I found a source of tin plate like used in cans. I believe there was an article in GR about using tin plate. I'll be ready to ship in about 3 weeks.
No doubt it will be offered by others shortly. I just want the brownie points for finding the source.
Not sure about pricing, it was by the pound and I don't know how much a sheet weighs.
GaryR
The article in Garden Railways magazine used empty metal cans that were already on hand and did not need to be purchased. Particular ones mentioned were olive oil and alcohol fuel for live steamers. Gallon-sized cans were the types recommended in the article.
Thank you for sharing that. I just thought somebody might like to have another choice. I now know to spend my time and money where it would be appreciated to some small degree. Forgive me for sharing.
Gary maybe I missed it but you didnt say who your source was? please share.
Have fun with your trains
You didn't miss it, I didn't say. They are a manufacture not a hobby supplier. They don't deal 2 sheets of this and 1 sheet of that. The sample sheets are costing me $50 and they were the only ones that would even let me have a sample without the $300 setup charge. They normally deal only in a truck load. All I need is 20 people calling them and asking WHY they can't have one sheet.
I contacted them with my company name, which is F&P Tech by the way, and don't know if it was needed or not. I'm protective of my source for good reason. They are not retail. They are Lakeside Metals in Chicago. Now everybody jump on them and ruin the deal.
Interesting...
Here in the UK we seem to abound in small order metal stockists. I normally use Mallard Metal Packs of Birmingham. They supply tin, tin plate, copper, steels, brass etc in any size. i had assumed that the local US Model Engineering hobby users would have a similar source(s) of supply. For my current loco I am going to use sheet aluminium and weld the assembled body together. The cost of shipping the cut pieces is probably going to be more than the cost of the cut to size pieces of aluminium!!!
How very curious that in deepest rural England I can have this done, and in the US -you can't?
regards
ralph
The Home of Articulated Ugliness
Ralph,
In fact, I can do exactly the same as you. Just not with tinplate. Still,..... your point is well taken.
Some of the most common things we use in daily life here can only be had by either buying a truck load, or digging it out of a dumpster.
I think it's because corporate greed. It's the "make me rich or do without " attitude. An attitude I do not support. Check out http://www.villagemetals.com/products.php?product=10 They have tin plate at a fair price and they are retail. I intend to check them out and others should as well. Darn it, these dam ethics are going to be the death of me.
Ralph.....deepest rural England has my utmost respect.
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