Re: ATM 80/20

["S.Duncan" <swduncan@worldnet.att.net>]

Jeff, keep in mind that this stuff is sold to businesses, who are
usually billing someone else for it. It is NOT cheap. For example, a 60"
peice of the 1020 stock (1" x 2") goes for about $18. It does not take
any time at all to get up into the 3 figure range.

Now, on the other hand, the stuff is a dream to work with. If you do
your layout right, and have the vendor cut the peices for you, you
basically recieve a bolt together kit.

Yes, it is designed to be very rigid.

Jeff Crilly wrote:
> 
> At 11:38 AM 5/14/97 -0600, SWDuncan wrote:
> ...
> >I was going to use sort of a truss tube design, only with one member. My
> >company over-bought on some 80/20 aluminum extrusion that would make a good
> >backbone - I could mount everything off of it, and then make a light shroud
> >around it.
> >
> >This would also make it easier to experiment with baffles, etc. AND I don't
> >have to hunt around for a tube of the right OD & wall thickness.
> >
> >The problem is that the 'stick' has a much lower moment of inertia (sort
> of a a
> >measure of stiffness) than a large, thin-walled tube. Since tubes are used
> all
> >the time that wouldn't be a problem, but with the bar, I wanted to check it
> >out.
> >
> >
> 
> Fyi.. these 80/20 guys are at http://serv1.fwi.com/8020/
> 
> This 80/20 stuff looks great.  I'm thinking about building some
> sort of 'yoke' equatorial mount for an 8" dob I have.  And I'm considering
> building the whole thing out of aluminum and some bearings.
> With this 80/20 stuff I could cut down on a lot of time cutting/drilling and
> fitting.
> 
> Is this stuff expensive?  My guess is that its somewhat rigid.  Is it?
> 
> jeff