"Harold and Susan Vordos" wrote in message
.. .

"John Forrest Tomlinson" wrote in message
...
I'm trying to make something like this:

http://sports.webshots.com/photo/121...44194919ClRBmi
http://sports.webshots.com/photo/121...44194919EvrnCe

and am not sure what sort of aluminum to use. The person who made
that descibers it as:

"I carefully and gradually bent them over my thigh. The material is
1/4" x 1.5" aluminum that I bought at a hardware store and the bases
are just two layers of 3/4" plywood laminated together. When I bent
them, I just eyeballed the curves and left the ends longer than I
needed, so I could adjust the shape."

I have the choice of buying 2024-T4 or 6061 T6 -- will either of these
work? What would be more durable?

Thanks in advance for any advice.

JT

6063 aluminum is commonly used for extrusions and forms, and is likely the
alloy you'll encounter at a commercial outlet such as HD or such. It
bends fairly easily.

Aluminum in a T6 condition (such as 6061) isn't likely to bend without a
struggle, so if you find it's hard to bend, and you have a torch at your
disposal, smoke the aluminum with an acetylene flame, then heat it gently
until the soot ignites. Don't heat beyond, you'll be near the melting
point. I agree---avoid 2024.

The heating process mentioned will anneal the aluminum, allowing it to be
bent easier. You will not be able to restore the T6 condition, so if
you want the part to be rigid, this isn't a good idea.

Harold

Oh, boy, we're going to confuse John good, now. Yes, there's a good chance
that what he'd find in that kind of section is 6063. The 1000-series alloys
used for smaller decorative extrusions and trim aren't commonly available in
the form of a 1/4"-thick strap; that's more likely to be among the odds and
ends made for structural architectural use -- window and door frames,
mostly, and railings or pipes made for hand railings and such, which are
primarily 6063. It's possible that's all that might be available in the
rather long pieces he needs for this project.

That is, if he were buying it from a consumer retail source. Since he says
that his choices are 2024-T4 or 6061-T6, he's likely getting it directly or
indirectly from an aluminum service center. So, between those two, I'd go
with 6061.

I didn't think about the fact that he's stuck with material that's in the T6
condition -- 40 ksi yield -- which would be more than a little difficult to
bend over one's thigh. g That would be like bending mild steel. He'll
probably need the torch (775 deg. F for full anneal) or a simple bending
jig.

--
Ed Huntress