DIY Rod Tubes End Cap Hack

The other day when I was installing the ends on the PVC rod tubes I noticed that the end cap didn’t have any kind of cushion or protection for the rod tips. I know that during transport the rods will likely be in their rod socks but the end cap is still just metal and if you were to slam on the brakes it still might cause an issue and break a tip or damage an eye.

To detour this potential hazard I simply attached some foam to the end cap by using some Loctite clear silicone waterproof sealant. The foam is a gardening knee pad that you can find pretty much anywhere that has gardening supplies. It set me back a whopping $5.99. I have 2 rod tubes and I was able to cut 2 round circles out with some sharp scissors. Before attaching I did pierce the foam on the side that was to attach to the end cap so the silicone would grab the material better. I suppose you could give the inside of the end cap a quick scrape or two with some 100 to 220 sand paper as well for a better bond. I didn’t do that and the silicone still grabbed and was solid. Silicone is a great adhesive in these type of situations because it latches onto virtually anything and everything. I should also add that you should clean your materials that you plan to glue together with some alcohol or something of that nature so the bond is the best it can be and has a clean surface to adhere to.

I even went as far as to use the silicone all the way around both end caps to further secure them to the PVC and to also keep the elements out of the tubes. I applied a generous amount of silicone to the inside walls of the end caps and slid them on to the PVC and then screwed in the self tapping screws that come with the conduit kit completing the installation.