- Gauge
Thickness chart & Information:
-
-
|
Gauge -Thickness |
Dimension inches thick |
Dimension millimeters
thick |
NOTES |
2
 |
- .258 inch or
- slightly over 1/4
inch thick
|
6.54 mm |
VERY HEAVY THICK WIRE For large sculptures &
armatures- cuts best with a bolt cutter or saw. |
4
 |
-
- .204 inch
|
5.189 mm |
THICK WIRE .For
large sculptures & armatures- cuts best with a bolt cutter
or saw. |
6
 |
- .162 inch
|
4.1mm |
THICK WIRE
.For large sculptures
& armatures- cuts best with a bolt cutter or saw. |
8
|
.128 a little over 1/8 inch |
3.26 mm |
|
9
|
.114 inch |
2.91 mm |
|
10
 |
- .102
inch
|
2.6 mm |
|
12
 |
-
- .081 inch
50
|
2 mm thick |
About as thick as a standard wire coat hanger |
14
 |
.064 inch
a bit thicker than
1/16 inch |
- 1.6
mm
|
This and thicker is Considered PLATE METAL in sheet
metal. as in "copper plate" |
16
|
.051 inch |
1.30 mm |
|
18
 |
.04 inch |
1
mm |
A
bit thicker than a standard paper clip in wire. Heavy PLATE METAL
in sheet metal. as in "copper plate" |
20
 |
- .032 inch
|
.80mm |
About the thickness of a standard
paper clip. |
22
 |
. 025 |
.65mm |
|
23
Photo shows Approximate
thickness: 23 gauge |
.023
or 23 Mil |
.576 mm |
Standard heavy
weight Sheet metal for larger craft work, roofing and range hoods
etc. In copper sheet
it is 1 pound per square foot approximately.
For sheet metal it cuts
with a tin snips or saw |
24
|
.020
or 20 Mil |
.5 mm -half a millimeter |
Heavy weight
Sheet metal.
For sheet metal it cuts
with a tin snips or saw
A medium fine
wire for craft. |
26
 |
.016 |
.40 mm |
|
30
|
- .010 also known as 10
mil
- as
it is 10/1000
- inch
thick
|
.25
mm 1/4 mm |
Medium weight sheet - cuts with a scissors. twice as thick as 36
gauge below, But a very thin wire- not very strong |
36
 |
- .005 also known as 5
mil
- as
it is 5/1000 inch thick
|
.125
mm 1/8 mm |
Heavy FOIL: Standard Embossing &
tooling & foil. Cuts with a scissors.
7 times thicker
than household aluminum foil. |
|
38 |
.004 |
.101
mm |
Medium weight foil slightly lighter than above
Extremely
thin wire |
|
45-50 |
.0014
.0007 |
|
thin
foil- Household"tin" Aluminum foil- called
very
thin foil - standard
aluminum kitchen foil "tin foil" |
-
- The Gauge thickness
lines may not appear correctly on some computer screens due to
different screen resolutions and page size settings.
-
 Adjust
your screen or estimate If this does not appear as one inch.
-
-
- Or see
the inch dimensions in the chart lower on this page and compare
with a ruler.
-
-
- AWG: Average
wire gauge
- Charts for
copper sheet & wire: based on American Standard gauge:
-
- Gauge Is thickness.
The higher the gauge number the thinner the metal.
-
- *This chart
shows approximate gauge thickness for metal to give a relative
idea of different gauges.
- The Gauge chart
picture may not appear correctly on some computer screens due
to different screen resolutions and page size settings.
-
- Or see the inch
dimensions in the chart lower on this page and compare with a
ruler.
-
-
- We urge ordering
samples to see exact thickness and to get a feel of the metal.
Nothing beats hands on experience.
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
- There are
different standards of gauge measurements that vary from industry
and country - this is the American Standard gauge system for
non ferrous metals.
-
-
- Thinner metal
bends & cuts more easily in general than thicker of the same
metal..
-
- Sheet metal
in 23 & 24 gauge is heavy - traditionally used for roofs
and range hoods- where it will last hundreds of years. It weighs
one pound per square foot approximately.It cuts with a tin snips
or saw.
-
-
-
- Anything thicker
in sheet is in the area of metal plate. It is difficult to bend
and can not be cut with tin snips. A cutting torch or saw is
used for this.
-
- Medium weight
sheet is 30 gauge easy to work and most cuts with a scissors.
- Light weight
sheet , 36 to 38 gauge is a hefty foil. It cuts easily and is
easiest to work.
-
-
- Thick wire from
the thickest 2 gauge and the progressively thinner 4, 6 &
8 gauge are more difficult to bend and cut than thinner wire.
-
-
- In addition
soft wire feels thinner than stiff wire in its handling as we
innately associate thickness with stiffness. For the same reason
comparing sheet metal may be misleading as the thickness may
be the same but the stiffness is different.
-
- The gauges
are AWG average wire gauge which means they are approximate and
vary slightly from length to length. But they would not vary
by even a 1/2 gauge.
For craft metal this is the best as scientific/ engineering gauged
metal is much more expensive because of the cost of manufacturing
metal with tolerances 1/1000 of an inch and finer.
-
-
|
- RAW
METAL DEFINITIONS & TERMS
-
- We ship our
metals in a raw state- that is un coated with a bright brushed
surface. Sculptures, Jewelry & Art are always made of raw
metal and cleaned , polished and coated AFTERWARDS. Or they are
textured, painted or patinated.
-
- Novices often
expect metals in the raw state to have a finished surface and
do not consider the marring that may occur with creation of a
piece; nor consider that metal cannot be soldered, braised, or
welded if there is any coating on the metal. Metal suppliers
are often vexed by expedient beginners expecting to be shipped
mirror finish sheet and wire for crafting jewelry.
-
- The only metals
commonly in use that do not tarnish are fine stainless steel,
pure gold and platinum. We do not offer these due to difficulty
of working with stainless steel and the cost of gold and platinum.
This aside, copper, brass, nickel & aluminum will last a
long time with some care. Objects of these metals thousands of
years old grace museums.
-
- Copper
is a very reactive metal and will gain a natural patina with
time like the Statue of Liberty. see But
with a little care copper and alloys of metal containing copper
such as brass and Nickel silver can be kept bright for a long
time.SEE Cleaning
Copper and Brass
-
- Unpacking
Craft Metal orders: We
handle craft metal with gloves so as to minimize finger prints
and wrap to protect in shipment. When opening a wrapped piece
be careful not to cut or scratch the craft metal. If it is a
coiled item it may spring open slightly when tape is cut.
-
- Open packages
carefully over a counter top & soft surface as metal may
slip out and dent.
-
- Craft metal
shipped in tubes usually slide out an open end very easily or
with with slight tapping- care should be taken not to dent the
metal in the process. If it is difficult to remove, unwinding
the cardboard tube will uncover the metal.
-
- BULK METAL: Save with our cut to
length bulk metal prices for the crafts person. Our cuts are
generously long & approximately square. Metal by the running
foot or yard is shipped in one length whenever possible. We use this metal to craft our own creations.
-
- Most metal is shipped
in a roll. If necessary ripples or curves can be flattened by
rolling it with a smooth rolling pin or plastic pipe section
on a completely smooth surface such as a countertop or glass
table. Our thinner gauges are shipped in a tube which works as
a roller for smoothing too.
-
- GAUGE Is thickness. The higher the gauge number
the thinner the metal. For example 23 gauge sheet metal is more
than twice as thick as 30 gauge. See below for gauge charts.
-
- HARDNESS: Basically how easy it
is to bend or work. Hardness has more to do with temper than
thickness. A very hard foil can be stiffer than a
very soft sheet metal twice the thickness.
- Medium
Soft is pliable yet holds up for folding and hammering.
- Medium
Hard is stiff, bends less easily and holds is shape better
in larger pieces
-
-
-
- Grade &
Finish:
- Commercial
mill grade: Metal as it comes from mill with a rolled
satin finish. It has some very light manufacturing ripples, scratches
& color variations.
-
Our new metals can be buffed up to shiny satin finish
with metal cleaners and a buffing pad. We recommend a powdered
cleaner called "Barkeepers Friend" available in most
grocery stores. A paste wax or clear varnish can be used to keep
metal bright.
-
- We
also offer Reclaimed -Recycled metal: This
unused older metal often develops character from being in storage
for up to 75 years. It has color variations (patina) and may have
scratches, finger prints, ripples and/or dents, but no
holes. It is very usable at a good price. We find this metal
too useful in our own creations to scrap.
-
- PATINA: The color that metal acquires with age
and oxidation. All the metals we offer are raw with no wax or
varnish and will gain patina over time.Patina solutions (available
at most hardware stores) can be used to speed the aging process.
More
about Patina
-
- More
information on METAL CRAFT HOW-TO : Cleaning, cutting, forming,
soldering & finishing
-
- CAUTION :HANDLE WITH CARE , Raw metals have sharp
edges. Rolls and coils are tightly wound and may spring open.
They are not intended for young children . Gauge thickness shown
is approximate.Our
metals are sold only for craft work; and they are not tested
nor certified safe for electrical nor electronic uses, nor home
construction nor internal consumption.
-
-
|
-
- GAUGE Charts
for copper sheet & wire:
- For other thicknesses
of wire and sheet metal & dimensions in mm see the listings
for individual metals.
|
Gauge |
Dimension (inches) thick |
Pounds per Sq. Foot
in copper sheet approximately* |
|
8 |
.128 ( a little over 1/8 inch) |
5.12 ( heavy copper plating ) |
|
12 |
.080 |
3.20 |
|
14 |
.064 |
2.56 |
|
16 |
.051 |
2.04 |
|
18 |
.040 |
1.60 ( thick copper sheet called "plate" as in
"plate steel") |
|
20 |
.032 |
1.28 |
|
22 |
. 025 |
1.18 |
|
23 |
.023 |
1 pound per square
foot approximately
(standard heavy weight
for larger craft work, roofing and range hoods etc.) |
|
24 |
.020 |
14.2 ounces per square foot .89
Pounds per square foot
medium-heavy weight |
|
26 |
.016 |
.64 |
|
30 |
.010 |
.40 medium weight sheet
twice as thick as 36 gauge |
|
36 |
.005 |
.234 (heavy foil/ tooling foil) |
|
38 |
.002 |
.09 |
|
|
.0014
.0007 |
thin foil household foil-
called heavy household foil
very thin foil - standard
aluminum kitchen foil "tin foil" |
|
