Predrilled box channel?
 

Hello.

I recently saw a few robots using some form of predrilled 1" box channel, which I can only assume is very convenient. In looking online, however, all I was able to find was the versapro chassis tube and the holey profile from 8020. However, the versapro stuff seems too thin and the holey profile is too big I believe. Does anyone know where this magical material may be sourced from?

Thanks,
Hades

Re: Predrilled box channel?
 

Lots of teams make their own by drilling the hole pattern into regular 1x1 stock. Currently the only OTS option I know of is the Vex tubing.

Re: Predrilled box channel?
 

What makes you think the vex tubing is too thin? It comes in 0.040" 1x1 and 0.100" 1x2.

Re: Predrilled box channel?
 

While there are plenty of great uses for .04" wall tubing, it's thickness doesn't make it the easiest to work with. Bolting things through it without deforming the tubing is somewhat difficult, and the very thin walls mean that wear on these holes through normal loading quickly leads to deformation. Using rivets bigger than 5/32nd is also challenging, because even aluminum rivets can rip the tube apart before they shear. For all but the lowest of load areas, 16th wall is much better at handling these situations, even though it's only about 50% thicker. And frankly, I don't understand how in an era of aluminum gears and smaller robots someone can need the weight savings that badly.

Re: Predrilled box channel?
 

We initially built with the VexPro 1x1 but had second thoughts and rebuilt our drive base with 1/8" tubing. Good thing too, though our superstructure was still VersaFrame and got ripped apart at our first regional in Utah. Hear us, oh Vex: we love the 1x1 product idea, but dearly want a substantially thicker wall for some uses. If you build it we will buy...