RDF-0003 Aluminum Valet Tray

RDF-0003 Aluminum Valet Tray

€79,00
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RDF-0003 Aluminum Valet Tray
  • RDF-0003 Aluminum Valet Tray
  • RDF-0003 Aluminum Valet Tray
  • RDF-0003 Aluminum Valet Tray
  • RDF-0003 Aluminum Valet Tray
  • RDF-0003 Aluminum Valet Tray
RDF-0003 Aluminum Valet Tray

RDF-0003 Aluminum Valet Tray
€79,00
Taxes included.
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A valet tray is a small object that sits in a fixed place and gets touched every day. Which is why most of them are wrong. Pressed steel that rings when keys land in it, leather that curls at the corners within a year, injection-moulded plastic that was never going to be anything else.

RDF-0003 is one piece of 5 mm sheet aluminum, folded four times. At that thickness the wall is roughly four times taller than it is thick, so the rim you see and touch is solid material — not a rolled edge, not a hem, not a folded lip with a hollow behind it. 

The walls rise at 65° rather than square. Keys sweep in and out rather than catching at the base, and the four faces each take light at a different angle. On a raw surface that is the whole point: at any hour, no two sides of the tray are the same tone.

The corners are mitred and close against each other in the fold. No weld, no seam, no joint to notice.

It ships raw as standard. No coating, no lacquer, no film — the surface you see is mill-finish aluminum, as it comes off the roll and out of the brake. This is the product in the range where that reads most clearly, because you handle it: fingerprints show at first and then stop showing, as the oxide layer builds and the surface evens out. If you would rather it stayed exactly as it arrived, powder coating in any RAL colour is available at no extra charge.

Manufactured in Zagreb to our own drawing. The alloy specification, tolerances and finish are ours — which means custom sizes, custom colors and project quantities are quoted from the same drawing rather than sourced from someone else's catalogue.

Specification
Dimensions (W×D×H): 202 mm x 202 mm x 25 mm
Weight: 0.45 kg
Material: Aluminum magnesium alloy EN AW-5754
Grade: Aluminium EN AW-5754
Finish: Raw
Use environment: Covered outdoor
Country of origin: Croatia
Material & durability
Aluminium–magnesium alloy, EN AW-5754
H111 Magnesium is the principal alloying element in the 5000 series, and it is what gives the alloy corrosion resistance in humid air without any surface treatment at all. This is why these pieces can be supplied raw and why uncoated aluminium does not behave like uncoated steel: the oxide film forms in seconds, it is self-repairing, and scratching through it simply starts the process again. The practical consequence is that there is no finish to fail. Nothing chips, nothing peels, and no cut or folded edge is more vulnerable than any other part of the surface.
One material, full section
The failure mode of the category is delamination. A laminate face over a particleboard core has an edge that must be sealed with a separate material, and moisture at that seam lifts the band and swells the core. Everything in this line is cut and folded from a single sheet — one material through the full section, with every visible edge a radiused fold of the same stock. There is nothing applied and nothing that can come off.
Surface variation
Mill-finish aluminium carries roll lines and handling marks, and sheen varies between faces and between pieces. This is inherent to raw material and is not a defect. If you require a uniform surface, order the piece powder coated.
Powder coating
Polyester powder coat in any RAL colour, no additional charge. Cured after fabrication, so the film is continuous across folds and no cut edge is left uncoated. Coated pieces are suitable for covered outdoor use; raw pieces are indoor only.
Suitability
Suitable for use Covered outdoor
Care & cleaning
Routine cleaning
Wipe with a soft cloth, warm water and a pH-neutral detergent, then dry the surface. Raw aluminium shows fingerprints and water marks more readily than a coated surface — cosmetic, and it evens out as the patina develops.
Do not use
Strongly alkaline cleaners, including caustic soda and oven cleaners. These etch aluminium and the damage is permanent. Also avoid strong acids, chlorine bleach and abrasive powders.
Restoring the surface
Unlike a coating, a raw surface can be worked. Scratches and uneven patina come out with a fine abrasive pad worked in one consistent direction, then wiped clean. Work the full face rather than the mark alone, or the repair will be more visible than the damage. Patina The surface darkens slightly and evens out over the first months of use, faster in handled areas. This is the oxide layer building and it protects the metal. Leave it or take it back — both are fine.
If powder coated
Neutral detergent only, no abrasives, no solvents. Touch up any chip promptly with a coating matched to the original RAL reference.
Ordering & lead time
Lead time: 14
Minimum order: 1
Custom sizes and RAL colours: Made to order
Delivery & pickup
Collection in Zagreb
By prior arrangement. We confirm by email when the piece is ready to collect. No charge.
Delivery
Shipped flat packed by courier within Croatia and across the EU. Cost and transit time are confirmed per order — contact us with your address before ordering.
On arrival
Check the carton before signing. If there is visible damage to the packaging, note it on the carrier's delivery document at the point of signature. Photograph any damage and contact us within 48 hours.
Packaging
Flat packed in a single carton with the assembly hardware. Panels are separated and edge-protected. Raw panels are film-masked for transit; remove the film after assembly.
FAQ
  1. Will it scratch my desk or my keys?
    Self-adhesive felt pads are supplied for the underside and should be fitted before use — bare aluminum on a wooden or lacquered surface will mark it. Keys landing inside will mark the tray, not the other way round: aluminum is softer than steel, and the base will pick up fine scoring over time. It reads as use rather than damage, and it can be worked out with a fine abrasive pad if you would rather it did not.
  2. Is it loud when keys drop in?
    Less than pressed steel. At 5 mm there is very little in it to resonate — thin metal trays ring because the panel is free to vibrate, and this one is not.
  3. Will it show fingerprints?
    At first, yes, more than a coated surface would. Over the first weeks the oxide layer builds and handled areas even out, and it stops. If you would rather it never showed them, order it powder coated.
  4. What fits in it?
    Keys, wallet, watch, phone, glasses. It is a square tray for the top of a chest of drawers or the corner of a desk, not a pocket-sized coin dish.
  5. Can I get it in another size?
    Yes. The blank is a square with four folds, so the size is a parameter rather than a redesign. Larger versions work as catch-alls for an entrance hall; smaller ones as a desk tray. Quoted on request.
  6. Are there sharp edges?
    No. All edges are deburred and the corners carry a radius. The rim is a cut edge in 5 mm material, so it is a flat face rather than a thin line.

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