honeycomb aluminum plate?

[Opcom]

Does anyone know where I can find honeycomb aluminum plate? maybe less expensively, or, in stock?

I need a plate about 4" wide and 39" long, maybe 1" thick and with at least 2mm top, 1/16" (3mm) is better. I google and find all sorts of it from China, none in the USA. Yeesh, don't we make aircraft parts out of it or something??

I used heat sink extrusion for the last one but it is 5x the weight of honeycomb. Honeycomb is, I believe, more rigid, which is what is required. Strength is not too much an issue. It will support optical accessories, and be in turn supported by 2 or three 2 sq. inch areas on the reverse side. I am not a mech. engineer, only know that the heatsink worked, and I'd like a lighter weight on the next one.

Other materials or composites may be considered. Lots of smart people here!

Basic requirement is extreme rigidity to avoid bending the glass or messing up alignments when its moved or put at an angle, and lighter weight than an aluminum heatsink having 1/4" fin spacing of similar overall dimensions.

Yes the product can be amplitude modulated.

Thanks,
PJ

[W7TFO]

In your own back yard!    

Texas Almet   
Contact : Chip Bay in sales
Bus : (817) 649-7056
Bus Fax : (817) 649-3154
Email : Cbay@texasalmet.com

This stuff is made down the road from me where we ate lunch, in Casa Grande.

73DG

[Opcom]

Thanks! I'll give them a call. The site is down or timing out apparently. I wish I had a friend at a machine shop to help me with cutting sheets to size and and drilling/tapping. I seem to make a mess sometimes. I don't know what it is but whenever I try and make two holes exactly x inches apart, something is always off just enough so the bracket or whatever - one hole never fits. Last time I did this, using an aluminum heatsink, I had to wallow out a couple of holes and it was not pretty but it worked. I guess things like tapped holes, and holes where things have to line up exactly with other holes or screws need to be as close as 0.001 to the right place. Although I have lots of nice tools, I do not have any that help me with precision cutting, all those are hand-held power tools and I have a terrible time. Even when I use the drill press, it seems I am off somewhat. I only bring this up because honeycomb material is more easily boogered up.

[W7TFO]

For semi-precision machine work, I usually set up and make a drilling jig for holes out of brass, aluminum, or steel.  If it is made to fit the original spacing OK, it should allow you to replicate drilling operations many times.  For instance, I have a steel block that drops into a standard octal socket hole, and gives me the perfect registration for the two mounting holes every time.

Another way to make sure your holes are centered is start them with a centering tool, normally used in a lathe.  A small one will fit in any drill press chuck, and they are not prone to wander off.

A set of transfer punches is a good investment, too.  They are used to fit into several holes, and 'transfer' the prickmarks to another workpiece when placed together and tapped lightly with a hammer.

Blue dye and a scratch awl can give very accurate layout lines if you can work it into the project.

I'm sure 'pro' machinists will chime in, as my experience comes from a year in college back in the 70's, and a lot of homebrew fabbing.

73DG