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C-Tech Tubeware - FAQ

Here are the answers to some common questions we get asked. If you have a question that is not covered on this page please ask using the contact form on the enquiry page.

Where can you ship to?
We export the majority of our tubes to destinations all around the world. We ship with Fedex, DHL and a variety of other freight companies to deliver customer orders at the best possible price. Usual lead times for shipments are:
  • Australia and the Pacific: transit 3-5 days
  • Rest of world: transit 7-10 days
We offer excellent lead times and competitive prices on shipments to Australia.

Are your tubes 100% carbon fibre?
Yes, all our tubes are made from 100% pre preg carbon using THR50 fibres. We can add E-Glass or S-Glass to the laminate if requested.

What is pre-preg carbon fibre?
Pre-impregnated (or prepreg) carbon is manufactured with the perfect resin to fibre ratio. This gives consistent laminates and the best possible structural properties. It also has the correct amount of hardener in the resin, giving consistent cure times. It is kept at -18ºC until ready to use. At room temperature it is plyable and after going through a cook cycle the prepreg becomes fully cured.

Are your tubes filament wound?
No. C-Tech's tubes are "mandrel wrapped" which means they are made over a mandrel (or male former) then cured. The mandrel is removed, leaving the cured carbon tube. We may produce filament wound tubes in the future, alongside our mandrel wrapped tubes.

Which is better: filament wound tube or mandrel wrapped tube?
Filament wound tubes use wet laminate. This means they can suffer from variations in the resin:fibre content. They can also have a lower HDT (maximum temperature before distortion) as filament wound tubes are not post-cured at a high temperature (like mandrel wrapped tubes). Filament wound tubes do not usually contain as much 0º (degree) fibre as mandrel wrapped tubes so they will not be as stiff.

Mandrel wrapped tubes have a much wider range of laminate possibilities, including tapered laminates. This means C-Tech's carbon tubes can be better suited to a particular application than filament wound tubes.

A traditional ‘cloth weave’ finish is often required for carbon tube. The filament winding process doesn't allow an outer layer of cloth fibre to be added to the laminate.

Do you have all tubes in stock?
We hold some standard size tubes in stock, but most tubes are made-to-order. This allows us to customise every tube to the customer, rather just selling the nearest size off the shelf.

If you require a specific tube size, laminate or have a custom job that you cannot see listed on our website please contact us through our Custom Enquiry page and we will do our best to help.

Can I paint carbon tubes?
We can paint tubes for you, or sand them ready for painting. Urethane, a 2-part paint (similar to automotive paint) is best for painting colours on carbon tube. Other types of paint, including marine paints and UV protective clear coats, are available.

Can I join carbon tubes?
We can provide a carbon sleeve tube that is machined to fit (interference fit, hand tight, sliding fit etc). The sleeve can be glued as a joiner between 2 tubes or it can be glued into one end, allowing the tubes to be dismantled.

How strong is carbon tube?
We can provide basic mechanical properties for any tubes you need; just tell us the ID (internal diameter), wall thickness and length you need. Any other information about known loads and the application of the tube will help us determine what is the right tube and laminate for you.

How do I pay for an order?
We accept payment by bank transfer or credit card (Visa or MasterCard). Print the Authorisation Form then return as a scanned PDF by fax, e-mail, drop-box (or equivalent service), or post.

Internet payment to a local bank (via Western Union) is also available for a number of countries.
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