Quote:
Originally Posted by Alan Anderson
I see a bunch of trusses at various scales, but no pocketing jumps out at me. Am I missing something?
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They're functionally the same, though how you get there is different. There are definitely pockets on the bridge - large oval ones about a foot and a half wide and three feet long. Some (especially those on the old middle segment with the train) are really intended as access holes for riveting, but the ones on the outer tubes are just there to reduce weight. The easiest examples to see flank the vertical beam that drops from that large multi-directional joint to near the center of the white boxcar.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Ryan Dognaux
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While we haven't done any lightening holes the past three years, we've found that cutting large holes in 1/8" or thinner aluminum (e.g. for pneumatic cylinder and bearing mounts) is easier, faster, and cleaner with a spade bit than with a hole saw. If access allows, we score the outer circle on one side, then complete the cut on the other.
Edit based on a later post:
Quote:
Originally Posted by Everett33
I am not sure on the lifespan yet, but I have had very good success using this tool for drilling through 1/8" and 1/16" aluminum with a cordless drill. It produces a very nice hole in a very short time without the need for any cutting fluid.
http://www.menards.com/main/electric...80219544263520 |
Very cool; halfway between the spade bit and the hole saw - with carbide teeth. I noticed on the Menard site that it's intended for making knockouts in steel boxes, and useful for stainless. As such, it should have an excellent lifespan on aluminum.