Great source for aluminum panels for projects

[W7UUU]

I thought I'd share a discovery I made today... of course, probably 99% of
everyone in this forum already knew of it, but maybe that 1% will see this
and be thankful :)

I have a number of homebrew projects coming up on the bench soon, and
I wanted a source of cheap front panel material. Scouring the web for sheet
aluminum just led me to rather expensive sources, with high shipping.

So I checked locally for a "sheet metal shop" - found one only 5 miles from home,
and called - "yes, we have tons of scraps you can pick through"

Wow! Who knew? PILES of scrap squares and rectangles for almost FREE. I
ended up with a 5 foot by 2 foot sheet of .040 (a tad thinner than I wanted,
but should be very easy to work with a nibbler and saw) - TEN BUCKS!!! That's
ONE DOLLAR PER SQUARE FOOT!

My panels will be 9" x 6" so the .040" size should be stiff enough.... if not, no
big deal - I'll just go buy some thicker scraps!

Just wanted to share my good fortune with my fellow Homebrewers.

Dave
W7UUU

[N8YX]

We have Clinton Aluminum located roughly 6 miles from my house. Same deal. Ditto Senser Metal (2mi away) and Summit Equipment and Salvage (~14mi). I've gotten a lot of boom and element tubing from the latter outfit over the years.

[PA5COR]

From the local scrapyard i got many alu poles and pipes used for many projects for a few quid.
Sheeet metal can be found there as well, and if you come there more ooften they even will keep stuff you look for from the pile apart for you ;)

[WØTKX]

We have a place in the Denver area called Alreco Aluminum.
I have repaired Gap antennas with their goodies.

https://plus.google.com/109643418635122288896/about?hl=en

[W7UUU]

I just think it's very cool to have a local place where their "junk" can be my "treasure" for
practically a song. Not the normal "way of the world" these days... it's refreshing.

Now to find that TV repair shop with all the 1950s/60s TV sets with nice big plate
transformers and chokes on the chassis laying in the trash can for free.... <sigh>

:)

Dave
W7UUU

[I actually had that place as a kid - many of us did, I'm sure.]

[KA9MOT]

If they have the proper equipment, they can cut your panels and holes for a small fee as well. Our local metal shop has a laser cutter and has cut custom antenna brackets for me from 12GA Stainless Steel. Cheap too!

[W7UUU]

If they have the proper equipment, they can cut your panels and holes for a small fee as well. Our local metal shop has a laser cutter and has cut custom antenna brackets for me from 12GA Stainless Steel. Cheap too!

They do offer cutting - but it's $35 minimum "cut charge". Besides - that takes all the fun out of
it for me! Last night I made 2 matching 9"x 6.75" panels for a matching transmitter/receiver project
I have on the bench. There's a kind of Zen to cutting and working metal to me. I've enjoyed
it my whole life. Just simple tools - jig saw, files, drill press, etc.

For labeling, I work up the design in Publisher then take it to Office Depot and they print it up on
heavy semi-gloss card stock that I glue to the panel. The Publisher file just printed at home also
serves as a GREAT template for drilling. As I work out exact placements, the printed layout changes
until my mockup fits exactly - then I have the "official" one made in color.

Here's the transmitter receiver pair I'm working on. Both are on the bench
right now.

Dave
W7UUU