Tube Shapes

(c) Vin Callcut 2002-2021.

Small extracts can be used with acknowledgements to 'Oldcopper.org' website.

Helpful comments are very welcome.

 

Tube Shapes and Patterned Tubes

These examples of tube are shown in the William Tonks & Sons 1939 and earlier catalogues.  The brass cased tube is made by wrapping strip round a steel tube and giving it a finish pass through a tube mill to ensure that it is tight.  This type of tube was used to give extra strength where needed, typically for curtain rails.

The lower three illustrations show simple twisted shapes for decorative tube that were made by finish drawing brass tube through angled dies.  Frequently roller-dies were used instead of plain to give a better shape and surface finish.   These rollers could also be engraved to give a textured or patterned finish.

Spiral drawn tube is well recognised when supporting the canopies of showmens' traction engines but the stock of roller dies catered for over 1,000 varieties for many other uses as well.

shapes

(Catalogued loaned by Simon Clarke).

patterned tubes

Patterned Tubes

Tubes were also made with a patterned finish, mainly for decorative products but some patterns were designed for use in oil-retaining bearings.  Here, good use is being made of patterned tube in making a small shielded hearth brush and a Scottie dog spill holder.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

After