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Unread 04-02-2015, 17:09
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Re: Planing Thick-Wall Aluminum

Quote:
Originally Posted by JesseK View Post
Planing would save approximately 4lbs overall, but I'm curious what the tradeoffs of strength are.
If you need to cut out weight, the planing method will likely leave you with the strongest and stiffest structure. If you have access to a large milling machine and a fly cutter, it's just a matter of manual labor.

The 3" spacing on the bearings is a big factor in how strong your rails have to be. A wider spacing means that the elevator rails see less stress and don't need to be so bulky, which can save a lot of weight with the tall single-stage elevator approach.