Where would you get sheet metal for custom road signs?
The signs will be 12" by 18", with rounded corners, painted white, with black two-inch letters.
Steel would work, but aluminum would be better. Thickness would be something like 0.060 to 0.080 inches.
I maybe need material for 10 signs, at most.
I'm guessing welding shops will have the raw material at a good price. Sheet metal shops too.
Ace and Home Depot have the raw plate steel, but the plates themselves cost as much as signs being made, so the only question here is where to get about
12 feet by 18 feet (roughly) of plate metal inexpensively.
Start here if you want some idea of properties. .080 is a common thickness for signs. I'd buy what is readily available in that thickness. 2024 or 6061 will work.
Hard to beat that price. They have rounded corners and drilled holes, ready to go. I wouldn't cut a sign out with a saber saw and buff the edges for $3 if the metal was free. I am going to book mark that site.
The OP might want to see what this guy wants for the completed signs. His paint or decals will last longer than your average rattle can anyway.
Thanks for the advice. I'm not in a rush, so mail order will work. One guy I called today said "get 5052 because it's cheaper". You suggested 2024 or 6061.
Looking up what the numbers mean this is a summary I found:
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2024 ? Another high strength aluminum, often used in place of 7075 due to its superior welding characteristics. Also does not anodize well.
5052 ? Moderately high strength aluminum used in sheet metal applications where bending and strength are required.
6061 - The most common AL to the machine shop world. Machines well and is fairly stable. Takes a nice anodize plating.
7075 - typically called aircraft AL. High strength aluminum. A little harder to machine than 6061. Special care needs to be taken to produce thin walled components due to material movement. Does not take a weld very well. It also does not take anodize well. Given that description, I'd take the cheapest, since they'll all work I think.
Wow. That site is fantastic! Cheap prices. Lots of choices. Rounded edges. Holes punched. (Even holes both ways, whatever that means.)
The best price I found for a sheet of .063 gauge aluminum (unknown alloy) was $125, which nets me roughly fifteen to twenty 12x18" signs, at about $6.25 per sign (square edges, no holes, still needs paint).
Your site, for just one to thirteen blanks adds a $10 processing fee (plus shipping), but if I get more than thirteen blanks, they drop the processing fee.
Shipping seems to *only* be by FedEx, which is about $40 for fifteen 12x18 inch blanks.
So, for fifteen 3105 alloy 12x18" 0.80 gauge blanks, it's $55.50 for the fifteen blanks $39.50 for the shipping
One guy I called, named Miles, at Reliance, in Union City (408-672-3455) quoted $24 each for 0.063 gauge 5052 alloy, cut to 12x18, not rounded, and $33 each for 18x24.
Given that a *better* blank (rounded, painted, and holed) will be about $6 to $14 it's certainly not worth looking further at having anyone cut the sheets for me locally.
The closest comparison is this 18x24 unpainted blank
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I'm looking at that site now, which seems to have everything, from the blanks, to the posts, and even the decals, as you mentioned:
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The 18x24 painted rounded holed blanks are $14 plus a $10 handling & $17 shipping charge, for $41 for just one sign, so it's best to order more signs because for just one, it's not worth the money alone.
Yes. I called Reliance, at 800-672-3455. Harris at 408-866-4160. RMS at 408-295-0911. Acosta at 408-275-370. Cortec at 408-278-8540 (and at 408-971-1564). Sheet at 408-282-8900. etc.
Some don't sell to the public, others sell a 4 foot by 10 foot sheet, and those will sheer for a very high fee, to size.
I might find a good local supplier, but it sure seems like their prices are way out of line with those on the net.
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