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I use 80/20 (this is a version 80/20 ready tube with a wooden option) all the time at work to build temporary (and sometimes permanent) desks, tables, cabinets,

by elil17 4y ago

I use 80/20 (this is a version 80/20 ready tube with a wooden option) all the time at work to build temporary (and sometimes permanent) desks, tables, cabinets, and test stands. There are a few advantages of predrilled hardware like this: 1) Holes always line up (don’t need to worry about drilling off-center) 2) only one tool needed (bandsaw to cut to length), reduces how many people need to get safety training on other tools 3) compatibility across a wide variety of components (brackets, rollers, etc) 4) quickly reposition furniture without the need for any power tools 5) no measuring, just count holes I would view this as having a few applications for home use: 1) anyone who moves frequently - easy to flat pack everything, easy to customize for a new space 2) Anyone may want to build temporary for various projects (e.g. sewing table this month, drafting table the next) Not sure about cleaning for home applications. At work we just spray everything down but perhaps you could use grommets.

ilyt 4y ago
80/20 and other T/V slotted things seems like better approach for system like that
- convolvatron 4y ago
  I've started collecting a system of 1" steel tube (sadly now 3USD/ft). make little 90 degree clamps out of 1 1/4 tube (w/ 1/8 walls) that have been cut down the middle the long way. weld little flanges on em and tap one side. now you can pretty much go wild. desktop? throw some of the 1 1/4 on the bottom and you can just plug in the legs. monitor? make a bracket with a 10cm x 10cm vest plate welded on. wall panels in wood or steel with 1" backing frames? make some clamps with 2 1/2 and 1/4 wall tube the 1/16 wall tube is fairly easy to cut with a manual hacksaw. get a portaband if you are spending too much time. I really do think everyone is easily capable of learning to do this kind of work with a minimal investment of time and tooling and really can't imagine why people don't just make their own shelving and other basic furniture.
  - elil17 4y ago
    It does have a higher first cost. You can buy a cheap Ikea desk for $50. Building the same thing out of 8020 would cost you over $60 just for the extrusion. Than you would need fasteners, a tabletop, etc. Or you could just buy a nicer looking/more durable commercially available desk for that money. Unless of course you have a specific need for that flexibility/reuseability.
- elil17 4y ago
  You can't really make wooden slotted extrusion though. There are also cases where getting things level quickly is super important, which is harder to do with slotted extrusion.
blacksmith_tb 4y ago
"Lining up" is a huge time-saver - compare making some shelves out of wood, where you will want to be fairly careful to measure the position of each shelf on each side to make them square and level, with "count 20 holes down on each side" (and I say this as someone who mostly knocks things together out of wood since I have more of it around - but still admire the Lego-esque predictability of extrusions).

by elil17 4y ago

ilyt 4y ago

80/20 and other T/V slotted things seems like better approach for system like that

convolvatron 4y ago
I've started collecting a system of 1" steel tube (sadly now 3USD/ft). make little 90 degree clamps out of 1 1/4 tube (w/ 1/8 walls) that have been cut down the middle the long way. weld little flanges on em and tap one side. now you can pretty much go wild. desktop? throw some of the 1 1/4 on the bottom and you can just plug in the legs. monitor? make a bracket with a 10cm x 10cm vest plate welded on. wall panels in wood or steel with 1" backing frames? make some clamps with 2 1/2 and 1/4 wall tube the 1/16 wall tube is fairly easy to cut with a manual hacksaw. get a portaband if you are spending too much time. I really do think everyone is easily capable of learning to do this kind of work with a minimal investment of time and tooling and really can't imagine why people don't just make their own shelving and other basic furniture.
- elil17 4y ago
  It does have a higher first cost. You can buy a cheap Ikea desk for $50. Building the same thing out of 8020 would cost you over $60 just for the extrusion. Than you would need fasteners, a tabletop, etc. Or you could just buy a nicer looking/more durable commercially available desk for that money. Unless of course you have a specific need for that flexibility/reuseability.
elil17 4y ago
You can't really make wooden slotted extrusion though. There are also cases where getting things level quickly is super important, which is harder to do with slotted extrusion.

blacksmith_tb 4y ago

"Lining up" is a huge time-saver - compare making some shelves out of wood, where you will want to be fairly careful to measure the position of each shelf on each side to make them square and level, with "count 20 holes down on each side" (and I say this as someone who mostly knocks things together out of wood since I have more of it around - but still admire the Lego-esque predictability of extrusions).