Small aluminium profile needed - can anyone help?

[RobFlynn]

I’m after a few inches of aluminium - either F or double U profile with a channel of 3-4mm and 1mm walls. I can’t find any of this size off the shelf anywhere. Can anyone point me in the right direction or know where I could get it milled? Any metal workers on here?

Example F profile… (REMOVED as it was confusing more people than it was helping)

Thanks

 

[Bargy62]

I’m after a few inches of aluminium - either F or double U profile with a channel of 3-4mm and 1mm walls. I can’t find any of this size off the shelf anywhere. Can anyone point me in the right direction or know where I could get it milled? Any metal workers on here?

Thanks

what is it needed for? can you not use a U channel with a L channel next to it LU

 

[CJW]

Erm. Googled F section Ali and this came up.

 

[RobFlynn]

@CJW As per post. I need a 3-4mm channel and 1mm walls. Diagram was just an example of an F profile.

@Bargy62 2 adjacent profiles is my fallback but with walls back to back UL . It’s for a couple of small brackets so I’d need to join them. Would be better if I could get some F or UU and cut one outer wall off.

 

[CJW]

@CJW As per post. I need a 3-4mm channel and 1mm walls. Diagram was just an example of an F profile

That’ll teach me to read more carefully. Oops.

 

[CJW]

This is American, but not far off I believe?

 

[RobFlynn]

@CJW That’s the closest I’ve seen! Still a bit chunky than I’d like but useful. Thanks

 

[Salty Spuds]

@CJW That’s the closest I’ve seen! Still a bit chunky than I’d like but useful. Thanks

does it have to be Ali? I could probably make some from engineering plastic (nylon or UHMWPE), but it wouldn't be as strong. I'd have to mill it from a solid block. I don't have any ali material on the shelf.

 

[RobFlynn]

Doesn’t necessarily need to alu but the plastic route would need chunkier walls I think so wouldn’t look as elegant. Could you mill them from alu block if you had some? How big would the block need to be?

 

[Salty Spuds]

Doesn’t necessarily need to alu but the plastic route would need chunkier walls I think so wouldn’t look as elegant. Could you mill them from alu block if you had some? How big would the block need to be?

I should be able to mill it from Ali stock. Do you have a drawing of what you want, with the correct dims on?

 

[RobFlynn]

F**k me. If you can make these for me I can give you drawings and one of my kidneys!

 

[Salty Spuds]

F**k me. If you can make these for me I can give you drawings and one of my kidneys!

Send me a drawing & I’ll see what I can do. It’ll be sourcing the stock that will be the stumbling block. The cost of the stock may make it an expensive job compared to find some off the shelf profile. Bear in mind that if I mill it, it won’t be anodised. Have you tried looking in tile shops, it looks suspiciously like a tile edging trim.

 

[RobFlynn]

Very much like tile edging trim but the channel needs to be narrower. Tile stuff seems to be about 6mm.

I’ll be painting so don’t think not being anodised would be a problem. I’ll PM you.

 

[CJW]

How strong does it need to be? Could it be 3D printed if you’re painting it?

 

[RobFlynn]

How strong does it need to be? Could it be 3D printed if you’re painting it?

I had considered printing this but not convinced about the strength. I want this fairly thin and inconspicuous.

 

[BIgben]

Have you tried contacting Aalco? Aalco - The UK's largest independent multi-metals stockholder

 

[RobFlynn]

I think I’m sorted now. A decent probability of getting it machined and a fallback of bodging two profiles together with epoxy.

 

[Johnboy57]

If you don't succeed - I could machine a bit for you depending on the dimensions

John

 

[RobFlynn]

Thanks John

 

[bubbadubba]

Gradus flooring profiles might do something in their catalogue?
It looks a bit like a profile you would use on a wall board system to me?
Certainly worth looking at both them options.