Jim Wilkins wrote:

As I understand it, 6061 is the strongest alloy that doesn't have
corrosion, brittleness and joining issues requiring extra
engineering analysis.

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.

.... steel ball bearings for 5/8" shaft
.... glass-filled PTFE sheet
.... PTFE filled Delrin strip
.... polyethylene (HDPE) sheet