Reply by Daren Nelson

Rich that is what I did, used PVC pipe. I did however put maple “slugs” inside the pipe to stiffen it. I used 3/4” threaded rod for the shaft and jam nutted the slugs every few (8-9?) inches inside the pipe. I think the pipe would have heated and flexed had I not done that. My drum was for a wide thickness sander and it is 32” long.