I sold aluminium for two decades the 25.4mm X 1.2mm wall thickness square hollow you used has a habit of splitting in the corners due to the die design for extruding. Also if using this thin section use some large flat washers to spread loads.
There are a number of suppliers that have pre anodised aluminium on the shelf including a 3mm thick sq hollow. Usually 10um anodised is all you can get. 20 to 25um would be better but 10um is better than nothing.
You can pick up small pieces of aluminium from aluminium welding shops just about anywhere.
Also get stainless steel bolts 304 or 316 if you are always by the sea, from a stainless steel supplier to avoid the rubbish bolts normally sold in hardware stores & use Nyloc nuts while at it (which should never be reused).
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I sold aluminium for two decades the 25.4mm X 1.2mm wall thickness square hollow you used has a habit of splitting in the corners due to the die design for extruding. Also if using this thin section use some large flat washers to spread loads.
There are a number of suppliers that have pre anodised aluminium on the shelf including a 3mm thick sq hollow. Usually 10um anodised is all you can get. 20 to 25um would be better but 10um is better than nothing.
You can pick up small pieces of aluminium from aluminium welding shops just about anywhere.
Also get stainless steel bolts 304 or 316 if you are always by the sea, from a stainless steel supplier to avoid the rubbish bolts normally sold in hardware stores & use Nyloc nuts while at it (which should never be reused).
Interesting, I build frames for solar panels on the new Avida motorhomes from this 1.2mm walled 25mm square aluminium tube and weld all the corners and to date I haven't had any splitting problems. the cupboard in two of my motorhomes are built using the plastic bash in joiners and apart from having to find the ones that fit properly without stretching the square tube, that has all held together quite well with no signs of tube splitting. Now you have raised the problem I'm gunna have to look at all the cupboards and solar frames I've built over the yrs to make sure none of them show any signs of faults or failures. The reason fo the frame work on an Avida is because the only solid ponts to mount solar panels are the 40mm square aluminium section that run front to back along the top of the walls. The roof itself is 3mm plywood with polystyrene under it, an air gap and a sheet of aluminium for the inside ceiling so the light fittings etc have something to mount to without falling off ..... well that was their intention anyway
T1 Terry
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It is a very long time since I was in the industry. Maybe they have redesigned the die welds so they are on the sides.
The 25.4mm should really be 1.22mm wall thickness but everything is being made thinner. You should ask for the tolerances for the extrusion as it does change a bit.
If you file the inside edge off a touch it is far easier to knock the corners in.
The corners are ABS plastic & from memory the two leg corner comes in a box of 500. Cheaper to buy bulk if you are using enough of them.
It would be better to have a die cut 26.16mm X 1.6mm wall thickness if you are using enough of the stuff or add flange/s if it helps in manufacturing.
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Procrastination, mankind's greatest labour saving device!
50L custom fuel rack 6x20W 100/20mppt 4x26Ah gel 28L super insulated fridge TPMS 3 ARB compressors heatsink fan cooled 4L tank aftercooler Air/water OCD cleaning 4 stage car acoustic insulation.
Can't really determine where the join is but the wall thickness is 1.25mm and the outside measurement is 25.4mm square. We always remove the burr inside because we cut the pieces with a drop saw and it tends to leave burrs on the inside and out. Make welding a bit hit and miss as well because the gap varies if the burrs are still left on the ends. The mig makes a nice neat weld when I'm doing good welding, there is the occasional grind it out and do it again weld though don't do enough welding these days to keep the magic welds happen every time and I'm getting a bit old and shaky so that doesn't help either :lol:
T1 Terry
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You can lead a head to knowledge but you can't make it think. One day I'll know it all, but till then, I'll keep learning.
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don't do enough welding these days to keep the magic welds happen every time and I'm getting a bit old and shaky so that doesn't help either :lol:
