Aluminum Cost Estimate

George over at Industrial Metal Supply in Riverside will cut us a deal on 16 gauge (which is 1/16" thick) 4 x 8 aluminum sheets. I calc'd that we need 25 sheets. Michael Fox estimates we can get about 32 triangles per sheet, so I overestimated as some of the triangles are much larger/smaller. I counted the triangles and there are roughly 773, so I rounded up to 800. 800/32=25. IMS sells aluminum by the pound, we are at 711 lbs, at $1.60 a pound the total is $1137.60, there may be an additional discount. In stock & they deliver!

Better aluminum prices

New prices for aluminum: I called Industrial Metal Supply in Riverside, 1/16 thick 4x8 sheets=$65 per sheet. My contact there is asking about student discount, but if we buy more than 9 sheets the price drops to $1.76/lb, from $2.23/lb. Each sheet weighs approx. 29 lb. They also deliver!

Aluminum sheets

I only was able to find a few prices for aluminum sheets on line, I will call some distributors tomorrow during business hours.
Metals Depot:
4 x 8 at 1/8 thick $184.64, 1/16 $114.88 per sheet. I am sure they have more thicknesses, just not posted.

Here is the node in completion. Quite messy overall. I do not think that tubes are the most efficient material for the flock wall. Each node would be unique, and would have to be bent to the specific double curve. Perhaps this connection could be translated into a flat material?

Here is my first attempt at welding the connective node that our team is working on. It got fairly messy, and I experienced quite a few "burnouts", where the metal just popped through. Because the metal pipe was not cut perfectly my seams are not very clean either, as I was trying to make up the difference with the bead.

paneling is finally coming together. very rudimentary, refinement to come.

first paneling test. not very pretty.