Flange question

I just started pumping a few days ago in the low-pressure, short-time, and intermittent jelqing style. My tube has an internal flange at the base, and once I’ve been under pressure for a couple minutes, the flange starts to dig into the base of my shaft. It is rather uncomfortable, and is even painful if I go up to 4 in hg or more of pressure for more than a minute. When I come out, it leaves a thin red ring around my base.

Is this normal? What are the advantages or disadvantages to having an internal flange?

Ouch. What kind of cylinder is it? I have a rimmed cylinder, but the flange is on the outside, which seems better to me. I guess an internal flange would reduce the potential for nuts going into the tube, but it seems like there are silicon sleeves and other, gentler options, if that is an issue.

If I am picturing this correctly, the opening between the inside edges of the flange is the narrowest part of your tube. If that diameter is smaller than the tube size you were aiming for, you might have an undersized cylinder.

It’s a LeLuv cylinder. The ID is 1.50” in most of the tube but at the flange the ID is about 1.40”. I’ve already got the 1.75” on the way, of the same company, so that will at least give me a 1.65” ID at the base, and something to comfortably pump with for a while. I was thinking maybe constricting the base would have a clamping-like effect that some people might be after? Or maybe it’s only purpose is to give a better seal and protect the nuts.

I see now they do make a “TPR Sleeve” to prevent the internal flange from digging into the skin, might help with the pain but it would still constrict the base diameter even further. I might try it out anyway. Looks like I might be developing quite the tube collection if I have to get a LAP next.

Bearded: It’s a typical problem. You need a cushion. Pumpboys has a silicon one that runs about $60. However you can do one of several tricks. Lowes sells a dipping silcon that you dip the end into and let it dry, add enough coats to build it up. Another trick that I came up with it to buy a smooth motorcycle innertube (Used is best) that has no ribs. Cut yourself a 4-5” piece and tuck half of it into the cylinder and fold the other half on the outside of the cylinder. Works well.

That flange is supposed to relieve the digging into your skin. Unless I’m visualizing thing wrong.

Let us know how you do.

Thanks I’ll figure something out.. maybe it could be sanded down too. I just got my 1.75” tube in the mail from the same company, and I have gotta say it looks like a much better tube, so there is some variation in their product. There is no internal flange, and instead there’s more of an external rounded acrylic bead, similar in shape to some of the higher quality tubes I’ve seen while researching the last couple days. It’s got a few minor rough spots on the inside of the base though, revealing its cheapness. I’m happy with it, especially compared to the 1.50” razordick model I was using. If I ever grow the nearly 1 inch of girth I would need to run into the rough spots, I will happily upgrade in quality next time I order a new tube.

Well, the 1.75” was too big for me, and I got nutsack/ball suction. I’ll try it again once I get a sleeve/cushion, but it’ll probably be on the shelf for a while until I grow into it.

For the meantime, I filed and sanded off about 3 millimeters from the internal flange of the 1.50” tube. It’s a work in progress with some rough edges, but functional for now. Way more comfortable than the original. I’m going to file about one more millimeter next week, then finish with a several sessions of progressively finer sanding to get it perfectly smooth.