craig1410
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 posted on 13/11/03 at 10:00 PM |
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Which ally alloy for bodywork?
Hi,
I'm starting to think about buying some aluminium for my bodywork and seat back and wondered what type of aluminium to go for and what price to
expect? I have just looked at Aalco's website at http://www.aalco.co.uk and they have several different alloys which they describe briefly. The
ones which appear to be available in the correct thickness (1.2mm - Guidance welcome) are the following:
1050A-H14 (Pure ally)
4015-H12 (Recycled, low cost, higher strength)
5754-H111
The latter (5754) seems to be the best bet as it is high strength and is apparently designed for industrial flooring for cold rooms etc. It is also
described as decorative.
Any comments and guidance are very welcome as is a suggested source in Central Scotland.
By the way, how much aluminium have you guys used for the sides, back, seat back, tunnel and maybe the scuttle? I was thinking of 3 of
8'x4' sheets. Sound okay?
Cheers guys,
Craig.
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Alan B
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| posted on 13/11/03 at 10:13 PM |
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I've always found 5052-H32 to be good in these applications.
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flyingkiwi
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| posted on 13/11/03 at 10:15 PM |
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pure ali will be generally soft as shite and scratches really easily. that's my 2 pence worth
It Runs!!!!! Bring on the SVA!
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craig1410
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| posted on 13/11/03 at 10:16 PM |
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Thanks Alan,
This isn't one of the alloys listed by Aalco but I'll bear it in mind when getting quotes elsewhere. I want to know exactly what I want as
I have found that metal yards tend to rip you off if they think they can get away with it. If you go in and say "I want some aluminium"
then they will chuckle and then give you any old sh1t and charge you top prices... Then again maybe I'm cynical
Cheers,
Craig.
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flyingkiwi
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| posted on 13/11/03 at 10:20 PM |
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I think the industrial strength stuff could be too hard to bend without heat treatment, which can be a pain to do. Best bet is to get on the phone and
ask loads of questions. Most of the ali I have used is aircraft stuff that I managed to grab out of the scrap bin, before the skip man had it and has
different number's to civvy street.
If you can get something that's been annealed then it will make it easier for when you bend it (like beckham??)
Chris
It Runs!!!!! Bring on the SVA!
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craig1410
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| posted on 13/11/03 at 10:21 PM |
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Flyingkiwi,
Thanks for that. Very nicely put... 
I agree completely and would rule out alloy 1050A which is almost pure ally (99.5%+)
I think that an alloy with some magnesium such as 5754 or perhaps 5052 as suggested by Alan would be better.
One other thing, do they normally come with plastic peelable coatings or is this an extra?
Cheers,
Craig.
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Alan B
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| posted on 13/11/03 at 10:28 PM |
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I think the coating is standard.
Been on every sheet I've ever bought.
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Hugh Paterson
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| posted on 13/11/03 at 11:00 PM |
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Ali suppliers
Craig, Aalco has an outlet behind me In Cambuslang tel 0141 642 3200. Very handy. Suggest a phone call to compare the price for 5251-H22 or 4015-H12
they stock both as standard The 5754- H111 is 5 bar treadplate or rice effect flooring, very hard wearing crap to bend, I use it for deckplates in
boat enginerooms, although we have used some as flooring in the footwell of the Coram Lmp. Either of the above in 1.2 or 1.5mm will work for your
needs plate sizes are 2000x1000mm - 3000x1500mm, larger sections are dear and to special order, oh and they can powder coat it if you want but at the
moment dont e-coat or stock it
If you need help give me a shout by u2u I work with sheet from them. The sheet prices vary from week to week and depending on quantity you order
However Aalco supply most of the stockholders in Central Scotland from this Shed If you catch my drift.
Shug
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craig1410
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| posted on 13/11/03 at 11:45 PM |
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Hugh,
Thanks for that, I was aware of the Cambuslang branch and have just a few minutes ago received a quotation for both 5251-H22 and 1050A-H14 from
Gillian Grimes.
Based on 3 sheets of 2500x1250x1.2mm the price is £23.69 per sheet for 1050-H14 and £24.78 per sheet for the 5251-H22. This seems a fair price for a
relatively small volume and includes Vinyl coating. They did say that they can't guarantee the surface finish of these grades. Do you see that
as a problem? Are they typically good surface finish anyway? Obviously the downside of getting them Vinyl coated is that I can't see the finish
before buying...
Thanks,
Craig.
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Hugh Paterson
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| posted on 14/11/03 at 09:40 AM |
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Surface finish
Cannnot see it being a problem, we have used it recently and it polishes up not bad leaving it raw, on a finished car it will be coated.
Shug.
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Peteff
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| posted on 14/11/03 at 10:31 AM |
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I used 16g for mine because that's what they had in stock. I asked for half hard as it says in the book and the stuff was a doddle to work, no
annealing just a soft hammer to form it. It wasn't coated as standard but they could order it at no extra cost.
yours, Pete.
yours, Pete
I went into the RSPCA office the other day. It was so small you could hardly swing a cat in there.
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