Hey Guys, I'm going to remove my cut-out switch panel and make a new one. I'm going to go ahead and remove the ashtray lid, and install a piece of polished aluminum with my cut-out switches mounted there.....I always have my ashtay lid open....and I think it would look better if my switches were "flush" with the rest of the console.....but..I don't know where to get just a sheet of aluminum from.....anyone know where? thanks

 

id try a steel/scrap yard, or a machine shop they should have something for free or very cheap price

 

MENARDS

 

home depot sells sheets of aluminum.

 

Home Depot, Lowes, even Ace Hardware.................

 

thanks....I'll check'em out then

 

http://www.onlinemetals.com

 

check http://www.eBay.com, you'll find a crapload of scrap metal. I've purchased some before, usually high quality stuff!

Scott

 

What I've used in the past is the little sheet of aluminum that come with RadioShack project enclosures. It's a nice piece that comes with all their enclosures as an aux lid. It has a pretty nice finish on it, decent thickness, and easy to work with. Just a suggestion for what I've had good luck with in the past.

 

Home Depot/Lowes should have it.

 

How do you cut the aluminum sheet?

 

probably just a jig saw or a band saw with a metal blade....shouldn't be to bad..

 

tin snips.

you can get a pack of all 3 cutters (left, right, and straight) for cheap if you look around.. may not be the best ones, but if you're only cutting alum or really thin steel sheet, they'll work for a long time.

 

street signs

 

Use a dremel to cut it if you have one, it wont bend the metal like snips or a saw will.

 

Thats what I was thinking, which bit did you use? just the thin cut off bit? and then the thick one to cut it off?

 

I'm just going to be using a bandsaw at the college I go to....I have like 10 million metal classes...so..using the tool won't be a problem

 

If you have any shops around that sell body panels for dirt track cars, that'd be the place to go, we paid $18 for a 2'x5' section. Any color you can imagine, we just installed some chrome aluminum for a flush mount bed cover on the S-10, wow is that stuff shiney, ought to make for some serious sunburns and instant blindness this summer. I am lucky enough to have a set of electric shears that are indisposable for cutting this stuff to length/shape. You might be able to find a cheap pair somewhere or a buddy may have some too?

 

well...I went to class today...and raded our shed full of all types of metals....my instructor said it was fine for me to take any kind I wanted...so I took a ton of aluminum plate, at no charge....hard to beat that!