Stand questions or recommendatiins...

robert_ellis

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#1
My question/recommendation would be why don't we use aluminum I beams for frame works on stands? I beams are a Ton stronger then tubes square or circle. I know it's more expensive but you could make a span of 6-8 ft with no worry about structural integrity. I know it's pricey but how nice would it be to have a 4-6 ft door in the front with no brace or tube in the middle? Just trying to get one of those info threads going to help out people with questions.

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#2
In my personal experience you could use an aluminum I beam however you would need to pretension it. In other words it would need to be welded in with a slight upward curve to it like a flatbed tractor trailer has so that when loaded up with a tank it ends up straight. Aluminum is strong and light but it tends to bend a little when under a load

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#3
bigger cross section.

a square shape is basically an I-beam with 2 webbing on the edges, instead of a single webbing down the center.

in order to achieve the same strength in the direction of force, your I-beam would have to have a thicker center web ($$) or a deeper web.

this is why when structural engineers need to save space with columns, they use tubesteel instead of wide flanges (i-beams).

while the theory sounds right to you, the actual physics and calculations do not reflect it. you would actually lose clearance by going with an i-beam.
 

robert_ellis

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#4
I use I beams at work all the time. They are stronger then tube steel. Has to do with the way it's designed. I'm not an engineer but I know it is stronger. And I don't think the weight of the tank would have enough weight to cause a deflection. You would have to put a lot more weight then say 3k- 4k pounds on what would be 2 I beams to cause a deflection.

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#5
I use I beams at work all the time. They are stronger then tube steel. Has to do with the way it's designed. I'm not an engineer but I know it is stronger. And I don't think the weight of the tank would have enough weight to cause a deflection. You would have to put a lot more weight then say 3k- 4k pounds on what would be 2 I beams to cause a deflection.

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are you comparing apples to apples? or apples to oranges?

a tubesteel with the same material thickness, and same overall dimension (lets say 2"x4") will be stronger than an I-beam with the same thickness, with 2" flanges and 4" web.

if you're comparing apples to oranges, however, where the webbing is thicker, or dimensions greater, then yeah, the I-beam would be stronger.
 

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