Welding Required

[Land Locked]

Just to throw the cat amongst the pigeons again, Ron Champion specified RHS for the original Locost.

[mr henderson]

It's my understanding that RHS means rectangular hollow section (just as CHS means circular hollow section)

Therefore ERW in square form is just a type of RHS. Maybe ERW is made in a way that isn't suitable for the thicker sections?

So, when I look in the tube details appendix in Chris's book and see that RHS is specified for all the square tubes, I assume that means ERW RHS because that is what is available in the 16 gauge that is appropriate for this type of chassis.

I am using ERW, BTW. If I lived somewhere where ERW in 16gauge was not available, then I would use whatever was available (as long as it wasn't outrageously heavy) and not worry about it.

[Land Locked]

Originally Posted by mr henderson

It's my understanding that RHS means rectangular hollow section (just as CHS means circular hollow section)

Therefore ERW in square form is just a type of RHS. Maybe ERW is made in a way that isn't suitable for the thicker sections?

So, when I look in the tube details appendix in Chris's book and see that RHS is specified for all the square tubes, I assume that means ERW RHS because that is what is available in the 16 gauge that is appropriate for this type of chassis.

I am using ERW, BTW. If I lived somewhere where ERW in 16gauge was not available, then I would use whatever was available (as long as it wasn't outrageously heavy) and not worry about it.

Basically what seems to be important is that the wall be 1.6mm or thereabouts?

[mr henderson]

Originally Posted by Land Locked

Basically what seems to be important is that the wall be 1.6mm or thereabouts?

I'm not an expert on the various types of steel available, but I would have thought that what was important was to use a material that was no thicker (and therefore heavier) than it needed to be. If 1.6 if thick enough, then that is the stuff to use, unless it isn't available, in which case use whatever is. If that was (for instance) 3mm then the chassis would obviously be a good deal heavier, but that's better than not building the car at all, much better.

[fluxcored]

Originally Posted by mr henderson

I'm not an expert on the various types of steel available, but I would have thought that what was important was to use a material that was no thicker (and therefore heavier) than it needed to be. If 1.6 if thick enough, then that is the stuff to use, unless it isn't available, in which case use whatever is. If that was (for instance) 3mm then the chassis would obviously be a good deal heavier, but that's better than not building the car at all, much better.

Well,I'm still a few months off before starting so I have some time still to ponder the issue.

I'm not getting younger, my health is'nt getting better and my finances are'nt looking too brigth - so if I want to build this thing then I better start in the next couple of months or not at all.

[thwang]

thinking back we used dirty black rhs for some stock car chassis we built years ago and had a chat with my old foreman last night we only used rhs for building breakdown recovery wagons.plus im not thinking of planting it in a wall any time soon.
thwang