Source for tinned steel (i.e., "tin")

[SteveHall]

I'm trying to find sheets of tin for making a dust collector cyclone. Ages ago (high school) I used to do some tinsmithing at Old Salem, and we had both hot-dipped and electroplated. I figure it would be good to use for a dust collector since tin is easy to cut and solder, but I can't find a source of it anywhere. Is the stuff still available?

 

[scsmith42]

Check any HVAC business that makes Air conditioning ductwork. There are a lot around - at least two in Apex that I know of.

 

[Bernhard]

HVAC duct material may be too thin. Dillon Supply in Raleigh has sheets of 20 ga stuff and up. Be sure to call first, sometimes they are out of a particular thickness.
Another source would be roofers or sheet metal shops that have their own roll formers. I can't think of the place I went last year, something like TRiangle Stee Specialities. But Dillon would be my first choice. They will also cut and/or break it at their warehouse for a very reasonable price. This may save you a bunch of time and will give you nice seams.
Cheers
Bernhard

 

[SteveHall]

Dillon doesn't carry it, but they recommended Apex Steel. I've got a call in, we'll see...

 

[Bernhard]

That's odd. I bought 2 sheets of 14 ga amongst other things about 2 months ago. And there was some thinner stuff there, too.

Sorry,
Bernhard

 

[SteveHall]

Was it actual tin, or what most people call tin? I'm looking for steel sheets with a plating of the actual Tin element itself (Sn).

Tin was a very common material 100+ years ago, it was used to make cookie cutters, lanterns, kitchen cooking utensils, etc. The plating would eventually wear off to reveal the steel, making the piece look dingy and hard to clean. With the advent of aluminum and plastics, real tin has all but disappeared, but it is very easy to solder and I know hobbists still have need for it. The problem is that the tiny 8"x6" sheets you get these days are $5 from a typical arts and crafts store.

 

[Alan in Little Washington]

Why do you want to use tin? I made two cyclones over the years and just used 24 ga. galvanized steel. I soldered it together and it worked fine. I never heard of anyone making a cyclone out of tin.

 

[junquecol]

The last I bought was from N B Handy in Raleigh. They are in an industrial area just beyond Raleigh Hardwoods. I bought 26 gauge galvanized, 3' X 8' sheets for making the cyclone from Wood magazine. I used to teach classes on making these. Probably helped make over fifty of them. If you happen to be making the Wood cyclone, I have a set of templates for all the parts. Including the neutral vane, which my doesn't have- some day.