Aluminum Sheet Stock - 21 gage available?
- Thread starter Pablo
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I work in the aviation maintenance field and we keep annealed aluminum sheeting on hand at all times. One of our suppliers is Alcoa and they offer a very common 2024-o (dead soft annealed metal) in the thicknesses between .010" to .0499" with .028" sheeting being a specific size.
If you need .028" annealed in production run quantities I'd send Alcoa a e-mail requesting contact with a local area supplier.
My company buys it in 4'X8' sheets but I have no idea what it costs.
If you need .028" annealed in production run quantities I'd send Alcoa a e-mail requesting contact with a local area supplier.
My company buys it in 4'X8' sheets but I have no idea what it costs.
FowVay - great answer, thanks.
XS650 - Hand fully raised. I actually support IUPAC.
Some of the rest, too expensive, too complex, over analyzed.
Here's the Chinese $8.99 version:
We will be selling them in the $5 range for the 49cc and 69cc 2-stroke bike engines.
XS650 - Hand fully raised. I actually support IUPAC.
Some of the rest, too expensive, too complex, over analyzed.
Here's the Chinese $8.99 version:
We will be selling them in the $5 range for the 49cc and 69cc 2-stroke bike engines.
I just realized I brane ferted above. The place will water cut the parts, not laser cut.
Quote:
They must have sent the stuff they knew we wouldn't accept to the place Tempest worked at.
You are probably right.
By spec I meant target thickness. It was ALWAYS thin and usually by .001-2".
We got 2 batches of 10ga. that were .007" difference. Made bending it VERY difficult since they didn't separate the parts after cutting them...
They must have sent the stuff they knew we wouldn't accept to the place Tempest worked at.
You are probably right.
We got 2 batches of 10ga. that were .007" difference. Made bending it VERY difficult since they didn't separate the parts after cutting them...
Originally Posted By: watercutjoint
Thinner gauge aluminum is available. However, based on experience, 0.032" is the thinnest material we can cut.
Well that's a bummer. It must tear or something. I've asked him why, etc. I wonder if they can the stack and cut it?
Thinner gauge aluminum is available. However, based on experience, 0.032" is the thinnest material we can cut.
Well that's a bummer. It must tear or something. I've asked him why, etc. I wonder if they can the stack and cut it?
The force of the water may bend it as the tables are fairly open (mesh). Never been around a water jet much, though. That's not a problem with a laser. Don't have one around your area?
Originally Posted By: Tempest
The force of the water may bend it as the tables are fairly open (mesh). Never been around a water jet much, though. That's not a problem with a laser. Don't have one around your area?
This from the cutting place:
Quote:
We planned on laser cutting the aluminum material as it is the most economical method. When cutting with the laser the gas pressure will deflect the thin aluminum which is why we can only go down to 0.032" thickness. The waterjet can cut this thin material (0.025"), but it will cost about 30% more and cut won't be quite as "clean". We can do it if you like.
The force of the water may bend it as the tables are fairly open (mesh). Never been around a water jet much, though. That's not a problem with a laser. Don't have one around your area?
This from the cutting place:
Quote:
We planned on laser cutting the aluminum material as it is the most economical method. When cutting with the laser the gas pressure will deflect the thin aluminum which is why we can only go down to 0.032" thickness. The waterjet can cut this thin material (0.025"), but it will cost about 30% more and cut won't be quite as "clean". We can do it if you like.
Interesting. We used to cut 22 ga mild steel all the time with the laser. I realize steel is stronger than Alu but still... There is gas pressure out of a laser and they appear to have experience with the situation and their equipment so I'll not second guess them.
We looked into water jet cutting one time due to the laser going down but the best tolerance that the locals could hold was about .025". That's tough when you have to hold .010" on your final (bent) product.
You might check to see what tolerance they hold if it is critical.
We looked into water jet cutting one time due to the laser going down but the best tolerance that the locals could hold was about .025". That's tough when you have to hold .010" on your final (bent) product.
You might check to see what tolerance they hold if it is critical.
You have a point....I've asked him what the [censored] he means by "won't quite as clean"...
Thanks for the inspiration. I tapped an exhaust gasket for my snow blower out of a piece of aluminum. No clue as to its specs. It was maybe 20 gauge ? I used electricians shears to cut it to fit, so it was fairly soft. I worked it to the flange of the muffler which I had clamped in a vise. Then I heated it with a propane torch in hopes of annealing out any work hardening I put into it by shaping it (tapping the snot out a 3sq" flake of AL.) with a 4 oz. ball peen hammer.
The whole job took an hour or so. The muffler snugged up tight on re-install and the engine is quieter.
The whole job took an hour or so. The muffler snugged up tight on re-install and the engine is quieter.
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