Guide to DIY with T-Slot Aluminum - Reef2Reef

Guide to DIY with T-Slot Aluminum

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By Zach Friedrichs (@polyppal)&#;
T-Slot aluminum extrusion is an ideal material for building modern, strong tank stands and canopies. And it isn&#;t as difficult as you might think, essentially you are playing with a supersize Erector kit! Using simple fastening methods and careful planning, even an individual with no experience can build a high tech stand quickly and easily!

Standard DIY disclaimers applies - The author is not responsible for anything you build based on information in this article.

Why use T-Slot extrusion over wood?

Building with T-Slot has a number of advantages over building with wood. Aluminum extrusion is stronger and lighter than wood. Once the cuts are made, it can also be put together and taken down easily. And while it isn&#;t exactly cheap, designing and building your own stand need not be overly expensive either.

One of the keys to successfully building your T-Slot stand is careful planning and design. I order my T-Slot and brackets from Zyltech (

profile bar. 30mm x 30mm

What profile (size) do I need?

Profile refers to the size/thickness of the T-Slot bar used. Common profiles are (20mmx20mm) , (30mmx30mm), (40mmx40mm) etc. Aluminum extrusion is very strong, and in most cases you will not need to build with anything over . For example, a 36&#; bar supported on 2 ends can support 3,573 lbs! For very large systems, you might choose a larger profile.

(From left to right) reinforced corner bracket, tee plate, 90 corner plate

How do I attach it?

The simplest way to attach T-Slot is by using external plates or supported corner brackets. These brackets attach to the exterior of the bar, and are anchored in place by T-Bolts and Nuts. I prefer the look and strength of external plates in most situations. They also make it much easier to add slide-in panels between the bars for aesthetic purposes.

So, let's build a stand!

For the purposes of this sample build, we will use the simplest types of external fasteners, plates and corner brackets

In the example build for this article, we will build my custom 68g acrylic tank stand seen here.
(The basic aspects of the tank can easily be duplicated to your specific tank needs).

My custom AIO is 32&#;w x 26&#;d x 20&#;h, holding approx. 68-72 gallons max. Figuring 10 lbs/gal with water/rock/etc, the stand should hold a minimum of 720 lbs. With bar, this could easily be accomplished even without the additional front center braces, but I like to include at least one center brace on med/larger tanks.

The stand height is 32&#;, converting to mm is 813mm, so the stand has 4 bars cut to 813mm.

• The 4 front width top/bottom bars are 753mm (front of tank is 813mm, minus the 30mm bars on the left and right)
• The 4 side top/bottom bars are 600mm (side of tank is 660mm, minus the 30mm bars on the left and right)
• X&#;s denote where corner or center plates are attached. There are a total of 16 90deg plates used on the corners, and 8 Tee Plates used for the inside and outside of the center braces.

Using a Hex wrench and M5 nuts/bolts (M5 for bar, the nut/bolt size will change depending on profile) - loosely thread a bolt on the back of each bolt to attach the plate. Then place the plate over the rail and tighten/hand torque it into position. Tighten the bolts well, but don&#;t over tighten them, it can make them extremely hard to remove if you need to make adjustments or disassemble it!



I had 2 pieces of white acrylic cut that easily slide into place when using exterior plates. These can make nice decorative or mounting features. I also attach a padded neoprene tape to the top of the stand where it meets the tank.

Additional images from the construction of this stand

These are just the basics, once you are comfortable working with it, any number of other features can be included on your T-Slot stands - like lighting canopies, shelving, doors, caster brackets, etc!



I hope this information is helpful to your future T-Slot project endeavors!
- Zach (polyppal)


Some T-Slot suppliers you might consider:

http://.net
Amazon http://amazon.com
Grainger http://grainger.com
Openbuilds http://openbuildspartstore.com
Orange Aluminum http://orangealuminum.com
Parco http://parco-inc.com
Zyltech (my preferred supplier) http://zyltech.com

T-Slot aluminum extrusion is an ideal material for building modern, strong tank stands and canopies. And it isn&#;t as difficult as you might think, essentially you are playing with a supersize Erector kit! Using simple fastening methods and careful planning, even an individual with no experience can build a high tech stand quickly and easily!Building with T-Slot has a number of advantages over building with wood. Aluminum extrusion is stronger and lighter than wood. Once the cuts are made, it can also be put together and taken down easily. And while it isn&#;t exactly cheap, designing and building your own stand need not be overly expensive either.One of the keys to successfully building your T-Slot stand is careful planning and design. I order my T-Slot and brackets from Zyltech ( zyltech.com ), where you can have bars precision cut to specific sizes for a small fee. Other T-Slot suppliers also offer custom cutting services, and I highly recommend this since extrusion can be a challenge to cut precisely on a home miter saw. If you choose to cut the bar yourself, it is recommend to use a blade designed for cutting aluminum extrusion, like a 60-72 tooth carbide tipped triple chip blade. Always use proper eye and safety protection when cutting T-Slot, cutting has a tendency to produce tiny/sharp/hot aluminum shavings!Profile refers to the size/thickness of the T-Slot bar used. Common profiles are (20mmx20mm) , (30mmx30mm), (40mmx40mm) etc. Aluminum extrusion is very strong, and in most cases you will not need to build with anything over . For example, a 36&#; bar supported on 2 ends can support 3,573 lbs! For very large systems, you might choose a larger profile.The simplest way to attach T-Slot is by using external plates or supported corner brackets. These brackets attach to the exterior of the bar, and are anchored in place by T-Bolts and Nuts. I prefer the look and strength of external plates in most situations. They also make it much easier to add slide-in panels between the bars for aesthetic purposes.For the purposes of this sample build, we will use the simplest types of external fasteners, plates and corner bracketsMy custom AIO is 32&#;w x 26&#;d x 20&#;h, holding approx. 68-72 gallons max. Figuring 10 lbs/gal with water/rock/etc, the stand should hold a minimum of 720 lbs. With bar, this could easily be accomplished even without the additional front center braces, but I like to include at least one center brace on med/larger tanks.The stand height is 32&#;, converting to mm is 813mm, so the stand has 4 bars cut to 813mm.Using a Hex wrench and M5 nuts/bolts (M5 for bar, the nut/bolt size will change depending on profile) - loosely thread a bolt on the back of each bolt to attach the plate. Then place the plate over the rail and tighten/hand torque it into position. Tighten the bolts well, but don&#;t over tighten them, it can make them extremely hard to remove if you need to make adjustments or disassemble it!I had 2 pieces of white acrylic cut that easily slide into place when using exterior plates. These can make nice decorative or mounting features. I also attach a padded neoprene tape to the top of the stand where it meets the tank.These are just the basics, once you are comfortable working with it, any number of other features can be included on your T-Slot stands - like lighting canopies, shelving, doors, caster brackets, etc!

T-slot aluminum is an alloy material with aluminum as its main ingredient and is used as a frame and support in several industrial areas. So why do so many industrial facilities choose it as a material? Let&#;s explore what its benefits are today&#;

1. Light weight and high strength

The mass of T-slot aluminum is lighter than that of other metals, weighing 1/3 as much as iron at the same density, or even 1/4 as much as stainless steel as aluminum profiles. At the same weight, T-slot aluminum has a high strength of aluminum alloy. It is capable of resisting high strength impacts and shocks. This feature makes it a frame and support for machinery.

Are you interested in learning more about Aluminium T-slot Profiles? Contact us today to secure an expert consultation!

Suggested reading:
Aluminium panels: types, properties, and quick tips to ...
The Benefits of Using 3D Modeling Curtain Wall

Below  video shows how the T-slot aluminum make by Hugh Aluminum

2. Weathering and corrosion resistance

T-slot aluminum profile is able to keep its surface unchanged in harsh environments. This is difficult to achieve with other metals. Because aluminum profiles come with an oxidized film, they maintain their appearance without surface treatment and are not affected by corrosion or water. So T-slot aluminum frames can be used in harbors, docks and even underwater environments based on this advantage.

3. Simple installation and expandability

 

T-slot aluminum profile has a unique groove and T-shaped design. The unique groove and T-shape design of T-slot aluminum eliminates the need for cutting and disassembling when adding corner blocks or fittings. It only needs to install nuts and bolts at any position to install the equipment frame. It is easy to install and DIY can be done. This makes it a material for furniture, fish tanks and interior frames.

4. Strong thermal properties and high specific heat capacity

 

T-slot aluminum is generally obtained by extruding aluminum alloy -T5 or -T6. The specific heat capacity of these aluminum alloys can reach 930KJ/kg-K, much higher than other metals. This characteristic allows it to be used as frames and fittings for automatic production lines. This is because the equipment needs to dissipate heat to maintain its mechanical properties in a long working environment. This requires a material with good heat dissipation properties to support it, and it can meet these requirements.

 

Finally

The advantages of T-slot aluminum include light weight and strength, weather and corrosion resistance, ease of installation and expandability, high thermal performance and high specific heat capacity. These advantages enable its use in manufacturing and construction. As aluminum extrusion technology is updated, more styles of aluminum profile will appear in our lives in the future.

Hugh Aluminum is an aluminum extrusion manufacturer based in China. We manufacture aluminum profile products including aluminum roofings&#;aluminum heat sink&#; aluminum T-slot profile, aluminum deck, aluminum fence, aluminum doors and windows, solar aluminum frame. We offer large quantity of aluminum building materials and factory price.

For more information, please visit Conveyor aluminum profiles supplier.