Making a Mortar Tube Mug

Hello all,

Hopefully not a bone topic, I did search first but couldn't find anything related.

I was reading a news article recently which mentioned mugs made out of surplus mortar round tubes. This reminded me of a photo in the 3 Para book by Patrick Bishop.

I am a teacher now, but regularly pull three hour lecturs ... and do not have a coffee mug big enough to see me through. I have a thermos jobber, but really want something that i can leave in work and forget about.

I happen to have a buckshee green 81mm mortar tube in my stores at work ... my question is HOW DO I ATTACH A HANDLE?? I would look really really silly if the handle failed and it poured down my shirt in class!

I have googled, and found one photo, but all advice and suggestions will be gratefully received.

Onfire

 

1. You're going to use this in class? How much of a walt are you.

2. The handle failing and spilling a brew down your front cannot be anymore embarressing than using the thing in the first place.

3. I suggest you give it a good clean. I wouldn't be surprised if there is still some propellant in the tube.

 

I made myself one in Afghan using nothing more than my trusty bayonet scabbard saw.

1 - Cut the tubes in half just above the bottom two peices that hold the two tubes together, the pic you posted shows this.

2 - Decide which tube you want to drink out of and cut the other tube in half.

3 - Trim the half tube down so it is handle sized using the two peices of plastic that were holding the tubes together as a guide (again this is shown in the pic).

4 - You may wish to wrapp some paracord around the handle to make it more comfortable to hold.

Sorry the instructions arent that good but if you look at the pic you posted it'll all make sense, but as dingerr posted make sure you clean it out properly

 

Why are you drinking coffee during your lectures?

 

You´ve got to admit, unless in a CDT lesson this is going to look gay as fcuk. Even in a CDT class based around making use of discarded items it wouldbe suspect

What about the large mugs from Stanley? And they are insulated

20oz lidded vacum flask mug

http://www.stanley-pmi.com/shop/ProductInfo.aspx?productid=10-00167-000

20oz mug...

http://www.stanley-pmi.com/shop/ProductInfo.aspx?productid=AMU8000-001

And you don´t need an FFE cert for it

Besides, leave a mortar tube mug in school and someone WILL snaffle it.

 

The handle is made from the second tube.

You cut across the middle of both tube (depending on height you are after)

Then fashion the handle from the other tube curviture.
Melt with naked flame or blow torch after you have got reletively smooth edges.
From the bottom picture you can see the mug taking shape.

Edited to add second picture and correct spelling (mong hands)

 

Or... simply leave the tubes intact and fill them with coffee for those particularly prolonged presentations. Job done!

 

The one on the right is from an 81mm Mortar Illum

Do ride a bicycle to work because you could use the O rings to hold your trouser bottoms up above your socks. A word of warning, as you cycle through the streets, urchins will realise what you have done and throw rocks your head whilst shouting abuse at you

 

Just as a matter of interest, are the insulating properties of a mortar tube very good. Personally I very much doubt it. Surely a decent thermos type mug would make much more sence, or are you too tight to buy one.

 

Thank you for all the points raised so far ... it is the attaching the handle bit that I am struggling with (I am not in the same room as the tube right now so i cannot think where the current handle attachment points are on the tube ... I assumed that you would need to weld one onto the tube.

A point to consider ... how many cups of coffee do you drink in three hours in the office?? Try 3 hours of lecturing Politics and International Studies .. or 3 hours of watching students prepare assignments and essays. Im sure a decent cup of coffee isnt too much to ask. I like coffee to start the day, and have enough to carry to the classroom without adding a hot drink and a cold one to the load (I am not bothered about black coffee going cold). How long does a cafetierre of coffee stay warm ... you still make real coffee though!

Lastly - WALT?? The tubes I have are just plain, unadorned green plastic tubes ... im sure your average person couldnt identify a green mug from a green tube from a green 81mm mortar tube. I have the Aladdin insulated plastic mugs, but they do not hold a great deal of volume ... and i have a treasured Aladdin Thermos mug ... but I want that when I go outdoors, and do not want to leave it in work, or risk losing the lid (or whole lot). ''Tight'' - yes, when I can make a big mug free and it doesnt have a f@cking mickey mouse or some sh!t on it

So, back to my first post / point ... how does the handle attach? I assumed that the top original handle attachment point would be lost when the tube is cut in half.

 

I now see a flaw ... my tubes are not twins, joined together ... they are single tubes, with no connecting pieces of plastic.

Thank you blobmeister for the pics, it is very clear now!

 

The ideal solution is a tripflare tube which is just the right size to be held in your hand, has a secure lid and can hold a good three litres of water!

 

It's not a tube, it's a greenie! I take it you are an honorary mortarman too in order to have 'got' your greenie?!

 

It's not a tube, it's a greenie - hence them being called greenie mugs. I take it you are an honorary mortarman too in order to have 'got' your greenie?!

 

The plastic leaves a funny smell when used with hot liquids...

Get yourself a pint sized enamel mug instead...

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=200257384191&cguid=4887ce5611d0a0e204525242fee64e97