Possible Solution For Tracked Equiptment

[pugs]

Same principle could be used for aluminum track pads. I work with an aluminum extrusion shop on some parts. A die that size and profile would probably cost me around $2k by the time I got the first 100lbs of material from it. So your talking a triple and single grouser die for $4k. The links I would have to look at closer but may not be that difficult given some creative fixturing. Hardest part would be a couple of the inside corners need to be square.

Anyway, even doing it this way, yes you'd probably be up in the $1k per set of tracks. I'd have to run the numbers to be sure, could be lower but I still have to amoritize the cost of the dies over a few sets. Doing this way width of tracks would be easy to adjust, size changes would mean a whole new die. Then for some wear resistance could hard anodize all the parts (which requires milling them slightly different).

Steel..... I have seen a couple places that do extrude steel shapes, have no idea on what they cost but can imagine its considerably more.

Oh and I forgot all about pins.

[ihbuilder]

thanks Jeff yes you need to factor in pins and screws .