On Wed, 18 Feb 2009 06:54:58 GMT, "Harold and Susan Vordos"
wrote:


"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

T6 is an "aged" condition, and in about 6 months or less, the aluminum
is bact very close to T6.