How to build aluminum nut plate

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Looking to build 24 of these wiggets. It's a mod for solar panel tilt legs. The tilt legs don't allow the panels to go to less than 21 degrees. Have to build out of aluminum. One part requires a 3/8 inch nut plate.Some parts I have to adapt to.I've bought 16 foot of 1/8 inch, 2 inch angle and 1/8 x 2 inch flat bar. All aluminum. I know I have to build some kind of box with a hole in the top, for the nut plate. Because people will check out my mod, I would like it to look good.Plan b, make 3/8 inch nuts from 3/16 flat bar.Yes I did a search.Vern
Reply:I see the pieces/parts, but I'm having trouble visualizing what you're building.Rex
Reply:X2. .No government ever voluntarily reduces itself in size. Government programs, once launched, never disappear. Actually, a government bureau is the nearest thing to eternal life we'll ever see on this earth! Ronald Reagan
Reply:It's an involved wigget. I have all the drawings in my head. I just need to build a nut plate on the side of a 2 1/8 inch square tube. The nut plate will stop 2 inter sliding square tubes from moving. I need to hold a 3/8 nut on the outside of the third tube while a bolt is being tightened, to stop the three tubes from moving past one another.Solution:Just got an idea on how to build them. I'll take 2, small lengths of angle aluminum over to the grinder or just cut them. Grind a "V" in middle bottom of angle. This will catch 2 opposite corners of the nut. Then weld them in place. Can only find 1/4 inch alumimum nuts.Problem:1) it will allow two inter tubes to slide in a third.2) all 3 tubes will pivot.3) and lock in place.Passport plus and a spool gun coming next week to help with the project. This is an aluminum welding project.Vern
Reply:It's an involved wigget. I have all the drawings in my head. I just need to build a nut plate on the side of a 2 1/8 inch square tube that I'll be making out of the 2 inch angle. The nut plate will stop 2 inter sliding square tubes from moving. I need to hold a 3/8 nut on the outside of the third tube while a bolt is being tightened, to stop the three tubes from moving past one another.Solution:Just got an idea on how to build them. I'll take 2, small lengths of angle aluminum over to the grinder or just cut them. Grind a "V" in middle bottom of angle. This will catch 2 opposite corners of the nut. Then weld them in place. Can only find 1/4 inch alumimum nuts.Problem:1) it will allow two inter tubes to slide in a third.2) all 3 tubes will pivot.3) and lock in place.Passport plus and a spool gun coming next week to help with the project. This is an aluminum welding project.Vern[/QUOTE]
Reply:Anyone else never heard of a "nut plate"?
Reply:Originally Posted by daddyAnyone else never heard of a "nut plate"?
Reply:I just through the picture in. No one said where's the picture? It doesn't matter if the picture makes no sence.Vern
Reply:Originally Posted by Vern2 Can only find 1/4 inch alumimum nutsVern
Reply:Rivenuts are also a way to go.  I am not sure if they go as large as 3/8.
Reply:Alum Rivet nuts can go to 3/8" and i have a pile of them...BobBob WrightSalem, Ohio  Birthplace of the Silver & Deming Drillhttp://groups.yahoo.com/group/southbend10k/http://groups.yahoo.com/group/sawking/1999 Miller MM185 w/ Miller 185 Spoolmate spoolgun
Reply:Originally Posted by daddyAnyone else never heard of a "nut plate"?
Reply:Vern2,   Sorry for bustin' your balls / nut plates , It's just that your description is rather confusing and while there are lots of guys who are likely to offer good advice, they need better information and descriptions to do so.
Reply:Hey Vern2,I don't know if this will help you or not. I have several customers I provide odd aluminum configurations for & a couple outfits use aluminum plates that are specific dimensions & need to be drilled/tapped for various thread sizes. Some are as thick as .750. Other outfits need "long" nuts that range from 1" to 2.5" long that I make from aluminum "hex" stock. I simply lathe drill the hex bar & start to thread the bore past the length I have drilled & then cutoff the piece. Then I repeat the procedure. I power tap the aluminum for productivity & profitability. Believe me they aren't cheap, although they are unique to the application & the price is simply added to the cost of the product. Hope this may give you some ideas to ponder.DennyComplete Welding/Machine/Fab. ShopMobile UnitFinally retired*Moderator*"A man's word is his honor...without honor there is nothing.""Words are like bullets.... Once they leave your muzzle, you cannot get them back."
Reply:Nutplates are as common as fees on a dog on aircraft.  Even though aircraft structures are mostly aluminum most nutplates are steel.  They are small, light, and attached with flush rivets. Aircraftspruce.com sells them in hobbist quanities or they can be found on ebay motor under aircraft parts. I still not sure what you're trying to do. Bye the way nutplates can either be fix or floating. Holes and nutplate placement has to be dead on with fixed nut plates but with floating nutplates you have about 1/16" movement in the threads to make fore easy assembly. Used thousands of them if my aircraft career but would dream of trying to make a floating nut plate, it would be more trouble than it worth when they're setting on a shelf.Tough as nails and damn near as smart
Reply:Nut plates are also common on military grade rack mount computer equipment.  How else do you hold the nut inside a closed chassis when installing the screws???  Sheet metal chassis so the hole can't be threaded.Vern2, how about press-in steel threaded inserts?  It's like a nut but without the hex on the outside.  Instead it has teeth that grab the aluminum when you press it in a hole.  Might be easier to install than nut plates.Dynasty200DX w/coolmate1MM210MM VintageESAB miniarc161ltsLincoln AC225Victor O/A, Smith AW1ACutmaster 81IR 2475N7.5FPRage3Jancy USA1019" SBAEAD-200LE
Reply:AndyA great idea! I just bought a shop press 12 ton, air over hyd. Now you have me thinking. I did a google search real fast, nothing jumped out. But I might press a 3/8 hex nut into aluminum 5/16 hole of 1/4" thickness. I could weld 1" x 1", 1/8 AL plate on back of my 2" AL angle. Drill 5/16 into 1/4" thickness. Then press in nut.Okay I was Air Force for 4 years, Flying Crew Chief (T33, F100, F102, T39). That's probably where I got it.VernLast edited by Vern2; 01-10-2010 at 10:39 PM.
Reply:buy a length of aluminium flat bar having thickness and width enough to make required fasteners( nut plates ). Lay out, drill and tap holes and cut to need lengths. Aluminium taps easily. Then weld plates in place. I think this would produce more stability and nicer appearance in the widget.Miller TrailBlazer 251Miller HF-250-1Miller MaxStar 150 STLHyperTherm PowerMax 380 plasmaLincoln PowerMig 180Millermatic 252Miller Diversion 180
Reply:Wagin, another good idea!I bought HF deal on carbon steel SA and metric tap and die sets for $9 each. They had a really cheap common screw driver that came with each set, that's why it was so cheap. Ha! One problem. I'm using steel 3/8 bolts. Don't know how aluminum threads will hold up. But really not a lot of pressure to stabilize 5 solar panels with three tilt legs, total weight 250 lbs (40 panels).VernLast edited by Vern2; 01-10-2010 at 11:16 PM.
Reply:If you are worried about the aluminum threads you could use heli-coils
Reply:Found some 3/4" channel aluminum. If I can weld it, it will do fine. Using 3/8" square nuts.Vern
Reply:This is a prototype of what I built.Before: Before owning any aluminum welding tools.After: #5 is a set screw (nut plate): You can see the pile of aluminum. practice , practice, practice.#1 - 4" leg#2 - main tilt leg#3 - angle bracket#4 - my mod#5 - locking boltThe gadget allows main leg to slide past open rafters, to lower solar panels. Only used on summer tilt. winter tilt 59 degrees, spring/autumn 31 degrees, summer 6 degrees. This is a total bolt on. All parts of solar tilt legs are re-used. Just have to build 29 more. Part okay with solar company.Last edited by Vern2; 02-06-2010 at 10:07 PM.
Reply:Man, I still don't get it.Lincoln Power Mig 210MP MIGLincoln Power Mig 350MP - MIG and Push-PullLincoln TIG 300-300Lincoln Hobby-Weld 110v  Thanks JLAMESCK TIG TORCH, gas diffuser, pyrex cupThermal Dynamics Cutmaster 101My brain
Reply:Originally Posted by Joker11Man, I still don't get it.
Reply:Originally Posted by Vern2Found some 3/4" channel aluminum. If I can weld it, it will do fine. Using 3/8" square nuts.Vern