Alluminium extrusion (square profile with t slots) - suppliers?

[julianf]

I'd like to build one of those big router sledge things for flattening off large boards (does not matter if you don't know what I mean, it's just for background!)

Is there anywhere cheapish to buy extrustion now?

I bought some from minitec for a CNC build years back and it was the most expensive part of the whole build.


If you go on aliexpress etc. you can buy short bits cheaply, but then I'd have to join them all up and it would be easier to buy long sections here.

Just looking for recommendations of a UK supplier?

Thank you

 

[bricol]

I dont think there is anywhere supplying it new "cheaply" - its sodding expensive full stop - use a lot of it in machine guarding and have done for years - we must have bought tonnes of it - and its still sodding expensive!

 

[julianf]

2-off 1200mm 40x80mm section from China for about £44 quid.

So, if I join that, I've got two 8 foot lengths for £90 ish.

I'd need a load more other bits too.

I could weld up some box but the beauty of the extrusion is that I can reconfigure it and also pack it away when not in use.

 

[CompoSimmonite]

What about Unwin tracking that is used on vehicles for mounting seats etc ?

 

[Ali]

Valuframe?

 

[Guzrik]

Newton sounds Brittish to me?
We use Item systems at work a lot.
Sometimes the beancounters call it expensive, but they have no clue of the value. Bosch Rexroth do the most motion add ons I think.

 

[julianf]

Valuframe?

I'd looked before but your post made me look again and I actually managed to find their pricelist.

I've not worked it out yet, but it looks similar pricing to the Chinese imports. Probably a little more, but the advantage of being able to get it in single lengths would make up for that.

Thank you.

 

[julianf]

What about Unwin tracking that is used on vehicles for mounting seats etc ?

I was hoping to bodge the t slots into slide guides.

 

[gaz1]

 

[winchman]

Got a load from my local car scrappy, excellent stuff mad a bench and a frame jig from it

 

[Agroshield]

As an alternative to extrusion, maybe consider Unistrut, as the rolled top to the open end of the channel has a lot of possibilities as a guide.

 

[tigdlo]

It only has to be acurate vertically for what you are doing, I would use the edge of flat bar or angle iron and fettle it with a grinder/file, get it as accurate as the patience you have. The tolerances for extrusion are pretty poor as they aren't really intended for any kind of precision linear motion.

KJN, https://www.aluminium-profile.co.uk/40x80-itm-aluminium-profile-ir02604, £146.33 for 2 8ft lengths 40mm x 80mm

 

[Alf98]

Try pro-lam Uk