Re: Vertical Tracks for Forklift
 

We're using 2"x1"x1/8" aluminum c-channel for the frame and roller support. Since our height restriction is constant this year (don't have to be shorter at startup or go under some bar somewhere), we went with a single-stage lift rather than the two-stager shown above.
To keep the lift plate level on the roll axis, we're using two chains rather than one. To control pitch rotations, we've made a "double-decker sandwich" of teflon and aluminum. The center piece of aluminum is shorter than the others, and the c-channel frame fits into this groove. There's about a quarter inch of left-to-right play at the center that curves up to about half inch at the top and bottom. We're hoping that'll be enough to prevent binding. If not, we'll cut out a shape similar to half of a woodworiking biscuit from the central plate and put a matching piece of teflon there. Should that fail, we are considering rollers made of radial bearings mounted on bolts: two bearings on each side, all inside the C-channel, with the top one meeting the c-channel on the front face and the lower one contacting the back face. If we go to rollers, we'll have to move our limit switches, which are roller switches mounted inside the c-channel.

Re: Vertical Tracks for Forklift
 

We are using tel-power poles retrieved from dumpster diving .
Call around to electrical company's they toss these everyday .
Love free stuff !
http://www.chiefdelphi.com/media/photos/41182

Re: Vertical Tracks for Forklift
 

We are using 80/20 for the rails 80/20 rollers.

Re: Vertical Tracks for Forklift
 

Depending on the moment created by the position of your lift, the IGus rails included in the KOP may not meet your needs. ::rtm:: IGus does have several other rails that will work. Expect to see three of them on Team 281's bot this year.

Re: Vertical Tracks for Forklift
 

We're using 1-5/8" aluminum strut designed for overhead applications. The carts are steel, but well-built and easy to mount to.

Re: Vertical Tracks for Forklift
 

1x1, 1/8th wall 6061 Al c channel. Don't have it completely together yet, but it seems to be working great.

Re: Vertical Tracks for Forklift
 

Vexpro's linear slide gusset kits with 6061 1x2 tubes, kinda bulky but it'll have to do.
The kits just came back in stock yesterday.

Re: Vertical Tracks for Forklift
 

In 2011 we found roller-blade wheels in aluminum angle worked well.

Close-up.

Re: Vertical Tracks for Forklift
 

Yeah, I wasn't kidding about the east of the Mississippi thing. Don't use 6063. You want 6061-T6. I've called about 2 dozen metal suppliers. It's really not as common as you think it is. And I checked some major manufacturing areas. I found only one in Cleveland and they were wanting $11.50/ft, which is ridiculous. Dayton is a no-go and so is Cincinnati and Columbus. I had to laugh at a comment in the thread for it that it should be available at any decent metal supplier. If it's not available in major manufacturing cities like these, then someone is a bit deluded.

Also, the Poofs get their 6061-T6 from Coast Aluminum.

Re: Vertical Tracks for Forklift
 

We're using these:
http://www.mcmaster.com/#6738k41/=vnxcue
http://www.pbclinear.com/Download/Da...ear-Guides.pdf [pdf]

They're kind of expensive at $60 each roller (for four), plus another $80 per rail but they will save us a ton of headache. I know from experience that linear bearings are hard, and bad bearings make it harder :) This way, the elevator can tolerate some unbalanced loading, has zero slop, goes together easily (with versaframe) and slides with low friction, even under load.

Re: Vertical Tracks for Forklift
 

We've got the worst of both worlds :( The only thing in stock in town is 1/8" wall 6063. For comparison, Versaframe (3/32" wall, 6061) is 60% stronger and 20% lighter by my calculations. (Although the thicker wall tube is 18% stiffer.)

The downside of Versaframe is that it costs about double what the 6063 costs from Metal Supermarkets (on a per-foot basis), only comes in 5' lengths, and has a shipping delay. But considering the extra strength and the usefulness of the pre-drilled holes, Versaframe is worth the premium for critical parts IMHO.

/derail

Re: Vertical Tracks for Forklift
 

You will pay a price premium, but out of area suppliers will cut and ship to you.

It seems a bit odd to me that an entire side of the country can't get it, but it's available at pretty much every aluminum supplier out here.

Seems like an offseason task to find someone who will freight 2000' of it or something, and split it among teams.

Quite a few west coast teams use 100+ feet per year, so 2000' could go really fast among a good size group.

Re: Vertical Tracks for Forklift
 

I tried this before the 2014 season and tried 3 different places that seemed to have good regional coverage out west. None were willing to ship the 1/16" wall tubing to us in New York. We were able to get a supplier for 0.080" wall tubing, I could try to find more information on that if folks on CD are interested.

Re: Vertical Tracks for Forklift
 

Our usual Aluminum supplier stopped selling 6061-T6 tubes, and we ordered 6063 in the pre-season without realizing it. It gums up the bits from time to time, but that's the worst of it so far. We'll have to add quite a bit more support to our lift though :(.

Anyone else seeing that as well? We haven't needed more aluminum since the bulk order, so I still have time to find a better supplier.

Re: Vertical Tracks for Forklift
 

In terms of the elevator masts 6063 has the same stiffness as 6061. I don't thing you will come close to the yield strength of either. Of course some one somewhere will be the exception. :]