FINE CRAFT METAL FOR 29 YEARS

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Soldering Booklet download

How-to articles on crafting with metal

Virtual Museum of Antique Watercolor Supplies

 

   Updated June 2, 2021

 

 
RAW METAL DEFINITIONS & TERMS
 
Bulk Metal :   Our cut to length bulk hobby & craft metals provides what is needed at a good value. Our cuts of art metal 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.
 
Tooling 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 tooling metals are shipped in a protective tube which works as a roller for smoothing too.
 
Grades:  These solid metals are of an especially pure high grade for fine craft work. All of It is solderable except aluminum..
               New Craft Metal has a bright rolled satin finish. It may have some very slight manufacturing ripples, scratches & color variations.                
 
              Reclaimed -Recycled metal: This unused older metal has scratches, finger prints, ripples and/or dents. Some is shiny and and some has patina from age. It is all very usable at a good price. We use this metal in our own creations.
 
Gauges or Thickness: The lower the gauge number the thicker 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:
             Medium Soft is pliable yet holds up for folding and hammering. Thicker metal bends less easily than thin.
             Medium Hard is stiff, bends less easily and holds is shape better in larger pieces
 
 
FINISH: Our raw/bare metals can be buffed up after a piece is completed.  More information on METAL
CRAFT HOW-TO : Cleaning, cutting, forming, soldering & finishing
 
PATINA: All the metals we offer are raw with no wax or varnish and will gain an aged patina over time. Patina solutions (available at most hardware stores) can be used to speed the aging process. More about Patina
 
 
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.

PLEASE REFRESH THE PAGE for current prices and availability

Gauge Thickness chart & Information
 
 
Gauge Is thickness. The higher the gauge number the thinner the metal.
 
The chart below shows approximate gauge thickness for metal to give a relative idea of different gauges. It is in American Standard Gauge of Average wire gauge thickness.
 
 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 approximately

  .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 above on this page and compare with a ruler.
 
 
 
 
 
 
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