what thickness?

if you want it to last then 3/4" plate should do :)
or you could try 0.9-1mm ;)

"you were only supposed to blow the bloody SLIDING doors off"
 
I got 1 mm for the peak repairs and that felt about right and easy to work with even though the original roof metal seemed a lot thicker.

'Harvey the RV'
 
If its not critical to the structural integrity, I'd agree with Panky as the thinner steel is easier to work. I had to use 2mm steel for the repair of the sills (the same thickness as original metal) on my car and it was very difficult to shape. I also had trouble finding small quantities of the thicker stuff, acquiring offcuts from an agricultural engineer, whereas small quantities of 0.8 - 1mm should be available from your local motor factor. The alternative round here is an 8 x 4 sheet from the steel stockholder.

Where do others buy their steel?

'It's not a proper slider'
 
For chassis box sections I would use thicker stuff but where I bought mine only sold 1 mm - Autopaints International, the same place I get my paint. 1 m2 was a fiver and as I don't use much (he says hopefully:I) I didn't bother shopping around.

'Harvey the RV'
 
Maybe not this time but Harvey has had his fair share of skin grafts and under-pinning in the past [:0]

'Harvey the RV'
 
we're very lucky here as have an agricultural fabricators just down the road - and pop down to scrounge offcuts there[:X][:X][:X] mostly heavier gauge just right for chassis repair.

Also have hoarded bits over the years from old dishwashers, p.c. cases, scrap cars etc so have spent a grand total of £6.00 on internal metalwork far - and all the externals so far have been from Coventry;)[:X]:D

Bessie - four star commerdation
 
My supply of free metal dried up a long time ago. I re-built the underneath of my first camper with the outer skin of 1 tonne containers that water treatment chemicals used to be delivered in. The inner container was plastic so the metal never came in contact with the contents. I spent many a happy night shift stripping them down for the metal - it was about 1.5 mm thick and galvanised so a bit of zinc removal was in order around the welding area to minimise the nasty fumes. I bet that chassis is still around even though the rest of the van has probably dissolved by now:I
I've still got a few bits left - hopefully enough to make a couple of jacking points....and yes I will be careful when it comes to the fumes.

'Harvey the RV'
 
always worked on the theory that if its rotted away then it needs more corrosion resistance, so i tend to weld in stainless where possible, the whole rear floor of the mini is stainless, you only have to do it once a lifetime [^] mind you i have never had to pay for it which helps :)

"you were only supposed to blow the bloody SLIDING doors off"
 
we are lucky round here we have a metal super market , where you can get any thickness you desire and they will even cut it to the exact size for you. and they are cheap.;):D
 
quote:
Originally posted by commeracer

always worked on the theory that if its rotted away then it needs more corrosion resistance, so i tend to weld in stainless where possible, the whole rear floor of the mini is stainless, you only have to do it once a lifetime [^] mind you i have never had to pay for it which helps :)

"you were only supposed to blow the bloody SLIDING doors off"



Trouble is the bits you weld the stainless to will still rot away[V]Keep going and eventually you will have a stainless Mini :p

'Harvey the RV'
 
yes they will, but very slowly as they are not the vunerable bits,and can be protected easily. even stainless rusts and rots away eventually.its a question of lifespan. once you weld something the corrosion is accelerated so thin steel will rot quickly, we have all seen cars with plates welded over plates over plates and plated i am sure :)

"you were only supposed to blow the bloody SLIDING doors off"
 
3289028214_35054f7418_o.jpg


difficult to get across in a pic, but this is an excellent example of extreme corrosion. its stainless grade 310, the extremely expensive super duper corrosion resistant stuff. i made this for a customer researching welding rod fluxes for nuclear fuel rods using electrolysis, its 6mm plate and 6 weeks later it came back like this wafer thin in places with holes rotted through and severe pitting and starting to de-laminate [:0]
not even a commer can corrode like that..............well,maybe ;)

"you were only supposed to blow the bloody SLIDING doors off"
 
Water is the universal solvent - given enough time it will dissolve anything[xx(]

'Harvey the RV'
 
quote:
Originally posted by commeracer

not even a commer can corrode like that..............well,maybe ;)




ooh I don't know, given enough practice I'm sure they could give it a good go;)

Bessie - four star commerdation
 
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