OT but shop related... Square tubing sizes for tool stand?

I want to build a "modular" stand out of square tubing that I can exchange top plates on like a reciever hitch.
Bench grinder, then vise, then buffer… all on the same stand just by un-pinning and sliding a new tool in…
Anybody got oneand pix? (for ideas)
Anybody know what sizes of steel square tubing will fit together? ( will measure my hitch later)

 

I am a design engineer, and I design some tooling similar to what you are talking about. The commonly available rectangular or square tubing will not slide in and out of other rectangular tubing, but there is a special line now available that is made to do exactly that. Best thing for you to do is contact a steel fab shop and see if they will sell you what you need "by the foot"--(generally this stuff comes in 20 or 24 foot lengths.)

 

See your local hitch installer. You can get just the tube or recycle an old hitch.

 

Square tubing from one size to the other is usually a sloppy fit.I have used heavier wall gauge on one of the tubes to get a tighter fit. In other words the larger tube would be heavy wall and the smaller would be lighter wall.
Sometimes i had to run a grinder over the seam.
I usually just went with the sloppier fit and drilled a hole, welded a nut and ran a bolt thru to secure the fitting. I also welded a handle to tighten quickly wihtout a wrench.
You can still pin it, but the bolt will take out the sloppiness.
As you can tell, I am not an engineer.

 

Sounds like a failr decent idea. Lets see what you build. Post some pictures of it.
hotrod1940's idea sounds great.

 

I've welded washers to the inside tube for shims. Grind as needed.

 

It has been my experience that if I buy square tubing in 1/2 inch larger size that is 3/16 wall it tends to slip together pretty well,As in 3/16 on two sides is 6/16 and thats close enough to a half inch to me.
Works for me , remember pipe and tubing are measured different.

 

thanks guys!

 

There's some good info here.
Whatever you decide, use the biggest, thickest-wall tubing you can. HEAVY shop equipment is so much better to work on. It's stable, it absorbs vibration, and it doesn't move unless you WANT it to. When you walk into it, it should hurt--not fall over into your car's door!

Brad

 

1 3/4 14ga for the inside tube and 2" 14ga for the outside will probably get your best fit. Use the setscrew idea mentioned earlier to make a dead nuts fit.