From Newsgroup: rec.crafts.metalworking

The flashing metal sold in the local hardware stores tends to be
fairly hard, difficult to fold around compound curves. I'd like
to find some softer material, ideally fully annealed like aluminum
food wrap. Aluminum is acceptable, galvanized steel might work,
copper is going to be overpriced for what I'm doing. Thickness
isn't critical, .010" would be fine. Most aluminum foil is well
under .001", I think "heavy duty" foil is under .002".

Any ideas where to look, or names to search online?

Thanks for reading,

bob prohaska



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From Newsgroup: rec.crafts.metalworking

On 11/8/2025 12:12 PM, bp@www.zefox.net wrote:

The flashing metal sold in the local hardware stores tends to be
fairly hard, difficult to fold around compound curves. I'd like
to find some softer material, ideally fully annealed like aluminum
food wrap. Aluminum is acceptable, galvanized steel might work,
copper is going to be overpriced for what I'm doing. Thickness
isn't critical, .010" would be fine. Most aluminum foil is well
under .001", I think "heavy duty" foil is under .002".

Any ideas where to look, or names to search online?

Thanks for reading,

bob prohaska

I think most of the flashing available at my local big box borg *IS"
aluminum.

What you may want is lead flashing, but I don't think its sold anymore.
I'm also not sure its legal to install in most jurisdictions anymore,
although I am told lead is still allowed for repairs on old cast iron
drain pipe. I made a mold for a lead vendor a few years ago for
measured blocks strung together with a lead handle on both ends to be
sold to plumbing companies.

I stand corrected. A quick search shows lead flashing is in fact still
sold. Protech, Philips, KRT, and Rotometals all sell some form. Since RotoMetals is a lead vendor they might have the best price. You might
also check with PBCastCo, but I think John only sells ingots... if you
have a rolling mill you could turn ingots into sheets. :^)

Legality & local code still unknown.
--
Bob La Londe
CNC Molds N Stuff

--
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From Newsgroup: rec.crafts.metalworking

BP wrote in message news:10eo4n9$2p9ue$1@dont-email.me...

The flashing metal sold in the local hardware stores tends to be
fairly hard, difficult to fold around compound curves. I'd like
to find some softer material, ideally fully annealed like aluminum
food wrap. Aluminum is acceptable, galvanized steel might work,
copper is going to be overpriced for what I'm doing. Thickness
isn't critical, .010" would be fine. Most aluminum foil is well
under .001", I think "heavy duty" foil is under .002".

Any ideas where to look, or names to search online?
Thanks for reading,
bob prohaska
-------------------------------
Pure or low alloy aluminum types 1100 or 3003 should do, I don't know a
local retail source. 5052 in the O temper might be fairly easy to form. I bought a 4' x 8' sheet of it from an HVAC shop and had them shear it into 2'
x 4' sections my equipment can handle. I form aluminum into rectangular
boxes to hold electronics and make compound curves in steel for rust
repairs.

https://www.aircraftspruce.com/catalog/pdf/aluminumalloy.pdf

I form compound curves on my anvil or a wood cylinder with a depression in
the end, hammering metal over the depression stretches it concave, then it
can be rebent into oval etc compound curves for matching repairs, like fenders. I've shaped up to 14 gauge steel this way, into a trumpet bell
shape for the baseplate socket for heavy lift tripods.

I modeled the Ranger's embossed floor patch from cardboard, then soda can aluminum, then 0.030" aluminum, and last a sandwich of galvanized steel roofing. At each step I found a better and more accurate way to form the shape. The final MIG welded version is planned to be galvanized steel from above-ground pool trim. Acetone removes its powder coating.

https://raybuck.com/product/1983-92-rangerbronco-ii-cab-floor-driver-side/?
The upper oval is access to a cab mount bolt head, the lower was the drain after dipping the cab in the vat of primer, and could have been left solid
in a repair panel.

Rust ate away around the lower oval cutout which was incompletely sealed
with a rubber plug. It ate into the end of the raised rib that points toward its center. My patch continues the rib across the now filled drain in a
stiff triangle that lets the rest of the patch lie flat, the only compound curve from shortening the edge is at its lower (rear) end where the floor rises anyway.


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From Newsgroup: rec.crafts.metalworking

https://makeitfrommetal.com/how-to-anneal-aluminum-the-beginners-guide/

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From Newsgroup: rec.crafts.metalworking

Jim Wilkins <muratlanne@gmail.com> wrote:

https://makeitfrommetal.com/how-to-anneal-aluminum-the-beginners-guide/

That seems worth a try.

Thank you!

bob prohaska


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From Newsgroup: rec.crafts.metalworking

BP wrote in message news:10fdt5l$hni0$1@dont-email.me...

Jim Wilkins <muratlanne@gmail.com> wrote:

https://makeitfrommetal.com/how-to-anneal-aluminum-the-beginners-guide/

That seems worth a try.
Thank you!
bob prohaska
-------------------
I put a scrap of 0.050" aluminum, likely 5052, on the wood stove to anneal
at 500-600F. Afterwards I could bend it in my fingers and hammer it into a bowl shape about the curvature of a tennis ball before it strain hardened again.

This is one type of tooling used to form convex curves in sheet metal. https://www.firemountaingems.com/3466TL.html?

I used a ball pein hammer to dish it in the end of a pipe coupler.

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