aluminium or steel plate, how thick and how to cut

[nev]

My first venture to the rusty side

I need to make some motorbike footpeg hanger plates, that is a drilled flat plate with two sets of holes to fix item a (hangers) from one bike to item b (frame of different bike). (the holes do not line up)
I am hoping/ guessing i can do this from aluminium plate? if so is 10mm man enough? overkill? and can i cut and shape it on my woodster bandsaw with an appropriate blade from Ian @ tuffsaws
or
do i need steel plate a hacksaw and arms like popeye?

 

[Phil Pascoe]

10mm is probably fine (I assume you're not doing tens of thousands of miles per year), just make sure you loctite (other brands of "loctite" are available besides loctite loctite ) everything - any movement will allow the aluminium stretch quickly.

 

[WoodMangler]

If you're using aluminium, I'd go for Duralumin (or whatever it's called these days), it's the alloy we used to use for custom bike brackets back in my 'rocker' days. ISTR ordinary aluminium is too soft. It's not difficult to cut with a hacksaw, but use a new blade of a tpi that will allow 3 teeth to be in contact with the material when cutting. You can use paraffin to lubricate the cut, but best not done indoors

 

[Spindle]

Hi

I'd go for 6mm steel plate - in my opinion the thiner gauge will look a lot more 'in keeping' with the frame.

As for cutting it - find someone local with either a plasma or a water jet cutter.

Did you know you can get plasma cutters quite cheaply nowadays? I've got one on my Cristmas list

Regards Mick

 

[MickCheese]

Steel plate will rust, won't it?

If Ali is good enough for Honda then it's probably good enough for you!

Mick

 

[Spindle]

Hi

Honda tend to use castings for this sort of thing don't they? - if its not going to be 'rust proofed' by painting then go for stainless.

Regards Mick

 

[nev]

Thanks gents
on closer inspection in the light of day the 10mm may have been a bit on the chunky side so Ive been round to the local agri engineer and rooted through the scrap bin and got a bit of steel plate. it is 3 or 4mm and there is a very slight flex in the newly created plates so they'll do for a template and for trial and design purposes.
It is a Honda (vt500) and the hangers (from a cbr6) to be fixed are indeed cast ali, just that holes don't, well didn't, line up. They're now on and doing their job