AmeriMax Flashing the Wrong Thickness?

[35 Whelen]

I've been making checks out of aluminum Garage Sale, For Rent, etc. signs, but was in a small town today and realized they have an Ace Hardware. So I jog in, grab a roll of 6" x 10', pay out and head home happy as a lark.
Imagine my dismay when I found the aluminum is only .009"! I thought all the Amerimax was .014". I even checked the label before I bought it but it didn't list a thickness.
I use a home made check maker that's set up for .014" material. I ran some of the .009" material through but the checks won't stay on. I could make another check maker for the thinner material but I'm a horribly slow machinist.
So what's the deal? Does this stuff typically come in different thicknesses and if so, how does one differentiate without carrying a micrometer around in their back pocket?
Thanks!
35W

[ReloaderFred]

I also bought some of the Amerimax, and it turned out to be .009" thick. Mine is hard and the only way I could get checks out of it was to anneal it after cutting into strips.

They must make different thicknesses and hardness, but I don't know how to tell, unless you do carry a micrometer or caliper with you.

Fred

[Sagebrush7]

Go to amerimax web site for the chart of thicknesses of there flashing. The rolls of .014 is labeled 68110 for 10"x50, 68112 for 12" etc.

[35 Whelen]

I also bought some of the Amerimax, and it turned out to be .009" thick. Mine is hard and the only way I could get checks out of it was to anneal it after cutting into strips.

They must make different thicknesses and hardness, but I don't know how to tell, unless you do carry a micrometer or caliper with you.

Fred

I figgered it out. Went to the AmeriMax website and here's the deal: The .009" stuff you and I bought is their "Economy" flashing. the Economy flashing has a white label with a blue border. What we should have bought was their "Standard" which is .014" in thickness. The Standard has a white label with a yellow border.
To see for yourself go here: Amerimax Product Catalog (http://www.amerimax.com/catalog/default.htm). In the left column, scroll down to "Flashing" then click on "Roll Valley Flashing".\

I certainly didn't notice the .009" stuff being hard. I ran it through my home made check maker and it punch out as easily as painted .014". What type checkmaker are you using? I don't think a fellow ought to have to mess with annealing aluminum just to make checks!
35W

[ReloaderFred]

I decided to stick with .010" copper foil for my checks, since I bought a large roll of it from Storm Copper awhile back. It's dead soft and makes great checks.

I was using Pat's Checkmaker dies for the aluminum and they were tearing when forming the check. I asked Pat about it and he advised to try annealing it and that solved the problem. It's a pain to do, but it does work.

Hope this helps.

Fred

PS: Don't mail any .30-06 brass to the UK. U.S. Customs frowns on it and it won't get delivered on the other end, even if it gets that far.

[35 Whelen]

PS: Don't mail any .30-06 brass to the UK. U.S. Customs frowns on it and it won't get delivered on the other end, even if it gets that far.

O.K....do they "frown on it", or is it illegal? There's a big difference.
35W

[Ben]

.009 vs. .014.............You got to do your homework.

Never go into a store like Ace, etc. without your mic. in your pocket. Tell the
people that you're looking for .014 " thickness AL flashing material and you
want to measure the thickness before you leave the store ( and count out your $ $ ).

[buck1]

CTSY of DUKEINMAIN...
This has the specs.

http://www.amerimax.com/productdetail.asp?iProductId=81&iSubCatID=5#


all are AMERIMAX flashing.
Versa alum-.0078
Economy alum-.0092
Comerical alum-.0167
STANDARD alum-.014

[PatMarlin]

Good info- Thanks Buck.