The problem is, there are several different "aircraft grade" aluminums
- of which 6061 T6 is one. All Zenith aircraft are built almost exclusively of 6061 T6
6061 T6 is les likely to crack when bending than a 7000 series in T6. T6 is a hardness spec (solution heat treated and aged IIRC) and is harder than T3 or T0 (normalized)
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C
clare at snyder dot ontario do
I would concur with your understanding. And it is WELDABLE as well.
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clare at snyder dot ontario do
Get 6061T6 bar and drill and bore to fit your shaft. You do NOT want
7000 series for your application - it will likely crack. Machine 6061 at the fastest speed you can, lubricating with kerosene or wd40 or even windex - to keep the tool cool and prevent the aluminum from sticking to the cutting tool.
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cavelamb himself
Yep
5052-O is most often used for aircraft fuel tanks since it is easily formed and weldable.
But I wouldn't try to design a wing with it :)
S
Stupendous Man
The boss got me a ten foot sheet of aluminum to make some odd shaped cargo boxes for his 61 Land Rover. I laid out a nice pattern to make them with as few riveted seams as possible, thought it seemed a bit tough to cut but has no grade markings on it. I test bent a piece and it cracked. I called the office and asked what was on the receipt. He got 1/8 6061 T6 on sale. I guess I will be annealing all the bend seams in the morning with a rosebud.
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cavelamb himself
Outta work fine, but OA is hot enough to melt the metal rather suddenly. Amd teh thicker the metal, the more of a problem that seems to be.
I'm a coward and use propane. It's a lot safer.
Also, burning soot off of the surface is traditional, but a magic marker works just as well - and is a lot easier to apply :)
How about that, Metalworking advice from a programmer! It is a really strange world these days, huh?
S
Stupendous Man
I have been doing fine with the magic marker on the 3003 body parts i am forming for my bike. They really are magic! I used to use them to mask solder when building radiators for antique cars. Solder flowed right up to the line.
H
Harold and Susan Vordos
Up yours, kink. If you have nothing of worth to offer, why don't you try shutting your mouth?
H
H
Harold and Susan Vordos
It will bend across the grain, but likes to crack with the grain.
Harold
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clare at snyder dot ontario do
MINIMUM 1.5 times the thickness of the metal for bend radius - even annealed (or normalized) is a good rule of thumb with 6061. about double that, at least, for 7000 series.
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Cydrome Leader
Ha, you beat me to the oxygen free part.
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Winston
Damn! I knew I missed at least one, though 'oxygen free' is a completely valid descriptor so it's almost illegal in this context.
How about 'depleted oxygen' audiophile - quality Vulcanian billet aluminum.
I require two 'attaboys' because the last three words mean the same thing.
--Winston
D
Doug White
Aluminum? How tacky! What he needs is mock faux erstatz Krell metal.
Doug White
W
Winston
Now you're talking!
--Winston
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Richard J Kinch
Conclusion: the truth is worth nothing to you.
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Harold and Susan Vordos
Another conclusion.
You wouldn't know the truth if it jumped up and hit you in the ass.
This may come as a surprise to you, dick kink, but I have NEVER met anyone that knows everything----but more than a few that think they do. You are one of the latter. Piss off.
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Richard J Kinch
Surprise from you? No. Your bitterness and anger is unoriginal and repetitive. I hope you can find peace and forgiveness in whatever time you have left.
Save the snake venom for your real enemies.
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Harold and Susan Vordos
No comment. I don't intend to waste any more of my time on such a useless individual.
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Richard J Kinch
Don't despair. You are quite useful.
J
John Doe
Sounds like a good general purpose aluminum for making stuff. I suppose 6063 isn't much different. At McMaster, 6063 comes in a few additional desirable forms for a non-machinist.
For what it's worth.
This is what I ordered:
... seamless aluminum tube 6061, 5/8" OD, .495" ID ... seamless aluminum tube 3003-H14, 5/8" OD, .495" ID
The outer diameter of the motor gear (see my other posts) that the aluminum tube will be pressed around/over/onto measures .494 inches. The gear has an odd number of spokes (don't know the terminology) so that diameter is slightly smaller than the diameter of a perfect circle around the gear, to be matched with the inner diameter of the aluminum tube. It should be a very close fit IMO. I bought two different types of aluminum tube just to see if one will fit better than the other.