If you just want to try and make your own tubes you can do it super cheap. Go by some lag bolts at your local hardware store, the kind that don't have threads for like 3-6" and cut the threads off the end. By some new plastic, or just get a bunch of old plastics, and a pirex cup (do it ina well ventilated area, like a garage that is open) heat the plastic, if you are reusing old plastics, don't use 3x or berkely powerbait, 3x won't work and powerbait plastic stinks like no other, chop the old plastics up into small pieces, put them in the pirex cup and heat them for like 2 minutes take out and stir, keep heating them up in 1 minute intervals until the plastic is hot, it should be pretty runny when its hot, be careful though you don't want to scorch the plastic, if you scorch it just throw it out and don't breathe the fumes. take the rod that you chopped the threads off and dip it into the pirex, I like 4" tubes, so I make sure I get the rods that would have 4" with the threads off. it might take 1 or 2 dips to get the thickness that you would want in the tails, and 1-2 dips more to thicken up the body. Now the only thing that is going to cost you money is the tail cutter, you can get the tail cutter at lurecraft.com, you could go all out and by the press one for like $100 or so, or a hand one for like $30, I have the hand one. When you cut the tails put the tube on a piece of wood, I use a old 2X4, and cut the tails, you have to press hard to get it to go through all the way.
I make it sound easier than it probably is, dipping will take a little to get used to, when you pull the rod out of the plastic you have to roll it around so the plastic doesn't form a drip and then cool so it looks all deformed, it can be done though so you get perfect tubes, I do it all the time.
