Where to find Sheet Metal Eggcrate grid/return air grille

[kimsan]

I hope this is not an inappropriate question to ask in Eng-Tips. If so, please disregard.

After searching on the web and buisness phone book for about a week and talking with various manufacturers, I have come up totally empty looking for a manufacturer who can create this without extensive man-hours. I'm looking for a manufacturer who can build a sheet metal grid or eggcrate as it's commonly referred.

Most of what I've seen out there are either made of aluminum or some type of plastic. What I need is one (actually several) made of (preferably) mild steel or SS if necessary.

It would be made of 16 or 18 gauge 1" wide strips interlocked on edge with approx. 1 1/2" square grids/cell. Overall dims would be about 31" x 58" x 1".

Our shop could build this but it would be labor intensive. Cutting the strips on a laser is the easy part. It's the manual interlocking of all the pieces that would take a lot of time. Plus the grid needs to be as flat as possible.

Anyone know of someone who has the machinery to create this fairly efficiently. Any help appreaciated.

 

[ChrisConley]

I believe that E.H. Price manufacturers mild steel and/or stainless steel eggcrate grilles.

Check out there website at:

http://www.price-hvac.com

I'm pretty sure that if they don't make them, they do have the shop capabilities to do so.

 

[kimsan]

I've already tried a Price rep. He looked into it and said they couldn't help me. Thanks anyways.

 

[stevenw]

Architectural Grille
Division of Giumenta Corporation
77-14th Street, Brooklyn, New York 11215
718-832-1200 / FAX: 718-832-1390
Outside NY Only Call 1-800-387-6267
info@archgrille.com

 

[kimsan]

Thanks again but I tried them also with no luck.

 

[dpoppeli]

Makes me think of a platform grate, although I didn't find anything at McNichols.com. Might try other manufacturers of grating however.

Seems like if you have access to a laser table you could easily draw the zillion slots in CAD and let the table burn them. Maybe epoxy together to avoid laborious welding?