where to get sheet metal ?

[xboxman]

i'm looking for a good place to get sheet metal in sheets about 3 foot by 4 foot sheet maybe 24 gauge

game

[kurt]

ummm a hardware store?? like ace hardware?? the one here has 4 X 4 sheets, or perhaps your local heating contracter would sell you a piece???

[wooferhound]

look in the Yellow Pages under the topic of Sheet Metal.

[DanG]

Since there is a law against discarding refrigerators & freezers with the doors attached (to prevent us from hiding in them when we feel like it) that might be a good place to start. Find out where they migrate to when they die and salvage the metal from the doors and frame - but snatching away complete units means freon recycling, you want to get someone seriously bent and talking $$$ fines, just get caught venting freon or having many flat systems around w/o documentation on freon disposal.

From people I knew in the sheet metal business the retail cost to a consumer is extremely high to cover handling losses - buying scrap, damaged or left-overs and altering your designs to fit whats available helps alot. If you call around for prices always ask what they need to sell first - sometimes you will be surprised...

[Jim Mich]

gameman,

Try http://www.mcmaster.com

48" x 48" x .024" thick  Galvanized steel sheet

Part Number  8943K25  $36.07 Each + shipping

Jim

[dudevato]

I worked for a large union sheetmetal shop. You wouldn't Believe the scrap they throw out.  They had a large roll off bin out behind the building, the kind that gets pulled up on a 10 wheel truck.  I still go over there on weekends and grab some metal to have on hand when an idea hits.  A nice smooth piece 3x4 might take some time to get ahold of, but I found 3 lengths of 10'x 9" that was broken into a "U" shape that made PerFect Raingutter when I fastened it together, then put some home made end caps on.  It's been on my workshop for Years.  It is so cool to get stuff for Free!  If you are in the city, the larger the better, get in the phonebook and look for sheetmetal shops, 'drive by early saturday morning with a cup of coffee and see if these places don't have one of these scrap bins.  My shop didn't get paid for the scrap, they got it hauled away for free.  'Might be worth a shot to speak to someone there and lay the 'ol, "the kids are hungry and bills are all due" line on them

[Big All]

It might be possible to get sheet aluminum from your local newspaper printer.

Chances are they use it for their printing plates.

I've checked with my local newspaper here, but the salvage of them is contracted out, and I haven't been able to find out who has the contract.

Same goes for my local dump (transfer station actually) there is always such good stuff in the metal recycling area, but no salvage is allowed even by employees apparently.

[TERRYWGIPE]

YOU CAN GET SHEET METAL ANYWHERE THEY SELL ROOFING SUPPLIES , IE. LOWES, BUSY BEAVER,HOME DEPO,OR A PLACE THAT SPECIALIZES IN ROOFING.

ALSO IT WOULD HELP TO KNOW WHAT YOU NEEDED IT FOR BECAUSE YOU CAN BUY A ROLE OF ALUMINUM FOR ABOUT $30.

                  TERRY

[Gagster]

>'Might be worth a shot to speak to someone there and lay the 'ol, "the kids are hungry and bills are all due" line on them





That may work once in a while, but a sixpack works more often.