Steel Patch box Mat'l question

[45-110]

I need to order some mild sheet steel to make a Pa./Ky. style patch box. Will be forming the hinges. What thickness-gauge should I get, everything I have around here is too thick. Going with a flat door so no deep forming dies involved.
thanks
kw

[martin9]

I can't remember the gauge but I have some .050 and .062 I use. Both work well for boxes.

[David Rase]

I would use 18 (.048") or 19 (.042') gauge.  16 gauge (.060") is too thick.  I started out using .048"-.050" and as my inletting skills got better I dropped down to .040"-.042".  The closer you can match the stock and patchbox contour, the thinner metal you can use.
David

[Tim Ault]

If your putting any contour at all on it 20 ga .036.  Through 18 ga .048 would be fine . I made a smr/bean type with a slight dome to it and used 22 ga stiffened up nice when you put a contour on them

[45-110]

Thank you all for the suggested metal thickness!
kw

[Mike Brooks]

H House told me he got his patchbox material from the junkyard. He prefers Porche hoods.

[BOB HILL]

I have used the hood of a ‘68 Bronco for years. I’m just about out.
 Bob

[J. Talbert]

H House told me he got his patchbox material from the junkyard. He prefers Porche hoods.

I remember hearing him say that also, except for preference for Porsches, 

[flehto]

For steel Pboxes .040 thick press stock sheet   was  used for the Pbox shown on the Virginia LR.  It formed easily and browned nicely....Fred

[T*O*F]

The side covers from some old desktop computers work too.

[stuart cee dub]

 Old Porsches used very soft steel for the hood and body panels.I used to work in a body shop in my teens my boss was restoring one that was rusted out from Minnesota winters .It was thin and easily worked .

Hershel House was teaching years ago at the Pine city technical center showing a week long class how to make a long rifle . When he got to making the patch box , he had his cousin busy burning off the zinc (?) plating and paint  off an old highway sign he picked up somewhere using a turbo torch and fashioned the patch box from that . He delighted in using salvaged materials turning junk into workable parts .

[Birddog6]

Some of the unplated steel I used have to make TN patchboxes was from Lowes & is .044". Very slight curve to them and seemed plenty stiff. I've have had no complaints on them. Might be a little thick if you were going to press them into a dome or something. 

I tried some that was too thin once, but don't recall how thin it was by ".  If it is too thin, every time you open/close it, it eventually may not stay in snug to the inlet, especially if you have to press it in snug to latch it.  The thin one I made after opening & closing it dozen or so times, I noticed it was appearing to bow in.
So I laid a straight edge on it & sure enough it actually was bowing in. That got me to thinkin, if I snag it on something, or bump it with it open, I could spend a hour reshaping it or making a new one, and that involves browning a new one & etc. That is sure to pi$$ a customer off. Thus I decided if I be making one for now on, I would prefer thicker vs thinner metal,be it steel or brass.