Arch Sheet Metal

[Amber Gold]

I'm going to the scrap yard tomorrow morning to see what I can find for stainless steel or galvanized sheet metal. I've been checking out sheet metal prices and it is expensive. Hopefully I can find what I'm looking for. I'm replacing all of the sheet metal on my arch and was wondering what gauge I should use.

Thanks.

[RileySugarbush]

I used 16 ga steel over a welded 1.25 x 0.125 angle frame. It was thicker than it needed to be when insulated..

[Big_Eddy]

I used the steel off my old water heater for a few projects. I'm sure an old stove or dryer would work fine too. I measure it at 24 gauge. Took a flap disk to it where I needed to weld and that was all. Painted up nice.

The water heater was a bit of fun to work with as it was formed into a cylinder, but slitting it, setting it on my homemade break and bending a 1" lip onto top and bottom flattened and stiffened it nicely.

I'm sure it would make a fine outside skin for your arch, and they're plenty cheap around here. Saw both a stove and a washer when I was coming in to work today. Paint it with barbecue paint and you're done.

[Amber Gold]

Thanks for the ideas. Do you know if the dryers/water heaters are galvanized on the inside?

How did you make your break? I'd just as soon as do all the work myself, but I don't have a break and the breaks that were long enough for what I'd need are pretty expensive.

Thanks

[Big_Eddy]

My water heater shell was not galvanized on the inside. It may have been under the paint, but I took that off with a flap disk.

My home made break is pretty simple. 2 pieces of 4' 3x3 angle and some 3" channel. The challenge is to make the pivot at the right point, so that the one angle rotates right at the corner point. Hard to describe - but I cut about 2 inch off one leg of the angle at each end and welded in a 1" square tube handle, then drilled through that for a 1/2" bolt. I marked the right spot and drilled and tapped into a reinforcing piece I added. The angle rotates on the bolt.

The 3" channel upside down is my main beam (and uprights and feet too) and the second 3x3 is my hold down clamp. A couple more nuts strategically welded and I can clamp it pretty well.

Works like a charm, easily bends 4' of 20ga mild steel. I'll have to take some photos as I'm sure the description doesn't help much.

[lpakiz]

I'll be watching this thread and looking for photos. THANKS!!