Aluminum channel question.

[Wraytex]

I saw a thread here last year that was about making a camper shell out of Aluminum angle and c channel. Someone came along and suggested making all of the corners out of extruded aluminum channels that had a nice round at the angle, then there was a drop off lip so that the exterior paneling will mate up flush with the rounded edge. I'll see what i can draw here. Ok I drew this off of memory of what I saw. I've seen these or this type of channel on large heavy crates like for instruments, telescopes but in those instances it is just a rounded angle with the lip, no tubing at all. I'd like to find this stuff and use it to frame up the corners on a bed replacement camper, then use channel for the rest of the framing. I hope someone else remembers that post, as I have been unable to find it again.

ps, my pic may be way out of spec to what I saw...I appreciate any help or direction anyone can give me. Regards, Tim

alum channel.jpg

[Saiyan66]

The shape you are talking about would be called an extrusion. Do a google search for extruded aluminum and there are lots of suppliers that might have something that will work for you.

[Wraytex]

Yes I know what they are called, I have just been unable to find the link the poster had that matched my requirements, the places I've been to have extrusions, but not for the purpose I'm looking at, been to Thomas.net, mcmaster car, and a few small specialty shops, I appreciate the effort.

[southpier]

80-20?

http://www.8020.net/

[Wraytex]

Southpier that is closer...... this is about as close to what i'm looking for as i have found... the R40 profile on the linked page is getting close, but it lacks the lip to cleanly attach sheeting in each plane.

http://www.apricot123.com/modular-al...ng-system.html

[RepairmanSki]

It's not a completely flush joint, but there's this one. Look halfway down the page for "40 x 40 quarter round"

5415.jpg

This one is from the same company, slightly different edge joint and a bit wider. "50 x 50 quarter round"

51.03..jpg

[Wraytex]

Thanks for the replies, I may have been imagining things since I'm not finding what I remembered. Would it be possible to get rolled Aluminum to cover up edges on a home built trailer? I've never been a fan of the blockiness of aluminum fab jobs. I've seen aluminum sheet run through a brake press multiple times and coming to a quarter round angle that way... which I don't like, I wouldn't mind a two brake version of that and have a 45 bevel at all corners, but prefer a round over.

[RepairmanSki]

If you don't want the extrusion, I wouldn't look for a pre-built round corner (unless maybe from a U-Haul teardown or similar). I would build up the corner with cross-hatch sections, like a 12-pack insert, with a rounded profile. Fill the voids with expanding foam, trim flush and then wrap in aluminum sheet.

If it's more for structure than aesthetics, you're probably looking at having a (heavier gauge) sheet/pieces roll-formed. Someone with more experience will hopefully chime in to correct any glaring omissions on my part.