sheet metal for fabrication

[titan]

maybe obvious to those skilled at metal work but I need some small pieces of sheet metal for some fab work. what gauge/type of sheet metal will work best on a thing? I'm new to this but having fun learning as I go.

[surfarii]

Tell us more about what you are going to fabricate and I will try and help

John

[titan]

fenders, body panel and inner rocker repair, possibly some work on the hood. some rust repair and some customizing. When people do this knid of work, where do they get their sheet metal? can i buy the stuff from Lowe's or Home Depot or should I buy random junk yard parts from misc. cars and cut them up?

[miscreantgnomie]

usually there are places named like s and s metal in your city they make steel for like those steel buildings and all sorts girders etc. they sell sheet metal in varous sizes and a lot cheaper then lowes home dept.

I would go as thick as the part you are replacing. you can also buy used hoods in a junk yard and cut them up for metal Pick german metal its better like mercedes hoods

Nothing like chopping up a mercedes to fix your thing
_________________
62 sc, 62 SO 34, 61 mango, (2) 67 deluxe in crappy shape, 73 thing, 64 ghia,
and some embarassing bays. shhh, I just use them for storage. (hides)
San Antonio (SAAC/VOSA)

[wackert]

i bought some sheetmetal to replaces my floors with from a heating place locally. you could try that.

[surfarii]

[Towel Rail]

Sheet metal thicknesses

Front and side outer panels: 0.88mm (0.035")

Rear outer panels: 1.00mm (0.039")

Fenders: 0.88mm (0.035")

Doors and hoods: 0.88mm (0.035")

Interior panels: 0.75 to 1.0mm (0.029-0.039")
_________________
1974 Thing -- under the knife
1967 Beetle -- spring/summer/fall driver
1996 Subaru OBW (EJ22, 5-speed, AWD) -- winter car, 3-seasons "don't feel like biking today" car

049 > 070 > 053 > 009

[kubelmann]

How about if some sheet metal geek out there converts metal thickness into gauge. Such as: 0.88mm (0.035") equals 14 gauge.

[63single]

Try this

Gauge (ga)
Standard Steel Thickness (inches)
Galvanized Steel Thickness (inches)
Aluminum Thickness (inches)

3
0.2391

0.2294

4
0.2242

0.2043

5
0.2092

0.1819

6
0.1943

0.1620

7
0.1793

0.1443

8
0.1644

0.1285

9
0.1495
0.1532
0.1144

10
0.1345
0.1382
0.1019

11
0.1196
0.1233
0.0907

12
0.1046
0.1084
0.0808

13
0.0897
0.0934
0.0720

14
0.0747
0.0785
0.0641

15
0.0673
0.0710
0.0571

16
0.0598
0.0635
0.0508

17
0.0538
0.0575
0.0453

18
0.0478
0.0516
0.0403

19
0.0418
0.0456
0.0359

20
0.0359
0.0396
0.0320

21
0.0329
0.0366
0.0285

22
0.0299
0.0336
0.0253

23
0.0269
0.0306
0.0226

24
0.0239
0.0276
0.0201

25
0.0209
0.0247
0.0179

26
0.0179
0.0217
0.0159

27
0.0164
0.0202
0.0142

28
0.0149
0.0187
0.0126

29
0.0135
0.0172
0.0113

30
0.0120
0.0157
0.0100

31
0.0105
0.0142
0.0089

32
0.0097
0.0134
0.0080

33
0.0090

0.0071

34
0.0082

0.0063

35
0.0075

0.0056

36 0.0067
37 0.0064
38
0.0060

[kubelmann]

Thing Body Part Sheet metal thicknesses

Front and side outer panels: 0.88mm (0.035") 20 gauge

Rear outer panels: 1.00mm (0.039") 19 gauge

Fenders: 0.88mm (0.035") 20 gauge

Doors and hoods: 0.88mm (0.035") 20 gauge

Interior panels: 0.75 to 1.0mm (0.029-0.039") 22 - 19 gauge
_________________

[kubelmann]

Thing Body Part Sheet metal thicknesses

Front and side outer panels: 0.88mm (0.035") 20 gauge

Rear outer panels: 1.00mm (0.039") 19 gauge

Fenders: 0.88mm (0.035") 20 gauge

Doors and hoods: 0.88mm (0.035") 20 gauge

Interior panels: 0.75 to 1.0mm (0.029-0.039") 22 - 19 gauge

Additional Metal thicknesses and related gauge

Gauge Standard Steel Thickness (inches) Galvanized Steel Thickness (inches)
Aluminum Thickness (inches)

3 0.2391 0.2294
4 0.2242 0.2043
5 0.2092 0.1819
6 0.1943 0.1620
7 0.1793 0.1443
8 0.1644 0.1285
9 0.1495 0.1532 0.1144
10 0.1345 0.1382 0.1019
11 0.1196 0.1233 0.0907
12 0.1046 0.1084 0.0808
13 0.0897 0.0934 0.0720
14 0.0747 0.0785 0.0641
15 0.0673 0.0710 0.0571
16 0.0598
0.0635 0.0508
17 0.0538 0.0575 0.0453
18 0.0478 0.0516 0.0403
19 0.0418 0.0456 0.0359
20 0.0359 0.0396 0.0320
21 0.0329 0.0366 0.0285
22 0.0299 0.0336 0.0253
23 0.0269 0.0306 0.0226
24 0.0239 0.0276 0.0201
25 .0209 0.0247 0.0179
26 0.0179 0.0217 0.0159
27 0.0164 0.0202 0.0142
28 0.0149 0.0187 0.0126
29 0.0135 0.0172 0.0113
30 0.0120 0.0157 0.0100
31 0.0105 0.0142 0.0089
32 0.0097 0.0134 0.0080
33 0.0090 0.0071
34 0.0082 0.0063
35 0.0075 0.0056
36 0.0067
37 0.0064
38 0.0060

[mstatedog]

just use 18 gauge you'll be good to go. i got a sheet from a local sheet metal shop... I took a piece of my rocker metal down there and they checked it for me...

dog

[Thingggg]

http://www.onlineconversion.com/gauge_sheet_metal.htm

Welcome to OnlineConversion.com

A lot of people use slightly thicker than original.

Newer car steel +1980 is thin and hard to weld.

http://www.onlinemetals.com/

[vintagemx0]

I built a replica kubelwagen one panel at a time using 24 x 36 inch sheets of 20 ga crs from Ace Hardware. At $29 a sheet, it's more expensive than it would have been buying all the material at once from a larger supplier, but I made my car one panel at a time over a two year period. The convienece factor was there for me as I could just stop by Ace on my way home as needed and grab one.

You're going to need to be able to cut your sheet too. I bought some electric shears on E-Bay for like $15 (plus $20 shipping) and just love them. THey do a really nice job and make it possible for me to fab anything from home.

Check my gallery - I hand-fabbed that whole thing with Ace Hardware sheet steel and some pretty simple (crude) tools. You can do anything with steel - it's pretty forgiving to work with.
_________________
Where ever you go, there you are.

[Towel Rail]

Wow, let me be the first to swing.

Amazing work there. Are you working from Army capture schematics?

- Scott
_________________
1974 Thing -- under the knife
1967 Beetle -- spring/summer/fall driver
1996 Subaru OBW (EJ22, 5-speed, AWD) -- winter car, 3-seasons "don't feel like biking today" car

049 > 070 > 053 > 009