Cover plugs TP12 black

An open tube end collects dust, chips and condensation that attack the tube from the inside over time, and the edge is often sharp enough to tear both clothes and packaging. On floor standing structures there is the added risk that the tube end scratches the floor when the frame is moved. The cover plug is pressed into the opening of the tube; the ribbed fins spring in during fitting and then press out against the material, so the plug stays put even with vibration while the tube end gets a smooth and tight finish.

Polyethylene (PE) is a tough and impact resistant material that takes moisture, cleaning agents and most chemicals in a normal industrial environment. The material springs without cracking, exactly what a plug needs; it gives way during fitting and then keeps its grip year after year. The color sits in the material and not in a surface layer. Small scratches are therefore hardly visible, and no paint layer can flake off over the years. Plastic also conducts heat poorly; a plugged tube end does not feel ice cold to take hold of in winter, a detail that matters on railings and handles.

In workshop industry cover plugs sit on machine frames, conveyor legs, guard railings and material carts. They also turn up in gym and warehouse fittings, standing tables and stage platforms; everywhere tube profiles are cut and leave open ends. Furniture and interior manufacturers use them to finish table legs, clothes racks and shop fittings, and in construction railing tubes and gates are plugged so water does not stand in the tube and freeze it apart in winter. We also see that maintenance departments like to keep a small stock; it is a cheap part that has a way of being missing exactly when it is needed.

Choosing the right plug is easy if you start from the tube and not from the plug. Measure the outer dimension of the tube with a caliper, read off the wall thickness and match it against the dimension table. If you are ordering for a whole series of frames it pays to allow for a little waste; a dropped plug under a machine line is seldom worth looking for, and the unit cost is low.

Cover Plugs TP12 in the black version are a ribbed tube end plug for heavy square tube, made in polyethylene (PE) with a matte surface. The plug closes open tube ends in frames, machine stands, railings and furniture tube; a small component that lifts the overall impression and solves several practical problems into the bargain.

The series covers 8 sizes for heavy square tube, from 40x40 mm up to 150x150 mm. Each size is made for a range of wall thicknesses; across the series as a whole that means roughly 2.5 to 8.0 mm. Check the actual dimensions of the tube against the table in the manufacturer's data sheet before you order; nominal tube dimensions can differ a little between tube manufacturers, and it is the actual dimension that decides how well the plug sits.

TP12 is sized for tube with a heavy wall thickness, the type of profile that carries machine frames, pillars and heavier racking. Delivery is in packs of 10 to 500 pieces depending on size. A rubber mallet helps when fitting the larger sizes. Do not strike the plug directly with a steel hammer; the head then risks being deformed and the seal gets worse. Plugs that have sat out in sun and weather for several years can become more brittle, so replace them along with other maintenance if they start to look tired.

Do you have questions about fit or material before you order? Call us and we will sort it out.