[birko]

Hey,
just picked up a sheet of 1220x2440 x 2.5 treadplate and im looking to cut it up for hopefully my door trims, rear trim/make it a table, and door sills. Can this be done from 1 sheet?
Also whats the best way of cutting it? jigsaw with metal blade, 4' Grinder with thin blade, or 4' with ali blade?
What hinges have ppl used for a rear table?

any pics would help.
thnx

[foonji]

I have no idea... but with a tape measure and marker you should be able to work it out.

[daisy]

basic mathematics there !!!!

[birko]

yep, i realise that just wondering if anybody has done it ill trace them on it on the w/end but i wont be working on it till then

[birko]

Mainly wanna no what blades to get for the grinder

[eldo]

Mate I would use a jigsaw

[31zook]

X2

[shep]

eldo wrote:

Mate I would use a jigsaw

haha i would talk ball into doing it for me with his plasma.

sorry i cant help ya

[alien]

most laser cutting places have a minimum charge of around $80-100...

You could get someone here to draw it up in a vector program and take it to the laser cutters with your sheet to be cut. Then all the holes can be pre-drilled and everything, saving you a TON of time and leaving no room for error.

Just a thought =)

[Joe]

Ive used a bit of checker plate on trailers that ive built and i find that a 1mm cutting disk on a grinder works the best just go slowly
I tryed a jigsaw the first time and it came out all messy

[Crunched]

Don't use the standard cut-off discs in your grinder. Maybe look for some carbide or multi-cut discs for the grinder or circular saw?

Aluminum will chew through standard cut-off discs and also overload your grinder. Broken discs and rooted grinders isn't real fun...

[Joe]

Crunched wrote:

Don't use the standard cut-off discs in your grinder. Maybe look for some carbide or multi-cut discs for the grinder or circular saw?

Aluminum will chew through standard cut-off discs and also overload your grinder. Broken discs and rooted grinders isn't real fun...

Ive never had a problem with that

[shep]

use cut off discs and grinding discs that are designed for working with Aluminum. they is good.

[birko]

ok, yep ive seen them alimium discs but you cant get them in the really thin style. Nobody tried a metal blade in a jigsaw? I might just try both

[eldo]

I have cut 5 mm alloy check plate with both, the grinder was a nightmare and the jig saw ate it up too easy

[ajsr]

jigsaws and combo blade for cutting metal wood and plastics works best.

[coily96]

If your using a grinder your going to need some paste, the work will kick back either towards you or away from you, the alloy is easy to cut but the disc can get stuck in your groove.

Make your measurments and find a fabrication shop, better if you know someone, they wont charge too much to run it through the guillotine.

Takes a second to cut a dead straight line.

[royce]

none of the trims are real square so youll need a jigsaw for the curves
circular saw with the blade spun round for the straights

get some thin foam for behind the door trims too, they will rattle like crazy

[steak_knife]

royce wrote:

none of the trims are real square so youll need a jigsaw for the curves
circular saw with the blade spun round for the straights

get some thin foam for behind the door trims too, they will rattle like crazy

Ear muff's will be needed for this tho..

[atari4x4]

checker plate is freezing cold in winter & bloody hot in summer.

[alien]

you can buy stick-on (vinyl) checker plate too - maybe re-skinning your old cards is an option?? =)

[atari4x4]

alien wrote:

you can buy stick-on (vinyl) checker plate too - maybe re-skinning your old cards is an option?? =)

maybe taking up rollerblading is a better option, it will be easier to explain to ya mum....

[Joe]

atari4x4 wrote:

alien wrote:

you can buy stick-on (vinyl) checker plate too - maybe re-skinning your old cards is an option?? =)

maybe taking up rollerblading is a better option, it will be easier to explain to ya mum....

[Polar_Bear]

aluminium or cold cut blade in a power saw will probably be your best bet if ya gonna do it at home by yourself, will need ear plugs and ear muffs as it will be fawkin loud blades can be expensive tho, depends how much you need to cut

http://www.oceanmachinery.com/cold-saw-blades.htm

[banga]

hey there you wont have any trouble with cutting it up with a grinder if you use one get some p-ferd stainless inox discs and use wax on it i forget what its call it comes in a white block any welding shop would have it or get the new ally one from flexovit dont need wax. thats what we have all ways used at any where i have worked if you used a jig saw you wont have any straight cuts cause the blades can wander around. circular saw isn't bad either with the right blade. if you have lots of stright cuts mark it out and take it some where with a ghillotine or how ever you spell it cut out rectangles big enough and then trim to suit.

[marcman]

grinder! grinder! grinder! thats wat i used wen i made my roof worked fine

[zooky08]

birko wrote:

yep, i realise that just wondering if anybody has done it ill trace them on it on the w/end but i wont be working on it till then

i did the door trims last w/end used the old door trims as a trmplate and i used a 1mm grinding disc dont no if it was the best thing to use but it worked, i tried a jigsaw but it just jumped around every where

[SuziBlu]

banga wrote:

hey there you wont have any trouble with cutting it up with a grinder if you use one get some p-ferd stainless inox discs and use wax on it i forget what its call it comes in a white block any welding shop would have it or get the new ally one from flexovit dont need wax. thats what we have all ways used at any where i have worked if you used a jig saw you wont have any straight cuts cause the blades can wander around. circular saw isn't bad either with the right blade. if you have lots of stright cuts mark it out and take it some where with a ghillotine or how ever you spell it cut out rectangles big enough and then trim to suit.

Bees wax.

[zukenutter]

I used a grinder with thin cutting disc. Find some old candles and wax up the disc before each cut. You'll cut like it's butter until the wax wears off

[Pubic]

got to a local sheetmetal place, slip them a few beers to use their guilotine for your straight cuts, then use a jig saw with a coarse blade....