Merry Christmas, Everyone!
I have a question that I am sure is not a simple one, but I needed to see if I could get some feedback from people with more experience than me.
When you are starting a new project (not a repair), how do you determine what metal to use? I am looking for physical characteristics more than obvious cost considerations. Anytime I am repairing something, I try to match the metal on the part being repaired. But if I am going to build something from scratch, how do I determine when to use square tubing vs angle, as an example? Would 1/4" thick, 2"x2" angle provide the same support as 1/8" thick 2"x2" square tubing? If I wanted to use aluminum to save on weight, what thickness of aluminum is needed to reach the same strength as a similar peice of steel? Is there some kind of chart, formula, etc. that I can use to determine these things? I am obviously a newbie when it comes to this kind of thing, and I have been accused (rightly) of over-engineering things. I would like to use metals more appropriate for the purpose, rather than ending up with a part/project that weighs 3x more than it needs to.
Thanks in advance!
I have a question that I am sure is not a simple one, but I needed to see if I could get some feedback from people with more experience than me.
When you are starting a new project (not a repair), how do you determine what metal to use? I am looking for physical characteristics more than obvious cost considerations. Anytime I am repairing something, I try to match the metal on the part being repaired. But if I am going to build something from scratch, how do I determine when to use square tubing vs angle, as an example? Would 1/4" thick, 2"x2" angle provide the same support as 1/8" thick 2"x2" square tubing? If I wanted to use aluminum to save on weight, what thickness of aluminum is needed to reach the same strength as a similar peice of steel? Is there some kind of chart, formula, etc. that I can use to determine these things? I am obviously a newbie when it comes to this kind of thing, and I have been accused (rightly) of over-engineering things. I would like to use metals more appropriate for the purpose, rather than ending up with a part/project that weighs 3x more than it needs to.
Thanks in advance!
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