Sheet Metal Thickness vs Gauge Sizes

[woodtick]

Can someone tell me what metal gauges equate to in actual thicknesses?

And when getting into the thinner stuff, what are some of the different uses for different gauges. For example what gauge metal would a vehicle exhaust pipe be?

[irnsrgn]

7 Ga. =.179"
10 Ga. =.1345"
11 Ga. = .1196"
12 Ga. = .1046"
14 Ga. = .0747"
16 Ga. = .0598"
18 Ga. = .0478"
20 Ga. = .0359"

[ThomasPowers]

What gauge system? There is a bunch of them and they are all different. (not to mention wire vs plate and the nonferrous systems.)

For example

7 ga = .1838 for United States Standard Gage
.1764 Birmingham Standard
.180 Birmingham Wire
.144285 Brown & Sharpe

(from US Steel Pocket Companion pg 508, 509 "Comparative Table of Standard Gages which compares *8* different "standard" gages...)

In general using decimal inches or mm is the better way to spec metal thickness

Irnsrgn: WHICH gage system did you list---it'd not a good idea to post it without stating which system; liability you know....

As for proper thickness: you want's what is *best* or what's the cheapest that the car folks think they can get away with...

Thomas

[irnsrgn]

I just copied those from the sheet page of a standard steel supplier sizes book

[Ten Hammers]

You may find that a supplier will have 2 different sheets, different paint on the ends, one for 14 and one for 16 ga. and they both will measure .070 with a mike. When questioned, the supplier ( Norfolk ) will just say that they are within tolerance. Quite frustrating when you need different thicknesses to work with.