Cost Comparison, Aluminum

trout74

trout74

Petty Officer 2nd Class
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Apr 20, 2011
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Looking into buying some aluminum sheets to underskin my toon. Locally I called a metal fabrication shop and they have 3003H14 / .064 / 10foot X 4Foot sheets. They will cut the aluminum to the dimensions I need so all I have to do it get two buddies and slop it up and start riviting. But the cost seems high. Four sheets, cut to my dimensions for $600 roughly.

He said , Aluminum is at an all time high right now, and honestly he doesnt know why, but he said the price might come down in the next few months, from what he hears.

thoughts on price?? Also, for measuring purposes, how much should I overlap the sheets.....1 inch, 3 inches?

Thanks!
 
rickdb1boat

rickdb1boat

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Jan 23, 2002
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11,195
Re: Cost Comparison, Aluminum

Sounds about right on the price. I did my 20'er 4 years ago and it cost me $450.00 for the metal and screws. Overlap only needs to be about one inch.
 
Kitchen363

Kitchen363

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Re: Cost Comparison, Aluminum

Paid $77 for a 4'X10' sheet of 3003 0.05 thick last year.
 
L

luckyjr

Petty Officer 2nd Class
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Oct 2, 2010
Messages
169
Re: Cost Comparison, Aluminum

Checked on some 1/8 .125 4x8' diamond plate yesterday $148. You need to go to a aluminum warehouse in your area that sells to the fabricators. What is purpose of underskining?
Thanks![/QUOTE]
 
5150abf

5150abf

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Re: Cost Comparison, Aluminum

Aluminum is very expensive, we have sheets at work 78"x102"x.080 that cost $160 each by the time you add in his cost ect that sounds like a good price BUT, you don't want to use 63 for skinning, I think is to thin, if you do use that I would keep my rivets pretty close to help spread the load so it doesn't tear, maybe 2''-3'' apart.
 
trout74

trout74

Petty Officer 2nd Class
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Apr 20, 2011
Messages
120
Re: Cost Comparison, Aluminum

so idealy what is the best aluminum to use, 5052 aluminum? So if I am of the belief that you do it once and do it right, what kind of aluminum and what thickness is ideal?

Thank you
 
rickdb1boat

rickdb1boat

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Joined
Jan 23, 2002
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11,195
Re: Cost Comparison, Aluminum

5052 @ 0.063 is what I used and it has held up great for 4 years. Right now a 4' X 8' sheet from Metal Supermarkets (That's where I bought mine locally) is $161.00 and weighs 27#.
 
5150abf

5150abf

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Aug 12, 2007
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5,808
Re: Cost Comparison, Aluminum

Well there you go, it just sounded thin to me.

We use .080 at work and go to 1/8'' back by the motor pod, I work at Bennington so we proabably do go a little thick to avoid warranty claims.

I think the rivets are the key, use stainless and use alot of them.

As a side note we have some 1/4'' sheet that we make transom parts from and it is somehting like $480 for a 4'x6' sheet so it is really pricey.
 
L

luckyjr

Petty Officer 2nd Class
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Oct 2, 2010
Messages
169
Re: Cost Comparison, Aluminum

i talk to a friend who underskin his toon. He use AlumiClad 1/8" 4' x 8' cost $78ea. 30lbs ea.
 
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