DIY Steel Tubing/Materials

[Chad_C]

I've searched far and wide and frankly I give up.

In a cockpit discussion thread a member linked to a site (it's not even in my history on my iPad, iPhone, FireFox, Chrome, Safari, etc. and it's MADDENING) that sells steel tubing that interlocks, it appeared, without welding. It may have even slid together through a channel of some sort.

I really hope I didn't have a dream about this and someone out there may be able to help. I also thought that if someone identifies the aforementioned company, a DIY thread about materials would be great. Unless of course there is one and I completely missed it.

 

[Jajo5]

I've searched far and wide and frankly I give up.

In a cockpit discussion thread a member linked to a site (it's not even in my history on my iPad, iPhone, FireFox, Chrome, Safari, etc. and it's MADDENING) that sells steel tubing that interlocks, it appeared, without welding. It may have even slid together through a channel of some sort.

I really hope I didn't have a dream about this and someone out there may be able to help. I also thought that if someone identifies the aforementioned company, a DIY thread about materials would be great. Unless of course there is one and I completely missed it.

https://www.gtplanet.net/forum/showthread.php?t=132467

?

 

[Chad_C]

https://www.gtplanet.net/forum/showthread.php?t=132467

?

It was square tubing. The manufacturer's site even had pictures of how its used to prefab stuff. Oh it's driving me insane! I appreciate the effort.

I keep thinking it was called "2T" or something like that. If I could search for all threads that contained "DIY" I could probably find it on my own but I think that is too short of a query for the site's search engine.

 

[Doodz]

You're probably thinking of 80/20 aluminum extrusion.

http://www.8020.net/

 

[RC45]

wrong thread - please delete

 

[Chad_C]

You're probably thinking of 80/20 aluminum extrusion.

http://www.8020.net/

That's it!

Thank you! Wow what a relief.

 

[nicka117]

8020 is awesome stuff to work with. The engineering behind it is brilliant.

 

[Chad_C]

8020 is awesome stuff to work with. The engineering behind it is brilliant.

That's good to hear. I'm going to design my own cockpit to save some $$ and get just what I want.

 

[nicka117]

Make sure to design adjustability into the cockpit because to get the perfect seating position/tilt/height, steering position/tilt/height, pedal position/tilt/height, you actually have to sit in it. You will not be able to CAD or sketch out the perfect size.

Make sure you understand how to make it stable without over-engineering. The key is knowing how the extrusions will flex. One of many examples: if you don't design the steering column/seat rail connection properly the steering posts will act as big levers and twist the rails, which allows the steering platform to have too much lateral movement. Another example: you need to make sure the main rails have enough rigidity to have minimum "bowing" if you have a load cell brake mod. These are only two of many mistakes you can make. I've built about 15 8020 frames and I've made all the mistakes.

If you design properly, the frame will have more stability, less weight, more adjustability and cost less than commercial frames. If you design poorly, you will end up ordering way too many parts you don't need, as well as suffer in the above areas, especially the expense.

The best place to source the 8020 is the 8020 ebay site because you can get some of the parts cheaper and you don't have to go through a distributer.

 

[Chad_C]

Make sure to design adjustability into the cockpit because to get the perfect seating position/tilt/height, steering position/tilt/height, pedal position/tilt/height, you actually have to sit in it. You will not be able to CAD or sketch out the perfect size.

Make sure you understand how to make it stable without over-engineering. The key is knowing how the extrusions will flex. One of many examples: if you don't design the steering column/seat rail connection properly the steering posts will act as big levers and twist the rails, which allows the steering platform to have too much lateral movement. Another example: you need to make sure the main rails have enough rigidity to have minimum "bowing" if you have a load cell brake mod. These are only two of many mistakes you can make. I've built about 15 8020 frames and I've made all the mistakes.

If you design properly, the frame will have more stability, less weight, more adjustability and cost less than commercial frames. If you design poorly, you will end up ordering way too many parts you don't need, as well as suffer in the above areas, especially the expense.

The best place to source the 8020 is the 8020 ebay site because you can get some of the parts cheaper and you don't have to go through a distributer.

Thanks for sharing this info nicka117, I really do appreciate it, and I'm sure any other forum member reading your post will as well.

 

[.Hz]

nicka117 could you post some plans and pictures of your succesfully designed and built rigs using the 80/20 stuff?

Chad I think I found the link you were originally talking about: https://www.gtplanet.net/forum/showthread.php?t=154895

Using mostly all metal w/ the 80/20 would be my preference, if there are any plans out there it would be great to share them on here.

Here's a link that has the design and some others: http://blogs.ign.com/cHeShYrKaT/2006/05/08/16599/

 

[nicka117]