It was melting all around me (took 3 days) and can't do yard work so I pulled out the BD workmate in the driveway. Spring Ram Fever...and 22-24 celsius today.

 

What you payin for diamond plate up there? Aluminum and steel are thru the roof down thisaway. I just bought a couple of pieces of 1/4" steel plate to make a grill guard for a buddy with a cheby. You don't wanna know what that cost him. He originally wanted stainless, but the cost was rediculous. I ended up priming and color matching these.

Lowes is wanting $55 for a 2x4 sheet of .063" diamond plate!!!

I do have a buddy who has a smoker/grill business who will add a 4x8 sheet for me to his order when I have a little project going on or need to make a set of sill plates for someone. But its still crazy high compared to what it was 4 or 5 years ago...

 

Don't have the invoice, but believe I paid about $225 for the full sheet, but this stuff is a tad thicker, more like 4mm or about 155 thou (5/32). It may be sold as a metric sheet cause I seem to recall it being a bit short on the 4 x 8 status. So given the extra thickness the cost is close to same, but for .063 its approx 160 a sheet so a bit more., but only one place sells it in town and this being Oil Patch Country AB Steel probably makes a good profit and they don't do 1/2 sheets so Lowes sound OK.

I use a jig saw with gun tape to protect as I cut. getting pretty good at it but it is tricky finding the right cutting speed vs teeth per inch blades. For the tow hook job I used 2 of the cheap blades for 2 bucks and that did the trick.

I suppose nothing wrong with the .063 but my original intent was to make mud-flaps so I got the thicker stuff. Yeh real expensive and would be too scared to price stainless. At our Big Chain Canadian Tire store they want $30 bucks just for 2 thin small diamond plate mudflaps.