thank you all
all,
I do appreciate all the advice and I am fully aware of my ignorance. I am a hobbyist woodworker primarily. I do understand that I am asking advice from seasoned, experienced people who don't suffer fools. I am not a fool, i am just mostly ignorant. I can take all the gruff BS you can dish out and more and not get my feelings hurt. My brother and I go round and round all day. 9mostly because we're too busy trying to talk and neither of us is trying to listen.
ten minutes later, we'll crack a beer and bullshit about fishing or whatever.
You cant stump me with a concept. I will look it up and read about it and KNOW it very quickly. That is not to say that I will have the EXPERIENCE necessary to MASTER the APPLICATION of the concept in PRACTICE. I know the difference between those as well.
I grew up in a junkyard in Alabama and have been mechanically inclined from an early age. playing with nuts, bolts, shapes, geometry, etc. comes easy. This is not to say that I am anywhere near a machinist or other skilled laborer/professional/engineer. I do however pull off some decent stuff from time to time. I pick up skills as i need them and I get as close to perfecting those skills as the job requires or the time allows. I am a jack of all trades, but i tend to stick to woodworking... for the time being.
I'm not the best welder. I might be a little better than the average guy. My work with welders is not anywhere near professional grade. I would practice a lot before touching the production piece. However, I am not a big fan of employing a new skill for finish work without mastery.
Right now, the welder has some allure because I want a welder and would occasionally use it for some personal projects. I do agree that my skills are not to the level that would enable me to produce the professional product i envision; especially with aluminum.
I intend to make this photo booth without any parts that are detachable or easily lost. Yes i know that detent ring pins will detach if DELIBERATELY removed from the ring.
Right now, rivets or maybe nuts and bolts are the most feasible things if they can withstand 200 setups/teardowns per year.
I will look up the systems/products mentioned and see if those present suitable alternatives.
I appreciate the advice.
thanks
dan