The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Paint and Body Shop Custom Step Plates--UPDATE 2-5

I just plainly don't like the step plates most vendors carry. I just don' like the "turn up" on them and want to make my own.
I like the thin Diamond Plate stuff but WITHOUT the diamond on it.
Back sometime ago a bolter here had used some other stuff and rounded his corners which, to me, looked good. I think it was some kind of polished aluminum or BRUSHED aluminum.

I checked at Lowes today and they have the bright diamond plate 12x24 ($30) but I don't want the diamonds.

Anyone know where I can get some "brushed" brite stuff or other idea's that you have used?...Thank You

Which truck, Alvin?

If it is for your 1952 Panel, do you not like the 1947-55st black step plates with metal border and abrasive surface ?

piece of satin finish stainless? I'd think any smooth aluminum would show scratches pretty easy .... the 'turn up' is for boot scraping, not much use if you're not using it out in the fields

Bill

Tim, yes its for my panel. I have looked at those you posted a link to and almost ordered them on an order a week or so ago. I'm not cheap by any means but $150 for both sides is a killer.

...I also plan to "try something" that most will probably think it won't work but hey, I like trying things. I do not want to drill holes in the running boards so I've decided to put some strips of 3-M weatherstip material on top of the running board ribs and then lay the step plate on top of it and press it down. That box of 3-M stuff I have is pretty darn "sticky" and I think it will hold up under the plats real good. If I want to I can always change the plates...If I can't find what I'm looking for I may go ahead and use the diamond plate just to have something there and change it later. I'm thinking cut it and then round the corners.

Dang it, if I could recall who's truck, here on stovebolt, I'd be set. In fact its where I got the idea. It looked nice and trim. I also "read once" a simple way to make a plate looked "brushed" but its in a box somewhere since I retired and we moved!!!

I'll hijack my own thread here. Where do you get the shiny stuff rodders put on the firewall and looks like a mirror? That is SORT of what I'm looking for....but I've seen it "brushed" but never thought to ask anyone. I guess maybe I'll have to wait till cruise season and ask someone who has it.

Hate to make this post so long but maybe you understand better??
Thanks for being patience with me guys!

I would think that the step plate would be slippery as heck without the diamond plate (traction). But it would look coooooooool !!!!

Alvin,

I think that price for the original-style step plates is for the pair. I like your idea for using adhesive.

I'll keep you posted guys. Right now I'm working with what I believe to be a rearend problem...but then I get several things going at one time. Just depends on which way I'm traveling!!

Oh,Tim, I looked at that price but it said "1". I'll double check it may have been "1" pair. If so, that may work?

I read once how to make a shiny plate looked brushed. Don't remember if it was stainless or not, but it sticks in my mind that it was. They took the piece they wanted to "brush" and clamped it to a workbench top with a straight edge. Then they took a sanding block loaded with fairly coarse sandpaper and simply pushed it back and forth along the straight-edge (so the brush marks were parallel) Then they moved the straight-edge and re-clamped it and finished the sanding.

I've never tried it, but is seems pretty easy and the sanding might give just a bit of "grip" when stepping on it.

Craig

Craig, I remember the article as being similar to what you saying. I read it back around '98, or close, and it seemed a type of brush was used and "center points" marked on the metal and then the brushed effect was done in the drill press. I have some pretty dang stiff brushes, say like 1", that would do the trick. Heck, I may try it on a spare piece of 18 guage metal I have..... but I'd love to find it pre-fabed.

I'll keep listening, and looking. It'll come up somewhere! Thanks for everyone's comments.

If it's in a drill press, is "engine turning" the finish you are thinking of?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Engine_turnings

Chris, what you referred to is what I'm somewhat trying to achieve but not necessarily that "fancy".

I also don't really care for the "bright" work as I think a more "semi-dull" would suit my panel more. I'm on the hunt and I know what I'll get there "sooner or later".Since I plan to mount it without screws I may go ahead temporarily with some diamond plate to protect the running boards until cruise season. I'll probably find lots of what I'm looking for them and leads to where to obtain it.
Thankd for all your replies fellows, maybe I can help you someday.

I looked and found three patterns of textured plate at 'McMaster-Carr'. Weave, diamond, and tread. It comes in at around $13.00 for a 12"x12" aluminum piece. I think the weave would look good. That part number is #9058k11 in 0.032" thickness. I use the 3-m tape trick on polished 1/2" sst half round bar I put on my slick running boards. Been there four years and still going strong. Let us know what you think.

Hi Alvin....you can get Stainless steel in a variety of thickneses, and finishes from mirror polished to heavy brushed.
I kinda like your idea of the " engine turned " finish - would look pretty sharp and not seen every day. Only issue with stainless is its really hard on sawblades and drillbits. You might try a restaurant supply place - maybe they have a few cutoffs laying around ?

Alvin, I have dealt with Acme Metal near where I live. Here is their website: http://www.acmeindustrialsurplus.com/

They are surplus dealers. If you are willing to do some fab work, they will most likely have what you want.

Thanks for the tips guys. Bruce, I agree with you about being a little hard to work with. I have some metal blades for my band saw but luckily for me I have a good friend that runs a machine shop just 2 or 3 miles from my house. Buddy has done a lot of work for me at times and in his works "bring in on, I can drill it, weld it...or mess it up". He's a good guy.
I now have several options. I'll take a look and let you guys know what I do. Oh, on one site I liked the "weave" piece but not sure....yet!

you could use 1/8 stainless cut it like you want. then hit it with a 36 grit flapper wheel about 3/4"apart to make a nice pattern . then use comercial grade velcrow to mount it to your running boards

Well, I figure I should let everyone know what I THINK I'm going to do. Below is three pictures and I want everyones OPINION. Oh boy, I let the flood gates down then.....

This is the material-$2.95 a foot. I got 32" for 24!! Lowe's flooring Dept.

http://i140.photobucket.com/albums/r19/LutherParris/52Panel/StepPlatespanel003_zps6d6a8943.jpg

This is photo of STRIPS temporarily laying there.

http://i140.photobucket.com/albums/r19/LutherParris/52Panel/StepPlatespanel001_zpsbb43974b.jpg

This is a SOLID piece.

http://i140.photobucket.com/albums/r19/LutherParris/52Panel/StepPlatespanel002_zps20eac3e0.jpg

Now which one do you like the best...or do you??
I have put two pices down using some 3M weatherstipping strips I have just for testing. That stuff holds pretty darn good even with my big feet.

Strips, if you must.

I vote strips unless you can cut out the Chevy bowtie from the solid one.

Wayne, I've certainly thought about cutting out a bowtie and actually use it for the step tread.... I have enough material left so I may fool around with it to see how it looks before I glue them down permanently.

Anymnore opinions?

I'd go for the strips, I bet they stay adhered longer.

Now I want to see a bow tie pattern... out of the strips

How about using spray on bed liner material? I've got it in my 2001 Silverado and it still looks good and washes off easy.

I prefere the striped look, over the solid piece, JMO.

Brian

Alvin
Get some skate board tape well work great

Thanks guys...... CASO, I was actually thinking about making the bowtie a solid piece out of the meterial. I think I mentioned above I have enough material to experiment.....for $2.95 what the heck, eh.

I was just pulling your leg... I thought your idea of the solid pattern is cool but it just hides too much of that nice paint!

Well, I still haven't made up my mind. A fellow bolter and I had a phone conversation today and he had a couple neat suggestions.

one was to find a skateboard supply place and maybe look at the strips they use on them for "non skid". It is also adhesive backed and sticks like glue. (I like good peel and stick)!!

Another idea was perhaps check out the marine supply place for boats. They have some pretty tough "stiprs" that stick good and do well around water!!

I've got to do some some checking. Whew, look what a simple question has turned into .....anther learning curve!

Thanks, Steve, and I'll keep ya'll posted.

Alvin, fer Gawd's sake man, how long have you had your truck????

Do what I do. Step OVER the running board and directly into the cab. You don't need no stinkin' runnin' board protection, man.

Hey Paul, ya gotta take into account Alvin's age, he taint as
flexable as he used to be. He's into the "old age shuffle" and
has to take small steps now days.
Denny G

Paul, I can't help but laugh at ya... that is exactly what I do in the 37, even my little short wife can do it... but the panel, now thats a truck of a different color Victoria slmost needs a step ladder.

Well if you're really anal - you can set a piece of rubber tool tray liner on your running boards to enter and exit the truck, then remove the rubber and put a "NO STEP" sign on them to keep the spectators off.
> NO STEP
> Yep, I really do it!

> Yep, I really do it!

Lonnie, you just have to show off that ribbon, don't you!

[quote=Achipmunk]
one was to find a skateboard supply place and maybe look at the strips they use on them for "non skid". It is also adhesive backed and sticks like glue. (I like good peel and stick)!!

Another idea was perhaps check out the marine supply place for boats. They have some pretty tough "stiprs" that stick good and do well around water!!

Alvin..............I've purchased that self adhesive, non-slip strip from an Industrial Supply place in the past. We used it for a non-slip walk path across a metal building roof. Only issue I see, is that it's pretty thin - soles of your shoes would still impact with the painted areas in between.

I'm sure Lowes has that shelf adhesive tape in the flooring dept.we call it lick and stick.

Bruce, advice well taken. We HAD Grainger locally until about a year go. I still have two place in my home town, Gaffney, which is about 20 miles from me. I'll visit them sometime next week. In the meantime,goneagain, I will make yet another trip to Lowes. As much as I hate going in there I'm learning my way around

...and Bruce, your right about the thickness. I want it thick enough but I don't like the big step plates ect. If all else fails I'll put the rubber strips on as shown in an earlier post. This just goes to show how many options are out there if we really look and ask questions. Thanks fellows.