Brass shim stock for gas check material?

[Dthunter]

Would this be too hard to form, and cause barrel damage/wear?

[30CAL-TEXAN]

I wouldn't be too worried about barrel damage, should not really be any different than a copper GC but forming the GC is another problem all in itself. I'm not sure what type of tool you are planning on using to make checks but this will also be an important consideration.

When I first got the Pat Marlin Checkmaker i tried several different materials out for testing. I was fairly certain that I wanted to make aluminum checks from the start but just for grins I brought home some .008 and .015 brass shim stock to try as well.

I tried to cut the .008 without annealing and that was very difficult. After annealing it was tough but not terrible but the check that it formed did not fit very tight and did not perform very well. This was no surprise since I had about the same luck with the thinner aluminum (although it was much easier to punch:mrgreen:).

The .015 produced the most attractive looking gas checks that I have and ever will produce. They were pretty, but I did some serious damage to the bench that the press WAS mounted to and my arm was not terribly happy about it either. Although they did look great, the .014 aluminum out performed in my testing so I stopped torture testing that poor bench and press and started producing checks out of the amerimax like a mad man.

I have been using them ever since :D

[Dthunter]

I wouldn't be too worried about barrel damage, should not really be any different than a copper GC but forming the GC is another problem all in itself. I'm not sure what type of tool you are planning on using to make checks but this will also be an important consideration.

When I first got the Pat Marlin Checkmaker i tried several different materials out for testing. I was fairly certain that I wanted to make aluminum checks from the start but just for grins I brought home some .008 and .015 brass shim stock to try as well.

I tried to cut the .008 without annealing and that was very difficult. After annealing it was tough but not terrible but the check that it formed did not fit very tight and did not perform very well. This was no surprise since I had about the same luck with the thinner aluminum (although it was much easier to punch:mrgreen:).

The .015 produced the most attractive looking gas checks that I have and ever will produce. They were pretty, but I did some serious damage to the bench that the press WAS mounted to and my arm was not terribly happy about it either. Although they did look great, the .014 aluminum out performed in my testing so I stopped torture testing that poor bench and press and started producing checks out of the amerimax like a mad man.

I have been using them ever since :D


That will save me some time for sure!
Where do you get your Aluminum material?

[30CAL-TEXAN]

Most of us that use the Amerimax aluminum get it from Ace Hardware. I'm sure there are other stores that sell it but Ace seems to be the most likely place to find it here in the lower 48. I'm not sure where you should look up there but I would think that worst case scenario you could order a roll online and have it shipped to you.

Heck, if you went for one of the larger rolls, it might be a lifetime supply!

There is another thread on here that has the specific part numbers for the .014 stuff. Not all aluminum flashing is created equal even within the Amerimax brand and many of the sites that offer it do not say how thick it is. Everywhere else I have looked around here the flashing is only .0095” thick. I think the stuff at Lowes is even the same Amerimax brand but it is not the .014 stuff.

Take your Calipers shopping with you or check that other thread for the part numbers. Here is one of the more popular ones copied from one of Pat’s posts “Order from your local Ace Hardware- Amerimax part #68104 for the .014 4"X 50' aluminum flashing roll.”

[Roger Ronas]

http://www.doitbest.com/Flashing-Amerimax+Home+Prod-model-68106-doitbest-sku-101532.dib

[Ben]

Roger Ronas

The last 50' , .014 " thickness roll of Ameri Max that
I purchased at Ace Hardware was about $18.00

$32.49 seems a bit high.

[Roger Ronas]

Thanks Ben, I just threw that up as an option with the part numbers for the different widths. :-)

Roger

[Dthunter]

Thanks guys!

I will start hunting for material.
On e I know that I can get a dependable supply, I will order all the gascheck dies & stuff.