bangalore torpedo

[aferguson]

i've been thinking about how to make a simple bangalore torpedo. One idea is to use cocktail straws, which are about the right length and diameter, paint them olive drab and slot them together. You could then pull them apart for easier storage.

Problems with this are that the paint will probably flake off where they join and the ends will get all munched where they fit together. If you left it assembled these wouldn't be problems but it should be nearly 3 feet long to be roughly accurate and that's a long thing to have to store away.

thoughts?

[pickelhaube]

Make a coupler.
Cut a small piece of the straw say about 1/2" long.

Slice it length wise and use this to join them together. Maybe put a little piece of paper towl in there for a little strength.

The coupler will be the only thing that will have to be distorted. That way the out side straws will not me damaged.

[aferguson]

i've modified the idea a bit. I'm going to use sections of 3mm (1/8 inch) sprue as my bangalore sections. I'm going to make couplers out of the straws, since the sprue jam fits inside the straws. So i'll cut 1/3 of an inch lengths of straw, glue it to one end of a bangalore section and just jam fit the end of another section in the opening and so on down the line to assemble the full length bangalore; can then pull it apart when i'm done, for easier storage. I won't need to slice the straw sections lengthwise.

The bangalore won't be hollow but i'm used to non hollow weapons like bazookas anyway and besides, bangalores were packed with explosive, so technically they weren't hollow anyway. I only have enough of the right diameter sprue to may five, 5 foot long (scale) sections so my bangalore will only be 25 feet in length, but still should be pretty good.