Hello all ye olde enthusiasts, I've been looking for some either 14,16 or 18 gauge metal to make lamellar armor and I cannot find any save the type sold at Home depot which is quite costly. Any ideas of where I might acquire some cheap metal? (the best I've come up with is looking at craigslist for broken washing machines so I can use the shell)

Look around for scrap metal yards in your area, they should have plenty. Asking for cutoffs at steel construction companies will probably also work. Start out with mild steel and avoid anything galvanized.

On washing machines: the metal they are made out of is usually too thin for armour, and by the time you've stripped the coatings and flattened it out you will have spent more in time and tooling than bare metal would have cost you in the first place.

Find your local ABANA chapter (artist blacksmith associacion of north america). They can probably tell you anything you want to know.

I'll second what he said. Being a native Texan, myself, I can assure you that there are steel fab places all over the place down there. Look up steel or metal fabrication, welding, or sheetmetal. Where ya at down there, I may know of some places you could contact, or someone who would.

I've always just scrounged steel from trash piles and dumpsters. Old shelves are great, as well as various appliance parts (though I don't tend to use stainless or anything with baked-on enamel paint!). I have a feeling that even 18-ga may be a little thick for lamellar--with all the overlapping, the finished item can end up being very heavy!

Happy armoring!

Matthew

I am finding places less places willing to let you have metal scrap for free than in the past, though I have only lived in CA and UT in the last few months.

That said some will sell it to you fairly cheaply by the pound.

RPM

Discarded computer cases.

I live north of Houston. I appriciate y'alls help, I guess I will keep looking for a sheetmetal place that will sell me a small amount. Everwhere seems like you have to be a contractor and buy a bookoo amount at once.