I don't know how to post pics here but I have a bundle of shrink tubing I think looks good on my s scale trucks I also have pinstiping for tie downs it comes in a variety of colors to color code anything you want. Julie



this might get you started on posting pictures,


http://www.modeltrainforum.com/showthread.php?t=2595


----------

