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80/20 Aluminum T-slot Building Systems – Build your Idea

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Re: 80/20 Aluminum T-slot Building Systems – Build your Idea

#111

Post by thecrumb »

nimajneb wrote: post #99
phasetransition wrote: post #24

If 80/20 is new to you, then you might also be unfamiliar with its steel channeled cousin, Unistrut. https://www.unistrut.us/ Unistrut is used extensively in the US to build support structures for electrical switchgear and process equipment. You can get grades suitable for outdoor and corrosives exposure. Unistrut is the Kleenex term, there are a number of work-alike / fit-alike systems. Then for round tube, there is…

I just put the metal strut in my Honda Ridgeline truck as rails to attach tie down stuff to. Hopefully it works well for me.

Got details? I have a ridgeline as well and was curious about doing something like this with a track.

Re: 80/20 Aluminum T-slot Building Systems – Build your Idea

#112

Post by joshe »

jbay808 wrote: post #82

In Japanese hardware stores last year I spotted a new type of aluminum extrusion called "G-fun" by the "SUS" company, which is vastly superior in terms of rigidity and interconnection options: https://g-fun.jp/ However, I can't find it anywhere in North America.

This might be the US version:

https://leanfactoryamerica.com/brand/green-frame/

The site mentioned "green frame" and googling found this, seems to be a licensor, since they have a brochure with "SUS" on it.

Looks cool, thanks for mentioning it.

Re: 80/20 Aluminum T-slot Building Systems – Build your Idea

#113

Post by jchw »

saalweachter wrote: post #107
idiotsecant wrote: post #101

Earlier quoted context omitted.

There is definitely an art to making accurate bends, especially in more than one plane! I have never had more respect for the conduit work electricians do every day with EMT than when I tried to learn how to do it myself.

DIY is a great way to learn what you're willing pay someone else to do a job faster and better.

Not sure why this is getting downvoted, it's true. I have been going down DIY rabbit holes and learning about a lot of stuff that I wouldn't want to DIY. I always thought that list included "AC/electrical work" but, actually, not really, except maybe the service panel itself. If anything, the work I've done is significantly more likely to be up to (current) code than what was already here...

Re: 80/20 Aluminum T-slot Building Systems – Build your Idea

#114

Post by p_l »

shagie wrote: post #88
DoingIsLearning wrote: post #72

When I was a teenager I used to improvise prototypes at home with those generic Meccano sets (small prototypes where the stifness of extrusion frames wasn't needed). Is there any modern equivalent? If I look for Meccano nowadays it seems to have gone the way of Lego, where you only have prescribed construction sets, haven't found generic parts sets. Is there any modern equivalent of Meccano for such an application?

Are you looking for https://www.fischertechnik.de/en/ Things like https://www.amazon.com/fischertechnik-Creative-Box-Basic-Plu... And while many of the kits are "you can build this"... the interesting stuff is at https://www.fischertechnik.de/en/simulating - things like Training Factory Industry 4.0 24V with PLC connection board https://www.fischertechnik.de/en/products/simulating/trainin...

Looks interesting, but uses way more I/O than I expected :O

Re: 80/20 Aluminum T-slot Building Systems – Build your Idea

#115

Post by nimajneb »

thecrumb wrote: post #111
nimajneb wrote: post #99

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I just put the metal strut in my Honda Ridgeline truck as rails to attach tie down stuff to. Hopefully it works well for me.

Got details? I have a ridgeline as well and was curious about doing something like this with a track.

I bought a 10ft long piece of the strut from Lowes. I bought the slotted type, but I should have gotten the one without slots, the springs on the strut washers get stuck on the slots when sliding them. I cut the strut to length, I think it was 4ft. I bought longer bolts too, I think they are M6 and I bought 1 or 1.25 inches. I bought 1/4 inner diameter 1.5 inch outer diameter washers to attach with the strut nuts. I attached some D rings to those. I can answer more questions if you have them. I drive a 2022 Ridgeline for reference.

Re: 80/20 Aluminum T-slot Building Systems – Build your Idea

#116

Post by rasz »

Dries007 wrote: post #27
sschueller wrote: post #19

These types of aluminum extrusions have been used for many years (at least in Europe) in many industries to build all kinds temporary to more permanent structures [1]. Also the reason they ended up in 3d printers as they have been used in other CNC type setups. Oddly enough the Wikipedia article is very thing and not even available in English [2] [1] https://www.kanya.com/fileadmin/_processed_/3/1/csm_kanya-ag... [2]…

I think this is the equivalent page: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/T-slot_structural_framing

I just merged them in wikidata

Re: 80/20 Aluminum T-slot Building Systems – Build your Idea

#117

Post by [deleted] »

peteradio wrote: post #76
FatActor wrote: post #71

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Depends on the job. Cutting unistrut is far more challenging than 80/20, it weighs a lot, and the connectors are expensive because they are engineered to bear significant loads. 80/20 is a little pricier per foot but it is much, much easier to work with for applications that don't need to withstand a nuclear strike.

Not sure if the throat is large enough but a portable electric bandsaw would be able to chew through the unistrut steel and in the jobs I've used them on they are precise enough.

[deleted]

Re: 80/20 Aluminum T-slot Building Systems – Build your Idea

#119

Post by sircastor »

willis936 wrote: post #47
iancmceachern wrote: post #31

Also check out Misumi. They will cut it to length, tap, drill holes, etc all just by configuring it woth part numbers. They Lso have pre made assemblies, you can get it in black anodized, and the pricing can't be beat, it's an order of magnitude less than other suppliers when you get the customizations. Also check out Vention, they'll design and build a whole machine for you using the stuff

A coworker of mine told me about Misumi last week. They're pretty amazing and the prices are surprisingly great.

Many years ago, they had a deal running where if you were a new customer they were willing to send you something like $150 worth of materials for the cost of shipping. I bought some 1515 extrusions to build my second 3D Printer, along with some linear rail. It was really great.

Re: 80/20 Aluminum T-slot Building Systems – Build your Idea

#120

Post by sircastor »

shagie wrote: post #88
DoingIsLearning wrote: post #72

When I was a teenager I used to improvise prototypes at home with those generic Meccano sets (small prototypes where the stifness of extrusion frames wasn't needed). Is there any modern equivalent? If I look for Meccano nowadays it seems to have gone the way of Lego, where you only have prescribed construction sets, haven't found generic parts sets. Is there any modern equivalent of Meccano for such an application?

Are you looking for https://www.fischertechnik.de/en/ Things like https://www.amazon.com/fischertechnik-Creative-Box-Basic-Plu... And while many of the kits are "you can build this"... the interesting stuff is at https://www.fischertechnik.de/en/simulating - things like Training Factory Industry 4.0 24V with PLC connection board https://www.fischertechnik.de/en/products/simulating/trainin...

I have piles (4 boxes!) of Fischer Technik in my garage that belonged to my father. He always loved it as a prototyping toy, and thought it to be a much better system than LEGO - which it probably was for construction, but not for kids randomly playing with stuff. I'm not really sure what to do with it all these days...
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