What is this aluminum extrusion for?

- D
- DougC
  
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posted
12 years ago

Fri, Aug 19, 2011 7:32 PM

The metals place I go to has new metal & salvage. New drops end up tossed in with salvage in some spots too.

When looking around in the aluminum, I see pieces of this odd extruded bar scattered around the place. What is it used for?

It is always a thick round tube around 1.5-2 inches diameter, with 3 or

4 small hemispherical "teeth" placed equally around it. I've never seen any pieces more than four teeth, or less than three teeth.

See crude drawing here-

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-tiny-

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????

- B
- Bob La Londe
  
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posted
12 years ago

Sat, Aug 20, 2011 4:42 PM

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Nope, but if its cheap enough you could turn it into material for rod and tube applications quick enough.

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- whit3rd
  
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posted
12 years ago

Sat, Aug 20, 2011 7:30 PM

There are three-corner modular rails, and four-corner rails, that could be developed from these sections (by milling the ribs). Any two adjacent ribs form a kind of dovetail.

Here's an optical-quality example: <

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I recall a rail 'system' that includes clamps and joints as well as supporting sliding apparatus. It's kinda like grown-up TinkerToys.