Team Expat - Beetleweight Adventures

**Liftoff** · 22nd August 2013, 12:23

what size are you after? ali rectangular section comes in a variety of sizes and doesn't cost much, I'd say for what you need it'll cost you £10

**swanaldo** · 22nd August 2013, 12:24

Ellis...I have some 1.2mm Ti...would you like some. I can bring it to Deeside?

**Ellis** · 22nd August 2013, 14:14

@Chris, the inside space is 80x40. Probably a standard...

@Shane, yessy pleasey! Discussed that elsewhere.

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Here's a little test video:

**Liftoff** · 22nd August 2013, 22:45

This should just about do for you, 80x40x4mm ali section:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Aluminium-Box-Tube-80mm-x-40mm-x-4mm-Wallx250mm-Long-/160326529256?pt=UK_BOI_Metalworking_Milling_Weldin g_Metalworking_Supplies_ET&hash=item255434b0e8

Should be strong enough for your use as it's 6000 series alloy.
Btw, good job with the testing, really interesting.

**Ellis** · 22nd August 2013, 23:53

Thanks for the link. Price seems very reasonable. I could pick some of that up for stock whilst in the UK, got plenty of baggage weight to play with! However for now I'm just going to put the steel frame aside, even though I like its strength, and make a simple boxy HDPE chassis. Don't have time for anything more. I expect a Gonzales 2 to happen at some point, in which case I'll have more time to think about the shape.

I didn't get much done tonight, but I got a new wheel on the go. Same concept, but a lot stronger, and with a much thicker and more durable tyre material.

**Ellis** · 23rd August 2013, 11:25

This morning the post office really coughed up the goods!

The new additions are the disc itself, the shaft visible, and the plate of ti it's all sitting on. Nice doing business, Mario!

The bearings I bought are going to be a nice tap-fit, that's one less thing to worry about.

Also might as well throw in a pic of the Gonzales' new wheels...

Today's task is simply to get a move on with anything!

**Ellis** · 26th August 2013, 16:02

Post about the wheel-making process up on the site!

Have cut some of the HDPE:

Big robot is big.

**Ellis** · 28th August 2013, 22:33

Starting to put it all together, tomorrow should be a bolt-up-fest.

It's all just sitting together save the bolts visible on the front. Didn't make much progress today, or it didn't feel like it. I did make my own m4 barrel nuts, though, which I'll be using to hold on the ti front:

I will be getting some decent m4 bolts, as the ones I'm working with at the moment are made out of spray-painted cheese.