[HN Gopher] 80/20 Aluminum T-slot Building Systems - Build your ...
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80/20 Aluminum T-slot Building Systems - Build your Idea
 
Author : thunderbong
Score  : 255 points
Date   : 2023-01-29 12:03 UTC (10 hours ago)
 
web link (8020.net)
w3m dump (8020.net)
 
| ur-whale wrote:
| I you're close to the EU, I recommend these guys:
| 
| https://www.motedis.com/en
| 
| They'll pre-cut everything you need and send it to you.
| 
| If you're into aluminum extrusions, here's a sample:
| 
| https://www.motedis.com/en/Slot-profiles
 
| hinkley wrote:
| There's a guy on YouTube who makes conversion vans using this
| stuff. He has figured out a bunch of tricks with it, but the one
| thing I feel like he hasn't figured out is that he's losing a
| cubic foot per cabinet by not exploiting the void behind the
| posts.
 
| sgt wrote:
| I recently used aluminium extrusions to build a window. Built a
| "perfect" frame, stuffed glazing putty into the spaces, then fit
| a glass in, which I had cut to size. Needed a DIY job as it was
| just for my garden house. There's more to a proper window than
| _just_ the glass and frame.
 
| Quequau wrote:
| I wonder how much outfits like Send Cut Send are eating into
| 80/20's market share. I know I've used laser cut sheet stock for
| a few projects that probably would have used aluminium extrusions
| in the past.
 
  | doctorwho42 wrote:
  | Probably not as much as Chinese extrusions have. You can find
  | some pretty cheap and compatible aluminum extrusion on the
  | internet these days. Ebay used to be the best, but now there
  | are dedicated websites and everything. Extrusions have never
  | been cheaper
 
    | fbnlsr wrote:
    | Are you sure? I've been looking at getting myself a sim
    | racing rig made of aluminium extrusion and prices have
    | skyrocketed in the past couple of years.
    | 
    | I'd love to get some links on those cheaper extrusion
    | websites you're talking about.
 
  | ama5322 wrote:
  | I doubt much if we think decades. Sheet stock has always been
  | used in conjunction to modular systems such as these, via
  | manual or CNC machining (slots and holes are trivial to do).
  | The advantage of a modular system such as these is the ability
  | to build a scaffold with only straight cuts and a few off-the-
  | shelf connectors.
  | 
  | In most cases you need a sheet metal press to form a scaffold
  | out of _just_ sheet metal.
  | 
  | For anything structural (ie: when thickness matters), the price
  | of custom-cut sheet stock is not that competitive anymore.
  | 
  | The price of machine-cut metal sheet has dropped quite a bit
  | the last years though. I think it's filling a new niche, not
  | really replacing the space of modular extrusions.
 
| strken wrote:
| I've been looking at aluminium extrusion videos on youtube for
| the past half-hour trying to work out how the dies have a
| circular void in the middle.
| 
| Turns out it's a second die (called a mandrel) that locks into
| the main die (called a cap), and the hot pressurised aluminium
| flows around the mandrel then forms back into one piece as it
| goes through the cap.
 
  | raisedbyninjas wrote:
  | Same as the play-dough tube extruder.
 
  | MengerSponge wrote:
  | It's the same as pasta, but with different temperatures and
  | tolerances!
 
  | iancmceachern wrote:
  | The coolest part (pun intended) is how they cool the semi-
  | melted aluminum after extrusion, in long tanks of water, that
  | have no sides, the sides are made from water pressure made from
  | directing water flow.
 
    | engineer_22 wrote:
    | Please provide a link, this sounds insane
 
      | iancmceachern wrote:
      | This is the best I could find quickly:
      | https://m.alibaba.com/product/1600594223702/Quench-
      | Cooling-T...
 
| rco8786 wrote:
| Anybody into sim racing will be intimately familiar with this
| system. Very strong, very versatile.
 
  | philjohn wrote:
  | Came here to say the same thing. So many pre-made kits using
  | it, and plenty of people who DIY a sim racing cockpit with it.
  | SimRacingGarage has reviewed some 6DOF rigs which use 8020 at
  | their core.
 
| sam_goody wrote:
| The wooden GridBeam system was trending a few hours ago, and I
| assume it reminded someone to post this.
| 
| But if you missed it, and these things interest you, check that
| out as well: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=34565675
 
| tguvot wrote:
| Spent last couple of weeks browsing this site and other 80/20
| sites. There is an online cad program specially made for 80/20
| https://item.engineering/AUen/tools/engineeringtool/ . And some
| guy who makes woodworking jigs from extruded aluminum
| https://www.youtube.com/@jisakukobo/videos
 
| 14 wrote:
| Last I checked it was hard or expensive after shipping and duty
| to get this stuff. I am on Vancouver Island and would love to get
| some of this stuff. Made me even consider starting a business
| selling it.
 
| pitched wrote:
| The reason I haven't used these for a few past projects is that
| they can't quite hold up under human-scale weights (1). Would be
| awesome to have something like this but steel!
| 
| 1: https://us.misumi-ec.com/pdf/fa/2010/p2433.pdf
 
  | johnwalkr wrote:
  | That's only really useful to compare sizes. Normally you just
  | build your structure with as many supports etc as needed. And
  | 30 degree, 60 degree, 90 degree etc connecting pieces are
  | standard to add support struts.
 
  | toss1 wrote:
  | I've used 80/20 for a number of projrcts, but for a larger
  | project I found this steel square/rectangular tube system from
  | Flex Craft works well. No relation other than satisfied
  | customer. The people are also great to work with.
  | 
  | [0] flex-craft.com
 
  | kris_wayton wrote:
  | The chart doesn't seem to account for the profiles that only
  | have a slot on 1 or 2 sides versus all 4. I would guess those
  | are quite a bit stronger. Like this one:
  | https://8020.net/media/catalog/product/cache/9208ae76a38c408...
  | 
  | Edit: Their calculator shows the same exact deflection with the
  | same weight, so maybe not, though that seems odd to me.
  | https://8020.net/deflection-calculator
 
  | quickthrowman wrote:
  | You're looking for metal framing channel aka Unistrut (brand
  | name) aka strut (trade name). 12 ga steel is going to be far
  | stronger than extruded aluminum. It's heavily used in
  | commercial and industrial construction.
 
  | zeroping wrote:
  | You might look into Unistrut or the other compatible steel
  | strut channel.
 
  | MengerSponge wrote:
  | I've used all kinds of 8020 frames for things much larger and
  | heavier than humans. You just have to use larger cross-section
  | members:
  | https://www.facebook.com/229125947114533/photos/pb.100063454...
 
    | pitched wrote:
    | That's what the chart I linked says. To stand on a 1m length
    | suspended on both ends, a 2060 might work but a 2080 should
    | be safe. That's just a bit smaller than a much cheaper wooden
    | 1x4 though.
 
| chendii wrote:
| The popular open source option is www.openbuildspartstore.com
| Availible via many resellers worldwide and even cloned.
 
| IshKebab wrote:
| The best place I've found in the UK to get aluminium extrusion is
| KJN aluminium: https://www.aluminium-profile.co.uk/
| 
| They do Item and Bosch-Rexroth compatible extrusions for a
| reasonable price. I'd probably go with Item because the official
| BR stuff is a rip off and sooner or later you might want to buy
| "official" parts.
 
| viciousvoxel wrote:
| Great to have another T-slot build system. Seems slightly pricier
| than Makerbeam but a lot more profile sizes and options in
| general. I wish there were more kits in their catalog.
 
  | 542458 wrote:
  | 80/20 has been around since the late 80s, and are kinda the
  | "classic" brand-name in aluminum extrusions. Popular for trade
  | shows and the like. They tend to be on the more expensive side
  | compared to Misumi or other brands, but you can sometimes find
  | them cheap used on Craigslist.
 
    | kris_wayton wrote:
    | There's a US anti-dumping embargo on extruded aluminum, which
    | seems to keep the price high.
 
| js2 wrote:
| As an example of how you can use this stuff, here's a home-
| theater screen frame with built-in horizontal masking, and plans
| on how it could be extended to 4-way masking:
| 
| https://www.avsforum.com/threads/smx-simple-masking-experien...
 
| LightRailTycoon wrote:
| If you live near a Grainger or other industry supplier that will
| sell to the public, it's much cheaper without shipping.
 
| sschueller wrote:
| 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] https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Konstruktionsprofil (German)
 
  | Dries007 wrote:
  | I think this is the equivalent page:
  | 
  | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/T-slot_structural_framing
 
    | rasz wrote:
    | I just merged them in wikidata
 
| neilv wrote:
| One of my startups used 80/20 successfully for the mechanical
| structure of our networked factory stations (along with
| industrial PC and sensors).
| 
| Designed, tested, refined&tuned, and built in Cambridge (USA).
| Then broken down simply, to fit in a few pieces in boxes for
| flight, and reassembled at the factory in Asia.
 
| post_break wrote:
| Try tnutz.com. I found them much cheaper for building stuff. They
| cut it for you as well. Had to build some stuff for my truck and
| they were the cheapest.
 
| chiefalchemist wrote:
| Intriguing. But the concept is new to me, and I found the site
| not very n00b friendly.
| 
| My initial questions are:
| 
| Can I use it to build a greenhouse? And how much would that cost?
| 
| I couldn't find anything comparable, and left.
 
  | himinlomax wrote:
  | Simple square aluminium tubing would be cheaper and with
  | similar characteristics for this application. You can assemble
  | them quite easily with a drill and bolts/nuts/washers of the
  | appropriate size.
  | 
  | The advantage these profiles have is that they are more
  | precise, are more easily adjusted and allow for a wide range of
  | connections.
 
    | convolvatron wrote:
    | Add a portable bandsaw to your collection and raw stock is
    | probably ultimately more adaptable
 
      | linsomniac wrote:
      | I've done all of my extrusion cuts using my miter saw with
      | just the stock wood blade, I go a bit slow and the cut is
      | basically indistinguishable from the factory cuts. I assume
      | it'd do as well on tube stock, but if I was cutting large
      | diameter solid stock I'd probably go with a non-ferrous
      | blade.
 
  | tinco wrote:
  | You could but it would be extremely expensive, and not as
  | strong as a steel construction. If you are building a robot
  | that tends to the plants in your greenhouse however, this is a
  | great material to both build the skeleton of the robot, and the
  | structure that holds your plants. It allows you to quickly
  | prototype in a very precise and lightweight manner.
 
    | chiefalchemist wrote:
    | Thanks. Still intriguing, but now for other ideas / projects.
    | I wish the site was more transparent on their sweet spot.
 
      | sgc wrote:
      | The sweet spot for extrusions is usually convenient
      | precision. If you don't need relatively high precision and
      | accuracy, they are often overkill.
 
        | chiefalchemist wrote:
        | Well, it's a cool tech-y look as well.
 
| iancmceachern wrote:
| 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
 
  | ddulaney wrote:
  | A former employer swore by FramingTech:
  | https://www.framingtech.com/
  | 
  | Their super power was that you could ship them a SolidWorks
  | file with assembly steps marked, then they would bag all of the
  | parts by step (i.e. for step 1 in the build book, use all the
  | parts in bag 1). Also, if you throw money at them you can get
  | it shipped next day, which is a good option to have.
 
  | tootie wrote:
  | I've used openbuilds before. They sell all sorts of aluminum
  | rails, wheels, brackets and motors. And they have a community
  | of designers posting builds for all sorts of machines.
  | 
  | https://openbuildspartstore.com/
 
  | lvl102 wrote:
  | Misumi is the only answer if you are building something with
  | precision. Also checkout accu.co.uk.
 
    | joshvm wrote:
    | Accu are fantastic. They also have European sites and maybe
    | more? Always my goto if we need weird screws and they will
    | also make to order if you need something special.
    | 
    | Edit : I would guess McMaster fills this role in the US, so
    | it's nice to have an alternative here. Also they have a lot
    | of non-standard lengths and things like tiny M2s or even
    | smaller. We used them all the time for machine vision
    | products (cameras often use M2 frame mounts, lenses with itty
    | bitty grub screws).
 
  | willis936 wrote:
  | A coworker of mine told me about Misumi last week. They're
  | pretty amazing and the prices are surprisingly great.
 
    | joshvm wrote:
    | They're pretty common in the 3D print industry. Also check
    | out IGUS, who also do a lot of custom rails/rods. They're
    | probably most well known for their plastic Drylin bearings.
    | The prices are also reasonable for what you can get.
    | 
    | I've been meaning to get some stuff from Makerbeam too, who
    | make 10x10 mm extrusion at a good price (not sure who else
    | makes small width stuff). Oozenest in the UK has a good
    | range.
 
  | w4rh4wk5 wrote:
  | We've used Misumi for a small-scale project and the quality /
  | price ratio was quite good. Would order again from them.
 
| elkos wrote:
| There's a 80/20 DIY Azimuth/Elevation rotator design by the
| SatNOGS team: https://wiki.satnogs.org/SatNOGS_Rotator_v3
| 
| If you have access to a 3D printer and want to build a Az/El
| rotator suitable for LEO satellites it could be a great weekend
| project.
| 
| (You don't have to connect it to the SatNOGS network
| https://network.satnogs.org of course, and you don't need to
| build that to participate in the project)
 
| s1mon wrote:
| If you need to build a CAD model of 8020 frames, Onshape is a
| collaborative, cloud based system which is a bit like Google docs
| and Github for mechanical CAD. There's a bunch of tools to create
| frame systems and they have the 8020 frame profiles built in.
| 
| https://www.onshape.com/en/features/frames
| https://www.onshape.com/en/blog/announcing-onshape-frames
 
| steaktartaar_ wrote:
| I've been building out my sim racing setup with 8020 for the past
| three years. It's a goodsend if you want to build something
| durable, fast and cheap but can't work wood.
 
| DoingIsLearning wrote:
| 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?
 
  | shagie wrote:
  | 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...
 
    | p_l wrote:
    | Looks interesting, but uses way more I/O than I expected :O
 
| jbay808 wrote:
| 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.
 
  | jbay808 wrote:
  | (Addendum: If you're wondering what makes it more rigid than
  | traditional X-shape extrusions, it's partly because the joints
  | are well designed, but mostly because the torsional rigidity of
  | a thin-walled section is proportional to the square of the
  | enclosed loop area):
  | 
  | https://ocw.mit.edu/courses/16-20-structural-mechanics-fall-...
 
  | joshe wrote:
  | 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.
 
| shlubbert wrote:
| Love these guys and used them multiple times to build small
| structures. McMaster-Carr (obviously) also has a ton of handy
| connectors and fasteners: https://www.mcmaster.com/t-slotted-
| framing/
 
| phasetransition wrote:
| 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 Kee Klamp: https://keesystems.com/
 
  | rambambram wrote:
  | I love the Kee Klamp system (or just 'steigerbuis' as we call
  | it here in NL). I built furniture with it in the past, and also
  | a bicycle caravan (https://www.theredpanther.org).
 
  | thetinguy wrote:
  | Also open builds v-slot is excellent
  | https://openbuildspartstore.com/v-slot-linear-rail-1/
 
  | mturmon wrote:
  | Unistrut ("strut") also has trolleys that roll in the track
  | (1). Very useful for overhead roller systems in a workshop. Be
  | very mindful of fastener clearances if installing one.
  | 
  | I don't have the handheld, portable bandsaw ("portaband") that
  | tradespeople usually use to cut strut, so I use a grinder with
  | a cutoff wheel (noisy) or a sawzall with a metal cutting blade
  | (more civilized).
  | 
  | (1) https://unistrutstore.com/1-58-metal-
  | framing/unistrut-p2750....
 
  | alanbernstein wrote:
  | For lighter duty, there is maker pipe: https://makerpipe.com/.
  | it's nice because the bulk of the system is electrical conduit,
  | which I think is one of the cheapest type of beam/tube
  | available.
 
    | 123pie123 wrote:
    | I like this stuff - thanks for sharing
 
    | cwillu wrote:
    | Hmm, especially handy given how simple emt is to bend (hand
    | tool available from any hardware store that sells emt)
 
      | idiotsecant wrote:
      | 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.
 
        | saalweachter wrote:
        | DIY is a great way to learn what you're willing pay
        | someone else to do a job faster and better.
 
        | jchw wrote:
        | 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...
 
    | phasetransition wrote:
    | Kee Klamp for EMT, cool.
 
    | SECProto wrote:
    | > electrical conduit, which I think is one of the cheapest
    | type of beam/tube available.
    | 
    | There have been pretty serious PVC conduit shortages for the
    | last year or two. In construction projects I've worked on,
    | they've had to uprate to (much more expensive) fibreglass
    | conduit as PVC was simply not available.
 
      | idiotsecant wrote:
      | parent post is not taking about pvc, they're talking about
      | EMT.
 
  | FatActor wrote:
  | 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.
 
    | peteradio wrote:
    | 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.
 
      | samtho wrote:
      | Portable electric bandsaw is the tool of choice for most
      | electricians who use Unistrut.
 
      | [deleted]
 
      | lazide wrote:
      | An angle grinder with a cutoff wheel similarly has no
      | issues.
      | 
      | It can be a fire/noise/dust hazard, you wouldn't want to do
      | it in a grassy field or server room, but for any
      | construction site it's easy peasy.
 
  | samtho wrote:
  | I used to work in construction and the electrical trade. I've
  | shown so many people the power of this seemingly esoteric item
  | in the electrical aisle at Home Depot. It's so flexible and you
  | disassemble it with one or two tools depending on which
  | fasteners you use.
 
  | jameshart wrote:
  | Another extremely flexible lighter-weight structural tube
  | fitting standard that's widely available is the 1.5" tubing
  | used for drum racks. Not sure if there's a broader standard
  | that the musical instrument industry is building off there.
  | 
  | Was pleasantly surprised recently to find that the same
  | diameter of fittings was used in an adjustable monitor stand,
  | so if you wanted to mount a cowbell above your dual screen
  | mount the fittings are easily combined.
 
  | [deleted]
 
  | zeroping wrote:
  | Good to keep alternatives in mind. I have found unistrut
  | significantly cheaper when you want to build larger scale or
  | stronger stuff. It's not super versatile, but can still do a
  | lot.
 
    | phasetransition wrote:
    | I've used Unistrut and adjacent (flex-craft) more than 80/20.
    | They all have good use cases.
 
  | nimajneb wrote:
  | 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.
 
    | thecrumb wrote:
    | Got details? I have a ridgeline as well and was curious about
    | doing something like this with a track.
 
      | nimajneb wrote:
      | 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.
 
  | Blackthorn wrote:
  | I knew about 80/20 but this is the first I've heard of
  | unistrut. Thanks.
 
    | lazide wrote:
    | FYI, most hardware stores will have a selection in their
    | electrical aisle, along with basic threaded connections for
    | 1/2", 3/8", and 1/4" bolts, angle connectors, etc.
 
| londons_explore wrote:
| I want this, but I don't want to pay much more than the raw
| aluminium cost.
| 
| The cost of pushing aluminium through an extrusion die is nearly
| zero. The die cost isn't much anymore in the world of cheap CNC
| machining. And the R&D costs for coming up with the shape
| shouldn't be high (and already paid off years ago).
| 
| So why is that stuff still so expensive??
 
  | simontheowl wrote:
  | By that logic, the lego sets we buy for our kids should also be
  | the cost of plastic ;)
 
  | DoingIsLearning wrote:
  | > So why is that stuff still so expensive??
  | 
  | Bosch Rexroth.
  | 
  | Bosch's extrusion profiles are what people at big co's who need
  | stiffness and don't care about price tag will buy.
  | 
  | My guess is that Bosch warps the whole market up and the
  | competion follows.
 
  | acyou wrote:
  | You used to be able to buy a basic extrusion die in China for
  | $500 and off to the races at $0.80/lbs extrusion cost with
  | 500kg MOQ.
  | 
  | Wonder if there's patent protection on the US sale of that
  | profile?
  | 
  | You still have to cut it, ship it, distribute it, sell it. If
  | you were buying 500 kg, you too could probably find a way to
  | get it cheaply made.
  | 
  | As a counterexample, I will say:
  | 
  | The cost of typing characters on a keyboard is nearly zero. So
  | why is software still so expensive??
 
    | londons_explore wrote:
    | Remember it isn't quite a basic extrusion die because it has
    | a hollow in the middle. I assume that at least requires some
    | fancy 3d shape.
 
    | londons_explore wrote:
    | The patent expired in 2013. (US5429438A)
    | 
    | I wonder if just nobody noticed?
 
      | acyou wrote:
      | I imagine most users are engineers employed by companies.
      | This would tend to decrease the price sensitivity while
      | increasing the desire to go with a brand name.
      | 
      | I see now McMaster-Carr has their own knockoff, they for
      | sure can successfully leverage their reach, reputation and
      | brand recognition to compete. I imagine price must go down
      | once enough people catch on that this is a relatively
      | unprotected commodity and enough reputable players have
      | cross compatible offerings.
      | 
      | https://www.mcmaster.com/products/t-slotted-extrusions
 
  | jvanderbot wrote:
  | Demand. It's ubiquitous. I've seen it in every prototype or
  | mockup or early version of every larger-than-a-breadbox system
  | I've worked on. It's used for lighting, sound systems, camera
  | mounts, even shelving in some cases.
  | 
  | Whenever two or more engineers get together to design
  | something, 80/20 is there in spirit at least.
 
| andrewdubinsky wrote:
| Is this just an ad?
 
| hsnewman wrote:
| Thanks! I'm going to build a bike cart and although Wize has a
| kit, I would rather use my design, this info will help greatly!
 
| furazoball wrote:
| More modern equivalent to 8020 - https://vention.io - really
| great way to get started developing an idea!
 
  | mhb wrote:
  | What does _more modern_ mean?
 
| rjohann wrote:
| I call it lego for the industry. Many 3d printer frames are made
| of it. Sim racing rigs are made of it.
 
  | elteto wrote:
  | I call it legos for adults, with the price tag and everything
  | ;)
 
    | sschueller wrote:
    | I would argue that LEGO is more expensive, way more
    | expensive.
 
    | leobg wrote:
    | So what would be a LEGO for adults _without_ the price tag?
 
      | convolvatron wrote:
      | Just bar, sheet, tube and round steel. Still less than
      | $1/lb
 
      | 111111101101 wrote:
      | PVC pipes and fittings.
 
| maineiac wrote:
| Signed back in for the first time in... years... to add that a
| lot of DIY van / overlander builders are using this stuff! I
| opted for the cheaper but almost-as-good TNutz.com manufacturer
| for my build. Slightly different alloy but totally valid for my
| needs. If you're considering building a van, check out Seven-O-
| Savage on youtube:
| 
| How to build a van with 80/20
| https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XqiroMdqZ0Y
 
  | harryvederci wrote:
  | _Puts wooden chair in house._
  | 
  | How to build a wooden house!
 
  | jorts wrote:
  | So weird I for the first time ever was looking at 80/20 for
  | overlanding and this ends up on HN.
 
| techdragon wrote:
| With all the recommendations flying around, I'd like to seek the
| collective wisdom's advice, as I've been looking for suppliers
| anywhere in the world that make these kinds of metal construction
| framing systems that either make locally in my country or state,
| or have low bulk shipping to it. I've been trying for ages to
| find a way to avoid the significant markup to ship these sorts of
| heavy metal items to Western Australia. I've even been keepin
| regular tabs on local metal extruders and the few theatres have
| extruders in state are pretty much entirely making things for the
| housing/building construction industry and a couple of standard
| garden/industry forms like tube triangle, square, star picket,
| etc...
| 
| Anyone got advice on good suppliers local or global? I'm happy
| waiting a month or three for stuff to arrive from anywhere on the
| globe if it means I don't spend 15-25% on shipping.
 
| am_lu wrote:
| For small stuff there is also makerbeam, 10x10mm sized, uses M3
| fasteners. https://www.makerbeam.com
 
  | techdragon wrote:
  | Unfortunately it's prohibitively expensive for larger
  | "intricate" work projects. Otherwise it's good stuff. Just a
  | little more expensive than I'd like per linear meter.
 
  | [deleted]
 
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