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Old 11-06-2014, 07:15 PM   #1
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Sheet steel

Any ideas on where I should get sheet steel? The stuff I saw in Lowes was pretty much fit for a sardine can and that's all. I need much stiffer steel than that for a window.

My plan is to remove the existing window,glue a metal sheet from inside onto the window aperture lip then rivet with closed end rivets or if those can't be obtained, torx bolts.

If I'm really stuck with the lowes sardine can then I suppose I could glue it to a sheet of plywood and bolt it into place - using the same double-glazing gllue to seal and hold.

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Old 11-06-2014, 07:26 PM   #2
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Re: Sheet steel

Quote:
Originally Posted by Zephod_beeblebrox2
Any ideas on where I should get sheet steel? The stuff I saw in Lowes was pretty much fit for a sardine can and that's all. I need much stiffer steel than that for a window.

My plan is to remove the existing window,glue a metal sheet from inside onto the window aperture lip then rivet with closed end rivets or if those can't be obtained, torx bolts.

If I'm really stuck with the lowes sardine can then I suppose I could glue it to a sheet of plywood and bolt it into place - using the same double-glazing gllue to seal and hold.

Do an internet search for steel suppliers in your area. They can usually cut it to size for you too for a small charge.
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Old 11-06-2014, 09:18 PM   #3
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Re: Sheet steel

I know HD has very little sheet steel in the store (more online but not big pieces). We used a heavy gauge of flashing (for flashing) that we found at ACE Hardware and then backed it. It was just barely wide enough to fit inside the stripped frames of the existing windows. Locally (Socorro), to buy sheet metal was incredibly high. No oil canning. No dings (not even after the hail storms). Easily cut. Just had to prime it with primer made for aluminum and galvanized metals. We will be doing another two windows with 28 ga galvanized steel (search for "flat flashing" or "metal flashing"). Two windows are trading places and then the two emergency windows will have the glass removed. The frames will be pulled out, cleaned up. The flashing will be held to the exterior side of the frames with 3M VHB Tape then the whole mess will be caulked into place. The metal will be primed and then painted to match the rest of the bus. On the inside, rigid foam sheathing will be glued into place (multiple layers of 1" thickness) and then covered over with click lock flooring (makes a good wall covering). Actually one of the plywood backed sheets is the only one with a messed up spot. But it is the only good way of securing vent covers. Because we used the window frames to support the metal then backed it with 1" rigid foam board (pink), it turned out pretty solid for such a small area. Not a whole lot different than what they do for a manufactured RV (they use a thin sheet of fiberglass not metal). We'll probably end up fiberglassing over plywood for the access hatches under the bus. Not a method for everyone but we did what we needed to do with what we could get within our limited budget.
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Old 11-06-2014, 11:01 PM   #4
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Re: Sheet steel

DON"T buy at a hardware store. Go to a steel supplier, or even try a fabrication shop. I worked in plasma cutting and steel for many years and they are robbing you at Lowe's and HD.
Sheets can be ordered and cut for way less than one would think. Just call around. Could probably get a sheet and have it cut and done...
What thickness are you thinking? I'd go with something like 14 gauge.
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Old 11-07-2014, 12:06 AM   #5
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Re: Sheet steel

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Originally Posted by EastCoastCB
DON"T buy at a hardware store. Go to a steel supplier, or even try a fabrication shop...
We tried that. EEK! Around $500 to skin over the 21 windows. I guess when you are the only game in town, you can charge anything you want. Our cost to skin over the windows from my spreadsheet "02/20/2010 ACE Hardware Aluminum Flashing 24”H x 50 ft Long $66.99" So $66.99 vs $500. Easy choice. This was the only place we ran into rolls of flashing that was 24". For the way we did our windows, it worked great.
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Old 11-07-2014, 10:10 AM   #6
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Re: Sheet steel

Fiberglass.... That had me thinking.... Resin over plywood. A thin plywood glued to a thicker larger piece with the thin piece fitting the aperture and the larger behind the flange. Primed and painted over with a barrier paint then use some body filler to fill the join and paint the whole bus. Attach the plywood with double glazing glue.
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Old 11-07-2014, 11:15 AM   #7
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Re: Sheet steel

I have had success getting sheet metal from Fleets Pride before. They have locations all over the place and carry truck and trailer part including rolls of sheet metal. http://www.fleetpride.com
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Old 11-08-2014, 06:02 PM   #8
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Re: Sheet steel

Quote:
Originally Posted by Zephod_beeblebrox2
Any ideas on where I should get sheet steel? The stuff I saw in Lowes was pretty much fit for a sardine can and that's all. I need much stiffer steel than that for a window.

My plan is to remove the existing window,glue a metal sheet from inside onto the window aperture lip then rivet with closed end rivets or if those can't be obtained, torx bolts.

If I'm really stuck with the lowes sardine can then I suppose I could glue it to a sheet of plywood and bolt it into place - using the same double-glazing gllue to seal and hold.
if you haven't dumped your seats yet they all have sheet steel the size of the seat back that's easy to cut out
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Old 11-08-2014, 08:24 PM   #9
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Re: Sheet steel

Personally I wouldn't make individual cover for each window, I bought sheet steel in 10 ft sections & had them cut it for me & over lapped back to the closes rib
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Old 11-08-2014, 09:41 PM   #10
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Re: Sheet steel

Quote:
Originally Posted by allwthrrider
Personally I wouldn't make individual cover for each window...
But some people wanted to keep the look of a schoolbus without having all the windows.
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Old 11-08-2014, 10:42 PM   #11
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Re: Sheet steel

Quote:
Originally Posted by lornaschinske
Quote:
Originally Posted by allwthrrider
Personally I wouldn't make individual cover for each window...
But some people wanted to keep the look of a schoolbus without having all the windows.
Thats why I saved the rib cover
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Old 11-09-2014, 12:01 PM   #12
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Re: Sheet steel

I see you raised the roof. I am leaving my roof low and will just have to stoop a little. This is a budget bus!
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Old 12-22-2014, 02:20 PM   #13
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What is the thickness of the original sheet metal?
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Old 12-22-2014, 05:37 PM   #14
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I'm really not sure. It seems pretty thin, which surprises me.

At the moment I'm still fixing things the previous owner didn't do or rather did badly.

There seems some shiney galvanised steel on the inside of the body that looks additional to the original specifications. I'm working my way toward that now, removing 1/4 inch plywood that's been screwed onto it with 2 inch screws. I'm not sure what's underneath this - what the hillbillies have done.
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Old 12-22-2014, 06:05 PM   #15
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I was pricing 4'x10' sheets of 20ga. cold rolled steel today. Was quoted $63.72 (tax included) a sheet. 18ga. was just a few dollars more.
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Old 12-23-2014, 05:16 AM   #16
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Quote:
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What is the thickness of the original sheet metal?
something like 15ga.
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Old 12-23-2014, 05:19 AM   #17
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I was pricing 4'x10' sheets of 20ga. cold rolled steel today. Was quoted $63.72 (tax included) a sheet. 18ga. was just a few dollars more.
That's much better than Lowes, they want about 30 for a 24"x24" square of 16ga.
But the shop I worked in would cut the steel for you if you bought whole sheets. I'd go 16ga for windows. That's what I'm ordering.
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Old 12-26-2014, 11:38 AM   #18
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Yeh, big box building supply stores WAAYYYYY over charge for metal products. Unless you're seriously in a time-pinch it's worth going to a metal shop and buying from them. Metal fabrication shops often sell raw steel products as part of their business. For this purpose, I'm kind of lucky to be in a steel town. There are many places to buy steel around here.
For comparison I recently bought several lengths of 1.5"x1.5"x0.125" angle. Home depot wants ~$3 per foot and only had lengths up to 8'. A local metal shop sells it for ~$1.25; has lengths up to 16'; will cut it free of charge; and only charges you down to the exact inch that you take home. You don't have to pay for an 8' chunk when you only need 7'. It really adds up!
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Old 12-26-2014, 12:49 PM   #19
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Quote:
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Yeh, big box building supply stores WAAYYYYY over charge for metal products. Unless you're seriously in a time-pinch it's worth going to a metal shop and buying from them. Metal fabrication shops often sell raw steel products as part of their business. For this purpose, I'm kind of lucky to be in a steel town. There are many places to buy steel around here.
For comparison I recently bought several lengths of 1.5"x1.5"x0.125" angle. Home depot wants ~$3 per foot and only had lengths up to 8'. A local metal shop sells it for ~$1.25; has lengths up to 16'; will cut it free of charge; and only charges you down to the exact inch that you take home. You don't have to pay for an 8' chunk when you only need 7'. It really adds up!
Boils down to that same formula:

1. Price
2. Quality
3. Speed

Pick two.

Unfortunately at HD and Lowes you're lucky if you can get one.
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Old 12-31-2014, 06:55 PM   #20
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Many bus bodies are (for whatever reason) the oddball 15gauge sheet metal, but going with 16 is fine. And you definitely need to go to a real steel supplier or you will get scrooged royally. Steel ain't cheap these days, but it's a whole lot cheaper anyplace but a big box.
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