Joining loads of aluminium box

[SamWE19]

Oh my bad thought you meant there was a correct way to bolt them.

would a specific size and strength rivet be required?
I looked into riveting and lots of places say aluminium ones aren’t too strong and steel ones are better etc

 

[DarkWeb]

Oh my bad thought you meant there was a correct way to bolt them.

would a specific size and strength rivet be required?
I looked into riveting and lots of places say aluminium ones aren’t too strong and steel ones are better etc

Just keep it simple.....I would run the 3 long pieces as one continuous length if you can. And stainless hardware with nylock nuts.

What kind of weight will it be supporting?

 

[SamWE19]

Just keep it simple.....I would run the 3 long pieces as one continuous length if you can. And stainless hardware with nylock nuts.

What kind of weight will it be supporting?

Just the light fixture it’s self which would be
4m long x 1m wide.
90 Samsung f strips 2fters attached to it.

just want it to be secure enough so it doesn’t bow in the middle

 

[DarkWeb]

Just the light fixture it’s self which would be
4m long x 1m wide.
90 Samsung f strips 2fters attached to it.

just want it to be secure enough so it doesn’t bow in the middle

I don't know what 90 f strips would weigh. How are you hanging it? Can you support in the middle also?

 

[SamWE19]

I don't know what 90 f strips would weigh. How are you hanging it? Can you support in the middle also?

Yeah I’m not sure on their wieght either but yeah I can hang every 30cm if I need to but the less pulleys the better

 

[1212ham]

Never heard of anyone making a light 4 meters long. The typical approach would be 3 lights using 1120mm long strips.

 

[meangreengrowinmachine]

You reckon aluminium angles will be strong enough?
I want to make it into one fixture 4m long by 1m wide don’t want it bending that’s why I went for the box

Not to nay say.... but your trying to make ONE fixture that is 12 feet by 3 feet... how in the world would you ever move or handle that thing? It would much easier making a few smaller fixtures. Even a full 5 x 5 fixture is a pain in the ass to hang and move i can't imagine trying to deal with this beast of a light.

 

[DarkWeb]

Yeah I’m not sure on their wieght either but yeah I can hang every 30cm if I need to but the less pulleys the better

You need to figure out the weight. Without that you can't figure out the frame.

Mounting points can be moved in from the ends to cantilever some weight.

 

[SamWE19]

Not to nay say.... but your trying to make ONE fixture that is 12 feet by 3 feet... how in the world would you ever move or handle that thing? It would much easier making a few smaller fixtures. Even a full 5 x 5 fixture is a pain in the ass to hang and move i can't imagine trying to deal with this beast of a light.

I would build it in 1m2 sections and then connect the 4 pieces together in place attach to pullys and hoist.

much easier than way so I can lower and raise them at the same time without them swinging back and forth into each other

 

[DarkWeb]

I would build it in 1m2 sections and then connect the 4 pieces together in place attach to pullys and hoist.

much easier than way so I can lower and raise them at the same time without them swinging back and forth into each other

Yeah that's gonna be way more work more expence and have more points of failure.

 

[Rocket Soul]

You reckon aluminium angles will be strong enough?
I want to make it into one fixture 4m long by 1m wide don’t want it bending that’s why I went for the box

Think about the weight, how to raise and lower and if you can

You reckon aluminium angles will be strong enough?
I want to make it into one fixture 4m long by 1m wide don’t want it bending that’s why I went for the box

Two mm alu t-channel is bloody sturdy. The L-channel or angle does sag a bit. T is super sturdy, youll be able to do pull ups on that. But watch out for total weight, and the inevitable re-work that allways happens. Four meters is unnecesarily large, both for hanging, raising and lowering, uneven cannopies and if you ever had to transport it or fit it to another space.

 

[SamWE19]

Yeah that's gonna be way more work more expence and have more points of failure.

So you reckon I should just get 4m long pieces of angle?

I was originally gonna do that but now that I think about it I thought making it in 1m sections would make it stronger but I must have been having a stoner moment

 

[SamWE19]

Think about the weight, how to raise and lower and if you can

Two mm alu t-channel is bloody sturdy. The L-channel or angle does sag a bit. T is super sturdy, youll be able to do pull ups on that. But watch out for total weight, and the inevitable re-work that allways happens. Four meters is unnecesarily large, both for hanging, raising and lowering, uneven cannopies and if you ever had to transport it or fit it to another space.

It’s a sog straight flower clones 4 per sqft setup. I don’t plan on any uneven canopies

 

[SamWE19]

I can get those T channels for a decent price. 2mm thick but does the width matter?

 

[DarkWeb]

So you reckon I should just get 4m long pieces of angle?

I was originally gonna do that but now that I think about it I thought making it in 1m sections would make it stronger but I must have been having a stoner moment

You need to figure out the weight. That will determine what profile and wall thickness.

 

[Rocket Soul]

I can get those T channels for a decent price. 2mm thick but does the width matter?

i think we used around an inch or so on both ways if that makes sense. Thirty mm or so. youd have to check and make sure yourself. But once you have that extra bit of metal instead of a standard L it drasticly changes stability. its a bit lie how corrugated plastic is much harder and than just standard sheet. Did the first builds with L, tried T and never went back. When you see it yourself, in your own hands youll see why, its hard to explain. but please due diligence, im not sure exactly how much weight and what your planning on. also we kept it to between two and three meters.

 

[SamWE19]

i think we used around an inch or so on both ways if that makes sense. Thirty mm or so. youd have to check and make sure yourself. But once you have that extra bit of metal instead of a standard L it drasticly changes stability. its a bit lie how corrugated plastic is much harder and than just standard sheet. Did the first builds with L, tried T and never went back. When you see it yourself, in your own hands youll see why, its hard to explain. but please due diligence, im not sure exactly how much weight and what your planning on. also we kept it to between two and three meters.

Cheers I’ll go overboard on the siZe to be sure but If I understand the science correctly the span would actually be between the two hangers so if I do have issues with bowing I can just add more hangers evenly spread out can’t I?

 

[DarkWeb]

Cheers I’ll go overboard on the siZe to be sure but If I understand the science correctly the span would actually be between the two hangers so if I do have issues with bowing I can just add more hangers evenly spread out can’t I?

Overboard = more weight.....you might be best to talk to someone local to you if it's too much.

 

[Rocket Soul]

Cheers I’ll go overboard on the siZe to be sure but If I understand the science correctly the span would actually be between the two hangers so if I do have issues with bowing I can just add more hangers evenly spread out can’t I?

im sorry im not sure if i can picture what you wanna do. All i can say is that Ts have much much more stability than Ls. if you no matter which way you turn it the T will have extra support: if weight is leaning on the 'roof' of the t then the trunk will give loads of support. if you turn it over and use the 'trunk' for support weight then the part of the 'roof' underneath the side lying 'trunk' will give support.

 

[SamWE19]

im sorry im not sure if i can picture what you wanna do. All i can say is that Ts have much much more stability than Ls. if you no matter which way you turn it the T will have extra support: if weight is leaning on the 'roof' of the t then the trunk will give loads of support. if you turn it over and use the 'trunk' for support weight then the part of the 'roof' underneath the side lying 'trunk' will give support.

very crude drawing but this is what I mean.

it should be all about the hangers as far as I understand it.
First has 2 hangers and wieght bows in middle
So you add more hangers and the weights load is spread out on 3 supports which stops the bow