Diamond Plate advice?? (Not Buying)

[Brockwaykid]

Does anyone have any suggestions on diamond plate thickness, that can be easily bent? I want to put some on my 317 where the foot grips would go, but I am unsure of wht thickness i should use, and also, where to get it. Maybe TSC? Thanks!



This is the area.

 

[DT86]

For the sake of easy bending and price I would buy the thinnest piece on the rack.

 

[powerpace]

Steel or Aluminum? I made my canopy with light gauge aluminum diamond plate. There is another name for the Aluminum, I don't remember. I should have gone heavier. It can be bought at most steel outlets or salvage yards.
Bending is not easy without a brake. Smaller pieces may be easier.
Lowe's has it occasionally.

 

[Gary Fowler]

you likely not going to find diamond plate in thinner than 1/8". For that small size, bending should be easy, just clamp at the bend point then use wooden block and hammer to bend it over.

 

[XSKIER]

Here is some .060" bright tread aluminum. It is available up to 5'x10' sheets. I would recommend .125 " for your foot treads.

 

[oldballs]

Last week I was working with some aluminum diamond plate from a wrecked running board off my old 1995 F-150. It looks to be about an 8th of an inch thick. The sheets that I sawed out for a project bend nicely using wooden blocks, clamped into a wood worker vice or machinist vice. Using a hack saw, you can cut simple shapes and file the edges as needed. And I'm no sheet metal guru. I think I gave the final 90 degree bends a few whacks with a 2 lb hammer. Also think I saw some at Lowe's the other day.

 

[lostcause]

Last week I was working with some aluminum diamond plate from a wrecked running board off my old 1995 F-150

that's the route i'd go. bent up running boards and and twisted truck toolboxes at the scrap yard. since aluminum has such a premium over steel, you'll find that they will remove that stuff and pile it all up until they have a full truck of it. should make for easy picking. as far as thickness, you're probably seeing somewhere between 14-16 ga aluminum for that stuff.

if you want steel for weld/paintability, then it may be a little harder to find in thin sizes, short of buying it new. as was said, every home center sells this in small sheets, but it is pretty pricey. again, i'd go with light material, since those running boards aren't very thick to start with.

 

[Scrambler82]

Does anyone have any suggestions on diamond plate thickness, that can be easily bent? I want to put some on my 317 where the foot grips would go, but I am unsure of wht thickness i should use, and also, where to get it. Maybe TSC? Thanks!

View attachment 254532

This is the area.

How did this go ?
Any pics if you did it already ?

If not, do not think on 0.062 aluminum (1/16?, it is too thin even if braced.

I get a kick out of the Tool Boxes made from the 1/16 alum, just push on it with you finger and it will flex and even bend with just a drop of a tool/

Think ⅛ or 3/16 and if necessary get it bent at a local metal shop.
I used ｼ for floor boards and it had a little flex so brace where you can.

Luck on the project if you haven稚 already finished it.

 

[PeterK]

Just my 2 cents but diamond plate get slippery and isn't the best for foot grips. I personally would use a rubber non skid tread and leave the diamond plate for other dress ups.

 

[Brockwaykid]

Just my 2 cents but diamond plate get slippery and isn't the best for foot grips. I personally would use a rubber non skid tread and leave the diamond plate for other dress ups.

Thanks guys, we are going to use that skid tape like they had when new.