expanded metal question

[tigster]

i am thinking of purchasing some steel in flattened expanded metal. my choice of sizes are:

1/2 #13
3/4 13#
3/4 #16
3/4 9#

i am not familiar with this material. what do the above numbers mean as far as thickness, spacing and or dimensions? thank you.

[84ZMike]

Scroll down a little and it gives you some info about the #'s you posted.... be ready that stuff isn't cheap...
Mike

http://www.marcospecialtysteel.com/expandedmetal.htm

[tigster]

thanks, 84ZMike.

[B2n3 welder]

www.Nilesexpandedmetals.com also has information and quite a few different designs in expanded metals. Might wanna look at it also.

[Bobcatter]

I just picked up a 4ft x 8 ft sheet of 3/4 inch #9 flattened at my local supplier and paid $54.40. I want this for shelving (dust and dirt falls through) and have used it for bucket expansion to hold limb debris, etc. It's pretty stiff and strong.

[RickSidebottom]

I use the 3/4 #9 for smoker grates. I use the flatten material. It works well for that.

[Rocky D]

For my fences I use 3/4" #13 galvanized which is 16ga...#9 is 11ga

Quite often you can get away with the #13 for shelving with cross support bars. The Chinese have opened my eyes to building stuff with thinner materials, if you brace it right. I agree most of their stuff is junk, but some of it shows pretty good ingenuity. Take the good and leave the bad, I say.

[tigster]

thanks for all the info. i was planning on buying a 4x8 sheet of this stuff for a headache rack, and save the rest as remnants. i was thinking of 11 guage square tubing for the frame, but not sure on the expanded metal. is #13 ok, or should i stick with the #9? i'll be putting it on the back of my chevy s10.

[Rocky D]

Go with the #9...I think the #13 would be just too wimpy.

[Sberry]

For my fences I use 3/4" #13 galvanized which is 16ga...#9 is 11ga

Quite often you can get away with the #13 for shelving with cross support bars. The Chinese have opened my eyes to building stuff with thinner materials, if you brace it right. I agree most of their stuff is junk, but some of it shows pretty good ingenuity. Take the good and leave the bad, I say.

I get a chance to see stuff I built 30 yrs ago, today its so much lighter. My guesses are still about 1 gage heavier than the engineered numbers.
I am amazed at the quality of some of the China stuff today, especially some of the welding and finish. Seen some stuff lately that it was obvious that it wasn't his first day on the job with the mig. My Bud bought a folding engine crane, everything about it was flawless, great design, heavy enough materials, beautiful welding, perfect paint.

[ptsideshow]

I use the 3/4 #9 for smoker grates. I use the flatten material. It works well for that.

I have to agree with Rick on the 3/4#9 flattened for the grills and just about anything else. The flattened is nice as it has no sharp edges so, no worries about clothes and body parts or any little ones or wifey wandering near it. Plus I just use the one kind cuts down on the inventory and storage.
Detroit Metro area, $64.00 a full panel last time I bought some.