yes, I am a novice !

I think I am creating a patterned sheet metal part... although I might argue its a stamping, cut out... since it's .125"or thicker.... regardless.... I have created the pattern as shown and cannot box-extrude or surface extrude to give its "thickess".... it will only let me extrude as a thin feature... so each line extrudes with a certain thickness .... ends up looking like a pc board trace.  It is meant to be a 17 position pipe hanger...   If I indicate the sketch and try to make a planar surface it gives rebuild error "...cannot be created due to non-planar selection or open selection? "  Is there a sketch line that does not touch it's mating line or arc and I just can't see it? 

thanks for help in advance !

steve