Getting Started with Aluminum Extrusion

This video introduces aluminum extrusion, discusses profiles and hardware, how to build, the tools you will need, and where to purchase.

[@dreamshell.121]

this was one of the most helpful videos i've seen as someone that's been thinking of how to make a custom bed frame for myself

[@bobsadventuretime]

Good luck with your build.

[@martinmck505]

Fantastic video and introduction to these products! I have been searching various websites for days and going down several rabbit holes until I came across your video just now. Thanks again!

[@Misadventures-OldLady-ey7zx]

Excellent! Thank you so much for the video. This is something that will help me a little old lady build cabinets for her van conversion. I also plan to use Ikea drawers. I love that I can build this in sections as budget permits and if I make a mistake or have to change the design, I can do this easily--not have to cut more wood!

[@Jeremymorrow079]

Can’t believe I just ran across this as I’m gonna try to build me a surround frame for my kayak this answers a lot of questions

[@nahnotsomuch2292]

Great video. Had been trying to figure a way to make a more lightweight camper bed setup for my Tacoma. This went a long way to explaining this stuff.

[@toddshook1765]

Thank you so much for demonstrating aluminum extrusion. Best explanation. I have a plan to build a camp topper for my Nissan Titan. Want to build bed drawers with sleep platform. Seen other guys build topper with aluminum square stock and braze so no welding. Extrusion seems stronger.

[@bobsadventuretime]

Glad it was helpful!

[@augustave123]

Great job on explaining this. You used various examples to show us. Thank you,

[@bobsadventuretime]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@derRoteKampfflieger]

"Metric and English sizes" that made me chuckle. Good info, thanks.

[@MrOner07]

this is a very good tutorial about aluminium extrusions. thanks for this video 👍🏻

[@bobsadventuretime]

Glad you liked it!

[@dfan8432]

Thanks for the intro. Very helpful for newbie like me.

[@bobsadventuretime]

No problem!

[@Sourwood-n1f]

great video.perfect place to start

[@srt5321]

Great video. Thank you.

[@bobsadventuretime]

Glad you liked it!

[@MTBryanH]

Gr8 intro! I was excited to discover 8020 to build a truck bed slide. My design was going well until I got to wheels/linear bearings. They are insanely expensive and cost prohibitive for my project. They would have been 60% of my cost. Bummer!

[@bobsadventuretime]

Investigate how the Decked drawer system (decked.com/products/drawers) does their wheels. They aren't the typical "slides that lock and extend". They are more "wheel based" and I think that adding those to the sides of the extrusion might be less expensive.

[@MTBryanH]

@@bobsadventuretime Thanks I'll take a look. My plan B is to weld up my frames and use cheap skateboard wheels instead. But now I'm wondering if I could attach those same skateboard wheels to the 8020 profile. Hmmmmmm.

[@irengyorex5922]

Usefull video, thanks bro, i wathcing from indonesia

[@bobsadventuretime]

Thanks for watching!

[@richardb4787]

It reminds me of the Lego blocks i was playing with as a child.

[@Graham_Wideman]

Cutting these extrusions is pretty easy on a bandsaw, tablesaw or chopsaw, even just using a normal wood blade. However, a significant challenge is getting that cut exactly square. When the cut is not square in the two directions, pieces don't fit together evenly, especially if you form a corner by bolting through one piece into a thread tapped into the center hole of the other piece. Filing might take off burrs, but you're never going to get the end flat and square that way. I'd love to see a gadget that would make perfect cuts!

[@Sylvan_dB]

A chopsaw and even a bandsaw are not known for precision. A normal table saw or miter saw can easily be set to make cuts square to the table and the fence simultaneously. This is also important for woodworking - a glued joint must fit nearly perfectly.

[@bobsadventuretime]

I agree. Luckily for my projects, the cuts fall into the "good enough" for the joints / connections that I am building.

[@yanikkendler]

you could 3d print a jig or make it from wood

[@kamkilo]

Good job on the audio. Especially the outside part.

[@emiliocortessanchez1202]

question about your camper build: why did you weld the box and didn't go with extrusion? do you think extrusion would be worse to do something like that? about to fabricate a custom rack for a Ford Maverick

[@bobsadventuretime]

I think extrusion would absolutely work. I chose the steel mainly because I knew the lower frame wasn't a box with right angles and I was not sure if i could get a repeatable complex cut. I knew I could get the cut "close enough" with steel tubing and fill in any gaps with weld. Good luck on your build! I really enjoyed building the camper and hope you do too.

[@markmcfadden6073]

What a great video. I have a project in mind do you do design work?

[@bobsadventuretime]

I do not. It's hard enough for me to find the time to do my own projects ;-) Good luck on your project though. If you really need some design work, I believe that 8020.net/ offers links to design software and / or help doing the actual design.

[@thestone3849]

ARE THERE SPECIAL PROFILES WHICH ARE USED FOR FIXING THE LM RAIL AND GUIDE SYSTEM OR WE CAN USE ANY EXTRUSION TO MOUNT IT FOR HIGH SPEED RAILS AND RUNNER BLOCKS

[@bobsadventuretime]

I would think that the LM rail has a certain profile for the bolts that you should use. Once you know that profile, you can back into the length / size of the bolt. Not sure how much weight you will have on your sled / speed of travel, so you will need to use that info to figure what size of aluminum extrusion to use to keep the design sturdy. Hope that helps.

[@nasarazam]

I wonder if you can use these to build a green house and a shed

[@bobsadventuretime]

My guess is that you could....however....my gut feeling is that there are probably more economic choices for a large green house.

[@nelsongonzalez6292]

thnxs

[@weissbornjr]

How do I decide how long the screws should be? I'm planning a project using 2020 and possibly 2040. I don't want to order a "boat-load" of screws only to find out they are too long or two short. thanks!

[@bobsadventuretime]

Sorry for the late reply. I'd recommend starting off by going to one of the suppliers (e.g., 8020 or tnutz) and then search for the profile you are going to use. They will show you a bunch of standard options / sizes. You can either buy from them or use that info and source it from some where else (e.g., mcmaster-carr or a local store).

[@fatpig82]

i want to build a ladder extension bracket out of 4040 for the tent box is this easy enough to do??

[@theeptimeinthegameforthepl4471]

thanx

[@DavidMunoz-xf1pl]

Can you add here the link of what you bought for the top of your camper? Thanks. That will be awesome

[@bobsadventuretime]

I bought my t-slot material from 8020. I used their 15 series (1.5”) profiles (1.5” square and a 1.5”x4.5” rectangle). Here is the link for the 4.5” profile: 8020.net/1545-ls-black-fb.html. Hope that helps.

[@ChristopherTayano]

Can you point me toward a source for those outside corner pieces at 8:45? I might be searching for the wrong thing but they seem super hard to find

[@Graham_Wideman]

Something like "T-slot angle sharp corner bracket", but terminology seems pretty vague.

[@bobsadventuretime]

Here are the ones I used: 8020.net/4334-black.html

[@bbadstdad4423]

Dude! Microphone sock PLEASE!

[@bobsadventuretime]

Yeah....those outside shots are hard to listen to. This was an older video that I shot using only my iPhone....I later purchased a better microphone solution.

[@Oceanman551]

Where do you buy it?

[@bobsadventuretime]

I bought the smaller "2020" aluminum extrusion on Amazon: www.amazon.com/dp/B09JVW7VRX/ref=dp_iou_view_item?ie=UTF8&psc=1. You can find other sources online also (e.g., 8020.net/). Hope that helps.

[@肖宇哲-y8o]

Does anyone need aluminum profile mold and aluminum profile products? We can accept customization.