Tube Material

Hopefully someone out there can help me. I recently acquired a objective lens assembly that is 5 3/8" in Diameter. I want to make a Refractor scope with it. It has 3 seperate lenses inside it and when I did a rough FL test, I came up with about 41". No problem there. The problem is I am having trouble finding and appropiate material to use for a tube. One person says to use aluminum and another says fiberglass. Fiberglass tubes in this size are hard to find. Was wondering, is it possible to use sonotube for this undertaking. Aluminum has thermal issues and they say fiberglass is better. Can anyone help? :S

Public Missiles has phenolic tubes that are 6.007" in diameter.

These are intended for large scale model rockets. A 4 foot one will cost little over $36.25 plus shipping.

https://secure.consumersinterest.com/pml/

(look under airframes)

Terry Sweet said:
[SNIP] Aluminum has thermal issues and they say fiberglass is better. Can anyone help? :S

Most refractors use aluminum, and they seem to work very well.

Clear skies, Alan