The Price of Aluminum

[W. eWatson]

I'm in California. Not that it may matter. Does anyone know the price
of Al per square foot for 1/4" or 1/8" thickness.

 

[DoN. Nichols]

You want news:rec.crafts.metalworking for these questions.

And the first question is: what kind of machine tools do you
have to modify it. At 1/4" thick, I don't think that chassis punches
would work, so you should have a drill press and a milling machine to
start with.

Another question is -- what size plates?

From MSC <http://www.mscdirect.com>, 1/4" 6061 alloy (fairly
nice machining) aluminum in 2'x2' dimensions goes for $183.48 ($44.96
per square foot) while a 12"x12" plate is $47.91 ea (a bit more per
square foot).

While 1/8" (0.125" thickness) is $97.03 per sheet at 24" x 24",
while 12" x 12" is $58.50. (the step from 1/8" to 1/4" moves from
"sheet" to "plate" in terminology. And certainly for cutting the 1/4"
you will need a bandsaw, while 1/8" thick might be possible with a foot
shear. (Yes, there are shears which will handle 1/4" thick and thicker,
but they are *big*, expensive, and very noisy -- driven by a flywheel
spun by an electric motor.)

So -- do you have the tools to work with this. The larger the
sheet you purchase (up to 4' x 8') the less per square foot, but the
more tooling you need to work with it.

There are online metals stores which will supply the metal for
perhaps less money. MSC is convienent because they ship quickly. (I
typically get things within 24 hours or less, and they have a lot of
things which I like to get and use. But for metals in small quantities,
either go to the online metals places, or find an industrial vendor.
(I'm on the East Coast, so where I get things would not work for you.

Yet thinner metal you could use a hand shear and a finger brake
for bending up boxes and such. And for bending, you need to select the
right alloy -- 6061 is nice to machine, but tends to crack when you bend
it.

Good Luck,
DoN.

 

[W. eWatson]

And the first question is: what kind of machine tools do you
have to modify it. At 1/4" thick, I don't think that chassis punches
would work, so you should have a drill press and a milling machine to
start with.

Another question is -- what size plates?

From MSC <http://www.mscdirect.com>, 1/4" 6061 alloy (fairly
nice machining) aluminum in 2'x2' dimensions goes for $183.48 ($44.96
per square foot) while a 12"x12" plate is $47.91 ea (a bit more per
square foot).

While 1/8" (0.125" thickness) is $97.03 per sheet at 24" x 24",
while 12" x 12" is $58.50. (the step from 1/8" to 1/4" moves from
"sheet" to "plate" in terminology. And certainly for cutting the 1/4"
you will need a bandsaw, while 1/8" thick might be possible with a foot
shear. (Yes, there are shears which will handle 1/4" thick and thicker,
but they are *big*, expensive, and very noisy -- driven by a flywheel
spun by an electric motor.)

So -- do you have the tools to work with this. The larger the
sheet you purchase (up to 4' x 8') the less per square foot, but the
more tooling you need to work with it.

There are online metals stores which will supply the metal for
perhaps less money. MSC is convienent because they ship quickly. (I
typically get things within 24 hours or less, and they have a lot of
things which I like to get and use. But for metals in small quantities,
either go to the online metals places, or find an industrial vendor.
(I'm on the East Coast, so where I get things would not work for you.

Yet thinner metal you could use a hand shear and a finger brake
for bending up boxes and such. And for bending, you need to select the
right alloy -- 6061 is nice to machine, but tends to crack when you bend
it.

Good Luck,
DoN.

Thanks. I think I was too fast on the trigger. This concerns an astro
dome, and I do use some aluminum inside for shelves. However, my latest
thrust is to replace a lower shutter, which is about 3x3'. The dome and
two shutters are made from galvanized steel, so price wise and otherwise
probably better off using it. I'll check on this Monday with some
distributors in the area.

 

[Jim Wilkins]

Thanks. I think I was too fast on the trigger. This concerns an
astro dome, and I do use some aluminum inside for shelves. However,
my latest thrust is to replace a lower shutter, which is about 3x3'.
The dome and two shutters are made from galvanized steel, so price
wise and otherwise probably better off using it. I'll check on this
Monday with some distributors in the area.

You might do better on one cut sheet by checking with sheet metal and
HVAC shops. Can you tolerate scratches? Don't forget that you have to
transport it.
jsw

 

[[email protected]]

I'm in California. Not that it may matter. Does anyone know the price

of Al per square foot for 1/4" or 1/8" thickness.

Were in California? In Sacramento we have a place called Blue Collor that sells all types of metals for a resonable prices. Also check all of your local recylers. Some will allow customers to go buy from them.
Wiley

 

[[email protected]]

And the first question is: what kind of machine tools do you
have to modify it. At 1/4" thick, I don't think that chassis punches
would work, so you should have a drill press and a milling machine to
start with.

Another question is -- what size plates?

From MSC <http://www.mscdirect.com>, 1/4" 6061 alloy (fairly
nice machining) aluminum in 2'x2' dimensions goes for $183.48 ($44.96
per square foot) while a 12"x12" plate is $47.91 ea (a bit more per
square foot).

While 1/8" (0.125" thickness) is $97.03 per sheet at 24" x 24",
while 12" x 12" is $58.50. (the step from 1/8" to 1/4" moves from
"sheet" to "plate" in terminology. And certainly for cutting the 1/4"
you will need a bandsaw, while 1/8" thick might be possible with a foot
shear. (Yes, there are shears which will handle 1/4" thick and thicker,
but they are *big*, expensive, and very noisy -- driven by a flywheel
spun by an electric motor.)

So -- do you have the tools to work with this. The larger the
sheet you purchase (up to 4' x 8') the less per square foot, but the
more tooling you need to work with it.

There are online metals stores which will supply the metal for
perhaps less money. MSC is convienent because they ship quickly. (I
typically get things within 24 hours or less, and they have a lot of
things which I like to get and use. But for metals in small quantities,
either go to the online metals places, or find an industrial vendor.
(I'm on the East Coast, so where I get things would not work for you.

Yet thinner metal you could use a hand shear and a finger brake
for bending up boxes and such. And for bending, you need to select the
right alloy -- 6061 is nice to machine, but tends to crack when you bend
it.

Good Luck,
DoN.

Bends just fine at T0 - Not so well at T6.. Machines well at T6, not
so well at T0 (dead soft)