HOLY MOLY! What are you paying for

[greg176]

When you ask what are you paying for it is the certification of the aluminum as an aircraft part, 2024 is aircraft aluminum. The aluminum cannot be certified if it has any defects on sheet, even one tiny scratch.That is why they will sell damaged sheets for half price (wish me luck with that I haven't tried getting some yet - just word of mouth).I'm going to need at least 6 sheets.

[markdoane]

Hey, if its not good enough for Boeing, would I want it on my trailer? You think I want to blow out a skin panel and lose cabin pressure while on final approach to Happy Acres campground? Would I call Good Sam for help?

[Creampuff]

I went to a steel/aluminum supplier in' beautiful downtown ' Burbank ,CA.for a replacement for my bumper storage pan. Took the old knarly remnant in ,they mic'd it and said it was 18 guage or close to .036 (prob. .032 with dirt).
They cut me the exact size and for $10 I was gone! CHEAP, I thought- so I asked what a 4x12 sheet would be and it was $54.00!!
Am I getting a low grade or what? I thought on the belly anything would work!

[59toaster]

Originally posted by Creampuff
I went to a steel/aluminum supplier in' beautiful downtown ' Burbank ,CA.for a replacement for my bumper storage pan. Took the old knarly remnant in ,they mic'd it and said it was 18 guage or close to .036 (prob. .032 with dirt).
They cut me the exact size and for $10 I was gone! CHEAP, I thought- so I asked what a 4x12 sheet would be and it was $54.00!!
Am I getting a low grade or what? I thought on the belly anything would work!

Uhhhhh either he has some old stock that he doesn't know what the going rate is or it's a lower grade. So far the best prices have been the two aircraft places. 4x12 sheet of the rear deal 2024-t3 AlCad .032 is $165. I have been quoted as high as $330 for a peice that size.

That price is close to what you get at a recycler. THat' sheet is about 18lb. I have found a few places with Stainless close to that price that was around .025. There are some grades of aluminum for stamping or forming stuff like gutters around that price. If that's 2024 I'd buy all of his stock and resale it close to going rate and make some retirement money.

[markdoane]

Yeah. See if he has certs for that stuff. If its 2024T3 I'll buy all he has for $54/sheet.
I suspect you got some 5000 series dead soft stuff.
But if it floats your boat.....
Good comment about the belly pan. Let's not get too carried away.
When I was a volunteer fireman, we took a lot of pride in our equipment. But I drew the line when the chief told me to polish and wax the drive shaft and u-joints on the pumper. .

[Creampuff]

I did some homework on the $54/sht stufff I bought and it appears to be #6061 which Aircraft Spruce also sells but for $72 (20 G.) or $79 (18 Guage).
Still seems like it would work fine for belly pans or am I missing something.
Does it corrode faster in salty climates??
I'm going to try a polishing test to see if it will look lame next to the original.I'm sure it's not for segments but don't see why it wouldn't pass under the rubrail.

[59toaster]

Originally posted by Creampuff
I did some homework on the $54/sht stufff I bought and it appears to be #6061 which Aircraft Spruce also sells but for $72 (20 G.) or $79 (18 Guage).
Still seems like it would work fine for belly pans or am I missing something.
Does it corrode faster in salty climates??
I'm going to try a polishing test to see if it will look lame next to the original.I'm sure it's not for segments but don't see why it wouldn't pass under the rubrail.

It will work fine for the belly pan. It may well be what was originaly on them. What ever is i used on the belly is not 2024 I have decided. I'm just going to replace the very perimiter where it is visible. I'll salvage the the center.

I have some interior pannel loose and I can tell you the pannels they used on the inside are not the 2024 they used on the outside. The 2024 I can now see with the pannels off is still very shinny. The interior pannels where they are not painted are are very dull by compairson.

[markdoane]

6061 has very little copper, but is probably excellent for bellypan. I think the original bellypan was 2024 but not AlClad, which gives the mirror finish. May also have been fully annealed, Tzero. Not sure where I saw this, but credit to the original author.

[uwe]

I took one of my belly pan segments to a metal supply house and they identified it as .032, and the closest new material we could find in their warehouse was a 4x12 sheet of 5052 aluminum. It lookes fantastic, has the tiny brush lines in it, and should more than suffice for the belly pan.
I like it so well, I am going to use some of it to spruce up the interior.
Anyways, it was $47.00 tax incl. for a 4ftx12ft sheet. The material is more than sufficient for my belly pan sections. I would not see much sense in using aircraft rated aluminum for cutting up into belly pan segments.

[wahoonc]

Uwe,
Could your belly pan have been replaced? My service manual on my 75 says the belly pan is .024 but then again they may have lightened it up by the mid 70's I by a lot of sheet goods from Phoenix Metals, the branch I use is out of Charlotte, NC. If you can get in good with your local architectural metals shop, they should know where the good deals are. We pay about $65 for a 4'x10' sheet of .063 the 5000 series stuff. Haven't checked on the good stuff yet.

Here is the link for Phoenix Metals http://www.phoenixmetals.net/
They are primarily out of the Southeast.

Aaron

[uwe]

Aaron,
It is possible that there are different materials found under my trailer, but if so, then it would have happened early in the trailers career. The reason i went for new material was that the old stuff is just plain gross and has been cut and riveted one too many times. Also, there were holes I no longer need since i rerouted the grey water line from the shower to accomodate my BAL jacks.
At $ 44.66 for a sheet, I guess I got a good deal. Airparts lists the same material for $ 6.50 per foot. ( 5052H32)

[dinoburb]

Hi Gang,

I have built experimental aircraft with AL and organic products (wood) and spent 20 years in the US Navy as a pilot and Aircraft Maintenance Officer. AL is my life!!!

Below is a link to an aircraft supplier's page on what the many types of AL are used for and their numerical nomenclature. From there you can look at their catalog for comparison pricing.

http://www.wicksaircraft.com/gotopage.php?page=59

Pages 68 and 69 have the sheet AL pricing with strength and usage information.

BTW if the local supplier is10-15% higher he might be the right person to purchase from anyway, as you may need something on short notice, and if he is still in business, you'll have a local source. You might even have someone to assist you when the bending, forming, etc. operations become more than you can handle without the brake, English wheel, misc tools so necessary in sheet metal work.

Before the flames start, I do not purchase all my stuff from the local supplier, mail order can and has saved me many dollars, but I do use a guide of 20%. If mail order w/shipping saves me 20% or more that's the way I generally go. That said, I have also spent more than mail order locally because of the additional service I received from the local merchant. (8' sheet brake to bend .125" for spars for example)

I hope this is of some benefit.

Take care,

[markdoane]

Great source! Beaucoup karma to you. Notice they also have lots of rivets and rivetting tools, and adhesives, and tons of stuff. Thanks.

[Creampuff]

I agree - great site for info. Karma coming !
Page 51 has some polishes that are interesting.

[Firecop]

Just came on and read all the threads. Thanks alot. The wealth of info from this site is great. I am attempting to restore a '78 Excella 31' International to original factory condition, and this will help greatly. A special thanks to our A-6 veteran, Dinoburb, on the web source.

[Creampuff]

You will find a wealth of archived info in the restoration forums. Use the search engine on any topic.