Where the
world gathers for metal finishing
Q&As since 1989


-----

Need magnetically receptive metal foil

I am looking for a magnet receptive metal foil. It needs to by about .010" thick, or less. Strength does not matter. It needs to be at least 10 inches wide, and will be cut into increments of 16 inches long. Please help! I have logged in many many hours trying to find a suitable product. Thank you.

Holly Rall
Entrepreneur - West Hurley, New York
2003

---

I must be misunderstanding you, Holly, because it sounds like you are simply looking for steel sheet metal which can be picked up at any hardware store or ordered in rolls from any steel supplier.

Ted Mooney, P.E.
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey
2003

---

Yes, Ted, I am looking for steel sheet metal, but extremely thin, no bigger than 31 gauge (or .010" thick). I need something like a foil, but it needs to be in an 11" x 17" size, so shim stock, which seems to come in narrow rolls, will not do. All of the sheet metal that I have seen at places like Home Depot start at 24 gauge, which would be much too thick for me. Any thought of where I could find such a material?

Thanks,

Raal
- West Hurley, New York
2003

---

Holly, a fairly common commodity is nickel-iron foil used for magnetic shielding. Do a Google search on "magnetic shield" and you'll get a few suppliers. The first two I looked at supply foil in 15 inch or higher widths, and at 10 mil or less thicknesses.

It isn't cheap, but it is out there, readily available. Good luck!

Yet another place on the Internet is McMaster-Carr, a big industrial hardware catalog store. When I visited their website and typed in "blue tempered steel" I got to a page where they offer 1 foot by 2 foot 10 mil thick sheets of carbon steel. The 'spring temper' means it's cold worked, so it'll be hard to work with, but nicely flat. Hope this helps.

Lee Gearhart
metallurgist - E. Aurora, New York
2003