Blanking off my back doors - how thick aluminium wood I need

[alexthecheese]

Hi

Looking to drop the doors on the back of me bus, to save weight, and just get rid of the rusty things. I'll want to set it up for some windows at a later point, but getting rid of the things comes first.

I've asked about this before, how to do it, essentially it sounds like cutting them out, then create a wooden frame to retain the structure in the whole (sound about right?).

What thickness aluminium would I need to cover up the whole back area? Aint got a clue really, but with my thumb as a measurement, 2mm looks pretty thick. What do you think? It's going to be about 2 metres high, by about 1.25m.

Also, any tips on how to mount the aluminium on the back would be helpful, in some kind of professional looking manner. Rivets all over the shop would look a bit bodgy so any help there would be appreciated.

[thebandit92]

You could always try gluing it on with spoiler glue,like thishttp://cgi.ebay.co.uk/BODY-KIT-SPOILER- ... 335db8fdf3

[bigjohnthomas]

If your pop riverts are all measured out and put in an orderly fashion they look alright .... good even

[Brains_transit]

If you put a fold round the outer edge you could internally pop rivet it and seam seal the outside.

[alexthecheese]

Thanks guys, good tips. Folding it in sounds good, though getting the folds exactly right sounds tough. And then riveting it from inside would be tough because it'd be hard to rivet with no space in the fold. Hmmmm

Any ideas on the thickness I'd need? I can get 0.9mm, 1.2mm, 1.5mm, 2mm and then some.

Would 1.2mm be thick enough?

[chopper123]

1.5 would be thick enough if you batten the inside properly like stud work in a house
then tiger seal the alluminium panel to the bettens will be strong and would stop all the drowning
and wolowing sounds
or else people will thinck rolf harris is comming down the road

[bigjohnthomas]

get an sheet metal place to cut and fold it shouldn't cost much just do them a drawing of what you want

[alexthecheese]

Thanks guys, I'll have a word with them. Found a place in Chelmsford where I live that is a 5 minute drive away so I can get it easily.

2500mm x 1250mm x 1.5mm = £93 a sheet though! And I'd need two - one for outside, one for inside. That's a lot of dosh for a couple of sheets of aluminium. If I get it down to 1mm, then it's £64 per sheet. Would that be too thin though? Significantly cheaper...

[MrMPuk]

Why do you need one for the inside? Can you not just ply the inside?

[Sam_I_am]

can you not repair your existing doors and seal them in place? get it all welded up etc then as said above just ply line the inside? dunno how effective that would be but possibly an option this obviously won't cut your weight but could save a few quid

[bigjohnthomas]

What about 1mm mild steel cheap as aresoles

[alexthecheese]

Why do you need one for the inside? Can you not just ply the inside?

Yeah didn't think of that actually. Could do that, it's all aluminium inside so might be easier to keep it the same inside and just rivet it all inside as well.

I'm looking online for all this and mild steel is only a fraction cheaper than aluminium at the same thickness. Is that right?

[bigjohnthomas]

When I was a lad steel was 10quid a sheet and and alli 30 for 1mm simalar to stainless but that's .9mm

[ROADRUNNER1973]

Why not remove doors, draw round them as a template and weld ın a steel panel @ 1mm?
Insıde u can just put a sımple x of batten to stop the afore-mentıoned Rolf Harrıs effect.

[MrMPuk]

Why not remove doors, draw round them as a template and weld ın a steel panel @ 1mm?
Insıde u can just put a sımple x of batten to stop the afore-mentıoned Rolf Harrıs effect.

Assuming there's something to weld it to.