Steel mesh for rack gear

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Steel mesh for rack gear

Postby Paul Maybury » Tue May 13, 2014 1:01 pm

Hi, I am looking for suggestions as to what to use to replace top and bottom panels in some rack gear I am modifying.
It needs to be perforated or mesh steel, so it allows air flow and provides screening. It also need to be easy to work with, as I am no tin smith!.
Thoughts?
Cheers,
Paul
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Re: Steel mesh for rack gear

Postby Ausrock » Tue May 13, 2014 1:10 pm

If aluminium will suffice, try companies that make security doors as they may have powdercoated aluminium mesh.
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Re: Steel mesh for rack gear

Postby Paul Maybury » Tue May 13, 2014 1:28 pm

Thanks, I thought about that, but I would rather go with steel for the better screening it provides.
Perforated sheet would make a neater finish than mesh, I think. It needs to be fairly rigid too.
Cheers,
Paul
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Re: Steel mesh for rack gear

Postby Gian » Tue May 13, 2014 2:11 pm

I recall ebay having rack size panels in a perforated style.
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Re: Steel mesh for rack gear

Postby Paul Maybury » Tue May 13, 2014 2:36 pm

Hi Gian, thanks. I did a quick scan of ebay without much luck. Do you remember the search terms you used?
Cheers,
Paul
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Re: Steel mesh for rack gear

Postby Gian » Tue May 13, 2014 2:56 pm

rack panel steel

some have the word vented, and while its not perforated, it should be fine for what you are looking for.
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Re: Steel mesh for rack gear

Postby Drumstruck » Tue May 13, 2014 3:03 pm

Weldmesh? Blackwoods?
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Re: Steel mesh for rack gear

Postby Paul Maybury » Tue May 13, 2014 3:36 pm

Hi, I am actually looking for it in sheet form. It's for lids and bottoms of rack mountable equipment, not 19" rack blanking panels. I expect to need to cut it to size.
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Paul
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Re: Steel mesh for rack gear

Postby Junction » Tue May 13, 2014 4:14 pm

Try searching "expanded metal" , I think that is what you might be looking for.
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Re: Steel mesh for rack gear

Postby Drumstruck » Tue May 13, 2014 4:25 pm

It's a shame it needs to be perforated.... I have 2 (solid sheet) comms rack shelves f/s in that section ;;)
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Re: Steel mesh for rack gear

Postby Paul Maybury » Tue May 13, 2014 4:30 pm

Yes, shame it needs to be perforated, but those 50 year old class A differential amplifiers run pretty hot!
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Re: Steel mesh for rack gear

Postby Kurt » Tue May 13, 2014 7:30 pm

Expanded or perforated steel mesh, a metal supplier should have it and be able to cut it accurately to size. Expanded is much cheaper but not as nice. I bought some recently (ish) to use as speaker grills on my subs.

This sort of stuff: http://www.locker.com.au/architectural/perforated.html
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Re: Steel mesh for rack gear

Postby Paul Maybury » Wed May 14, 2014 5:37 pm

Thanks, I'll try that approach. I would much prefer to have someone cut and finish it for me if possible.
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Paul
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Re: Steel mesh for rack gear

Postby Chris H » Wed May 14, 2014 9:07 pm

Most industrial estates have engineering firms that have sheets of the stuff that they will cut to size for you. Last lot i bought was from Hastings and they cut it to size for me.....Once cut i filed the edges with a bastard file to take off the burrs and aris the sharp edges. I had a stack left over, ie off cuts that is now rusted and beyond the pale.....the sheets i had cut to size where for subs under the stage, de coupled and i had them powder coated black. So it didn't cost too much i told the powder coating firm just to hang on to the job till they where doing a larger run of black and to throw mine in with the larger job. Worked out well.
Last edited by Chris H on Wed May 14, 2014 9:15 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Steel mesh for rack gear

Postby Chris H » Wed May 14, 2014 9:11 pm

this stuff.....
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