Steel

[Squirl]

Please excuse the crude drawing.

I am designing my solar mount.  Thanks to helpful articles on the internet I know the size of the pipes for the stand (#4 in the picture).  I plan to attach the rack through two big bolts (1.5" grade 8 galvanized)(#3).  I am having problems with #1 and #2 in the picture.  I have found 1/8th inch box steel and 1/4 inch angle.  Does anyone know anything about building or designing things in steel?  Can anyone point me in the right direction of where to learn about it?

[UK4X4]

Education ------Engineering aprenticeship !

On the last system I put together there were two posts and two panels positioned horizontally

They just had 1 off 100mm x 100mm aluminum angles each side
Posts were the same
The angle adjusting bars were 50mmx50mm with a set of bolt holes
- then just the panel frames themselves

I have the dwgs from Total Solar for them if you want- just PM me

If I was to do it out of steel

2" x2" angle 1/8" should be fine

Posts maybe use the nest up thickness but 1/4' is overkill for the weight of a solar panel

another option is 40mm x 40mm unistrut- the profile makes it quite still and has all the holes already
available at electrical supply houses

This type thing- i just hung a 3 ft by 2ft wide 1ft deep electrical cabinet on two posts buried in the ground- way more than a panel weight

http://www.grainger.com/Grainger/SUPERSTRUT-Half-Slot-Channel-5YB79?Pid=search

[Squirl]

I'm glad you logged in and found my post.  Thank you for the response. I was worried that it would have been a slightly esoteric question.

Yeah, yesterday I start researching how to calculate bending.  Not a light read.

If that strut from Grainger will work, I would probably use this (I have Fastenal near me):
http://www.fastenal.com/web/products/detail.ex?sku=0965343

Same width, box all four sides, and slightly heavier gauge.  I will use angle iron for the braces..

[UK4X4]

That will be fine

for steel projects in the US I usually bought mine from the local steel suppliers scrap bins - they sold by the pound - scrap value

that whole trailer on the welding thread was built from the scrap bin !

[rick91351]

That will be fine

for steel projects in the US I usually bought mine from the local steel suppliers scrap bins - they sold by the pound - scrap value

that whole trailer on the welding thread was built from the scrap bin !

There are guys here that almost camp up at the different  scrap yards waiting for the treasures to unload.  Dad was a channel iron guy.  He had a buddy that was a flat iron guy