DIY T-Slot Aluminum Light Frame/Fixture Advice Wanted

2

2com

Well-Known Member
@pulpoinspace
I have a question, since you use the exact parts and stuff as I'm looking to use. Do you think what I proposed about using only the two side rails of 2020 extrusion would work?
Know what I mean? There would be no "ends" or "end pieces", no actual solid, four sided frame. Would the two (or more) heatsinks being tightened in place do well to hold the structure together as one?
And would you think that once hung, it would allow one of the heatsinks to be loosened and repositioned along the rail, and tightened back in (as long as there was at least another heatsink still tightened in between the side rails to hold it together)?

I might be overlooking something.
 
pulpoinspace

pulpoinspace

Well-Known Member
2com said:
@pulpoinspace
I have a question, since you use the exact parts and stuff as I'm looking to use. Do you think what I proposed about using only the two side rails of 2020 extrusion would work?
Know what I mean? There would be no "ends" or "end pieces", no actual solid, four sided frame. Would the two (or more) heatsinks being tightened in place do well to hold the structure together as one?
And would you think that once hung, it would allow one of the heatsinks to be loosened and repositioned along the rail, and tightened back in (as long as there was at least another heatsink still tightened in between the side rails to hold it together)?

I might be overlooking something.
Click to expand...
As long as one heatsink is fully attached to both rails, it seems like it should work. the only thing that comes to mind is the balance of the fixture possible it might hang at an angle?

But i see what your saying, and I think it would work. The aluminum is very rigid and if you used the properly made T nuts to attach the heatsinks they are very rigid as well. They offer "economy" t nuts and then the bulkier ones. Want the bulkier ones. I'd definitely be interested in following along too if you choose to build a fixture like that. When I was building mine, brackets like that never crossed my mind. I should've taken a closer look at the timbers.
 
2

2com

Well-Known Member
pulpoinspace said:
As long as one heatsink is fully attached to both rails, it seems like it should work. the only thing that comes to mind is the balance of the fixture possible it might hang at an angle?

But i see what your saying, and I think it would work. The aluminum is very rigid and if you used the properly made T nuts to attach the heatsinks they are very rigid as well. They offer "economy" t nuts and then the bulkier ones. Want the bulkier ones. I'd definitely be interested in following along too if you choose to build a fixture like that. When I was building mine, brackets like that never crossed my mind. I should've taken a closer look at the timbers.
Click to expand...
Yea, ok. Cool.

As for balance, I guess it would depend partly on how I decide to hang such a fixture. With no end pieces at all, I'd think something in each corner would be needed, like an eyebolt - maybe threaded into a tnut on the top tslot at each corner.
Both rails could be 'connected' with a piece of metal (angle, flat, whatever) with a hole at either end that a bolt could pass through and into a tnut slid into the top slot of opposing side's/rails corners, then tightened. Then the fixture could be hung from that.
Or those holes on the ends of the extrusions can be threaded, and then something could be fastened to the two ends of the side rails to hold them together.
Whatever the cheapest (buying fewest expensive, proprietary, parts) is what I think I'll go for.

The bulkier, quality tnuts will be used for sure, not the economy.

I maybe wouldn't have come across timber if you hadn't posted that picture and stuff, even though I know of the company, I'm not very familiar.
Thanks.
 
2

2com

Well-Known Member
@pulpoinspace
Another question, regarding the fastener to tnut connection (bolt or screw going into the tnut which is in the tslot).
See this image on page 18 (external fastener) https://catalogs.8020.net/80-20-Inc-University-Booklet/18/#, and this one on page 5 bottom right (shows properly engaged tnut and improperly engaged tnut) https://catalogs.8020.net/80-20-Inc-University-Booklet/4/#.

So, it seems like the length of the screw is pretty important, in that it can be either too short or to long to be in that "zone" or gap that is the 'height of the tslot' channel. Know what I'm saying?
The screw needs to be long enough to get through what you need to get through (thickness of bracket, extrusion slot material, and tnut threads, and then "just a little bit more"(?) haha...

You can't bottom out the bolt on the tslot bottom or it's not held in properly. If it's too short, well obviously it's too short. Haha.

For the Slate 2 heatsinks, just reconsidering the 'bolt up through the corners and into tnut/tslot on the bottom side of the "fixture"' Idea. I just measured about 18mm in height from the bottom (mounting surface) to the top of the fins. I duno extra length needed, but lets say it's 4mm, thus 22mm bolt.
Anyway, while thinking about this, it seems you wouldn't be able to lock them in this way. Not only that, but when you tighten the bolt into the tnut above, wouldn't you be forcing the fins/top of the heatsink up and against/into the actual tslot extrusion surface? I think so.

edit: forgot second link
 
Last edited:
pulpoinspace

pulpoinspace

Well-Known Member
2com said:
@pulpoinspace
Another question, regarding the fastener to tnut connection (bolt or screw going into the tnut which is in the tslot).
See this image on page 18 (external fastener) https://catalogs.8020.net/80-20-Inc-University-Booklet/18/#, and this one on page 5 bottom right (shows properly engaged tnut and improperly engaged tnut) https://catalogs.8020.net/80-20-Inc-University-Booklet/4/#.

So, it seems like the length of the screw is pretty important, in that it can be either too short or to long to be in that "zone" or gap that is the 'height of the tslot' channel. Know what I'm saying?
The screw needs to be long enough to get through what you need to get through (thickness of bracket, extrusion slot material, and tnut threads, and then "just a little bit more"(?) haha...

You can't bottom out the bolt on the tslot bottom or it's not held in properly. If it's too short, well obviously it's too short. Haha.

For the Slate 2 heatsinks, just reconsidering the 'bolt up through the corners and into tnut/tslot on the bottom side of the "fixture"' Idea. I just measured about 18mm in height from the bottom (mounting surface) to the top of the fins. I duno extra length needed, but lets say it's 4mm, thus 22mm bolt.
Anyway, while thinking about this, it seems you wouldn't be able to lock them in this way. Not only that, but when you tighten the bolt into the tnut above, wouldn't you be forcing the fins/top of the heatsink up and against/into the actual tslot extrusion surface? I think so.

edit: forgot second link
Click to expand...
yeah def. for things I wanted to fit together snugly like the corners of my rig and the eye bolts where I hang it I ordered t nuts directly from 8020 and got the bulkiest one. The eye bolts I just screwed in all the way and it didn’t cause any problems. But if you buy the hardware from 80/20 it’s all guaranteed to work with whatever Tslot you’re using.

but yeah I think I ordered most of the hardware from them for this reason. Pretty inconvenient I remember I bought some extras just in case.
 
2

2com

Well-Known Member
pulpoinspace said:
yeah def. for things I wanted to fit together snugly like the corners of my rig and the eye bolts where I hang it I ordered t nuts directly from 8020 and got the bulkiest one. The eye bolts I just screwed in all the way and it didn’t cause any problems. But if you buy the hardware from 80/20 it’s all guaranteed to work with whatever Tslot you’re using.

but yeah I think I ordered most of the hardware from them for this reason. Pretty inconvenient I remember I bought some extras just in case.
Click to expand...
I'm probably gonna go with tnutz.com: https://www.tnutz.com/product/ex-1010/
Seems better prices, though gonna be pricey after converting to CAD and then duties.
 
2

2com

Well-Known Member
@pulpoinspace
Hey man,

Do you think those tslot frames, either like the timber ones (with just two heatsinks) or like yours if similar, would stay together nice and rigid - if the end (short) pieces of tslot frame were removed? The heatsinks would be still holding onto the rails so I can't see why not. But wanted to ask because you have some, and have probably played around with the stuff..

PS: can't pm you.
 
pulpoinspace

pulpoinspace

Well-Known Member
2com said:
@pulpoinspace
Hey man,

Do you think those tslot frames, either like the timber ones (with just two heatsinks) or like yours if similar, would stay together nice and rigid - if the end (short) pieces of tslot frame were removed? The heatsinks would be still holding onto the rails so I can't see why not. But wanted to ask because you have some, and have probably played around with the stuff..

PS: can't pm you.
Click to expand...
I think if you used the brackets like the timber ones it would be rigid enough to hold together for sure. the way mine is, with the heatsinks loose and sliding back and forth it would need the end pieces. But the brackets would hold it together real firm. The aluminum extrusions themselves are very light and very rigid. I actually use an extra one I have as a home-defense weapon and one time I destroyed an old TV with it (a la office space). The lightness and strength of them is pretty amazing. Think baseball bat, or hockey stick. Once those brackets are on the thing is going nowhere.
 
2

2com

Well-Known Member
Ok, sounds good. Thanks man.
Timber doesn't sell'em individually, I'll have to make/find some.

That's funny about the tslot home defense.

What series do you use? 1010 or 2020? I was concerned at first 2020 being smaller. But compared to 3/4 angle it can't be less rigid than that, haha.
 
pulpoinspace

pulpoinspace

Well-Known Member
2com said:
Ok, sounds good. Thanks man.
Timber doesn't sell'em individually, I'll have to make/find some.

That's funny about the tslot home defense.

What series do you use? 1010 or 2020? I was concerned at first 2020 being smaller. But compared to 3/4 angle it can't be less rigid than that, haha.
Click to expand...
I used the 80/20 10 series. So they're the 1 inch profiles. Guess I'm just a true American or something idk why I went imperial.

They have a deflection calculator on their website and you can put in which profile and the length and it tells you how much weight it would take to bend and then break that profile. They're stupid strong. I think the smallest size would be fine 20cm is not much smaller than an inch.
 
2

2com

Well-Known Member
pulpoinspace said:
I used the 80/20 10 series. So they're the 1 inch profiles. Guess I'm just a true American or something idk why I went imperial.

They have a deflection calculator on their website and you can put in which profile and the length and it tells you how much weight it would take to bend and then break that profile. They're stupid strong. I think the smallest size would be fine 20cm is not much smaller than an inch.
Click to expand...
I'll check that calc out, thanks. Yea, the 10 series has more "options" for machining and stuff, more space for use as heatsink for strips.

*20mm. Yea, only 5.4mm less. And like I mentioned, can't be less rigid than 3/4" angle. 20mm is more than 3/4", plus it's a rectangular tube design vs angle.

Great. Thanks a lot man. I appreciate it.
 
2

2com

Well-Known Member
Timber's old 288 fixture. It appears they've just drilled holes in the "shoulder" of the aluminum extrusion, and screwed the heatsink's provided holes into holes they'd drilled into the shoulder. I.e.: They didn't even use the damn tslot or tnuts. (One reason is probably because it's a bit of a fuck around with brackets and stuff).

1610911956386.png
 
2

2com

Well-Known Member
I'll never use angle aluminum again. (Except where I need to drill through or cut material I don't care about, make brackets, etc.)

Tslot aluminum extrusion is great; so functional. The hardware can be a bit expensive (depending where you live, and how much of it you need, I guess). But the benefits are so numerous. I'm only using the 2020 and it's plenty.

I love this stuff. It has almost endless uses, and re-uses too, as you don't really need to drill holes in it or cut it.
It's going to do everything I wanted it to do.
 
CloneQuest

CloneQuest

Member
Did you ever get the heatsinks mounted ?
Im looking to build something similar. Trying to mount 4 140mm heatsinks. But stuck on what to use to mount them to the rails
 
2

2com

Well-Known Member
CloneQuest said:
Did you ever get the heatsinks mounted ?
Im looking to build something similar. Trying to mount 4 140mm heatsinks. But stuck on what to use to mount them to the rails
Click to expand...
Yea. You can use 20 series or 10 series t-slot extrusions, and appropriate hardware. Find a pack of brackets/clips/mending plates, that have holes in them, that you can use to attach to the heatsink - and to the "rails".
 
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