sheet metal gauge

Justin SE IOWA · Feb 5, 2011

About what gauge is a steel 55 gallon drum? I'm building train cars and need air shears to cut the opening. Looking to buy some and they are rated for different gauges. Any ideas?

Leroy · Feb 5, 2011

How about a chart that gives the decimal thicknes to the guage of steel, I can look at something and think that is about 1/16" or that is about 1/8" or 3/16" and have an idea how heavy it is but is 29 guage heavier or lighter than 16 guage? How thick would 16 guage actually be in thousands of an inch?

Wardner · Feb 5, 2011

16 gauge is about a 16th" or .062". The fact that those two line up is just a coincidence. Not sure that 29 gauge is available but it will be thinner than stove pipe. Higher gauge equals thinner steel. 11 gauge is .125".

Barrels do come in different gauges but I couldn't tell you what they are. Wikepedia probably knows.

Gun guru · Feb 5, 2011

Wardner is right and I think that 3/16" is 7 gage. I forgot what 1/4" plate is, I am not that familiar with sheet steel.

M w J · Feb 5, 2011

A guy not to far from here used Plastic barrels no sharp edges.

GordoSD · Feb 5, 2011

I use a pretty high end sabre saw to cut the ends off drums for burn barrels. Or your sawsall with a good Lennox Gold blade would carve them up.

Gordo

Anonymous-0 · Feb 5, 2011

There is a chart relating Gauge and metal thickness at the following site. sheetmetalguy.com/sheet_metal_gauge_chart

37 chief · Feb 5, 2011

I have cut the ends out of a few drums by using a chisel. Doesn't take long at all, then hammer down the edges. Stan

gene bender · Feb 5, 2011

Just get metal blades for your sabre saw hard to tell just what ga the barrels mite be without cutting and measureing they can vary.

Gene Dotson · Feb 5, 2011

A pair of 16 gauge shears will do what you want.

Gene

Janicholson · Feb 5, 2011

Buy a hand held plasma torch, you need it any way. Jim

Bill(Wis) · Feb 5, 2011

Just be careful with a torch around a drum, kind of like, just what did this drum have in it? What was it used for? I have some stories to tell about guys using torches around seemingly innocent looking drums.

IH2444 · Feb 5, 2011

It wuold take some heavy duty air shears to cut a steel barrel.

S.Crum · Feb 5, 2011

A drum cutter (not expensive at all) works great for cutting the head out of a steel drum safely.(what they are designed to do).
The last time I ordered sheet stainless for the shop the supplier suggested I start getting used to ordering by decimal thickness rather than gage. Must be the Chinese don't understand 'gage thickness'.

Russ from MN · Feb 5, 2011

Some barrels are not much thicker than a pop can!

MelH · Feb 5, 2011

Look on the bottom of the drum. Most have the gauge embossed in the metal with 2 inch numbers. Returnable are mostly 20 gauge, one time disposables are 22 gauge.

Anonymous-0 · Feb 6, 2011

Why would you spend the money for Plasma torch unless you're using it all the time in a shop? Dave

Leroy · Feb 6, 2011

Roof steel has been advertised as 29 guage. That info helps.

Bspauld · Feb 6, 2011

10 ga = .134
11 = .119
12 = .104
13 = .089
14 = .074
15 = .067
16 = .059
17 = .053
18 = .047
19 = .041
20 = .035
21 = .032
22 = .029
23 = .026
24 = .023

Leroy · Feb 6, 2011

Thanks

sheet metal gauge

Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

New User

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Member

Well-known Member

Similar threads