In a message dated 2/29/04 9:34:08 PM, jjmojo@BLAZENET.NET writes:

<< What should i use to seal the ends back up to keep water from getting
inside? Or has anyone just drilled drain holes in the bottom of the bar to let the
water drain out? >>

Cork them.  Fashion plugs with tapered sides from hardwood and hammer them
home.  I imagine that there are still fishing boats all over the world with
watertight repairs done this way.  If you want, cook the plugs in some paraffin
before you install them.

As for the drilling of weep holes, it sounds like a good idea as long as you
do not raise much of a burr on the inside which could form a small dam to the
last bit of water which gets into the tubing.  By the way, there are deburring
tools made for such a task, but, they are rather costly for one shot.  If the
holes are large enough (1/4" +), the burrs small enough and you know how to
use a triangular scraper well enough, that will be all you need to clean up the
holes.  One of the handiest tools I ever made was a triangular scraper I
ground from an expended rattail file.

George