DIYbanter - View Single Post - Buying stock, aluminum, 6061 versus 6063?

Jim Stewart

wrote:
On Aug 3, 5:08 am, John wrote:
I see the description on McMaster-Carr. Is there any difference
for bending? It will be used for ordinary purposes, nothing
precise. Is there any difference between 6061 and 6063 that
matters to a layperson?

Thanks.

Last time I went to Lowe's, I Wanted to buy a Johnson Level and
Tool Mfg Co 6 foot or longer ruler, since it was 1/8 inch thick by
2 inch wide by 6 feet long piece of quality looking aluminum. Made
in the USA. Unfortunately, Lowe's have replaced it with some
Chinese junk. Anyway, that used to be a cheap way to get a decent
amount of aluminum for $10 (US). It was a lot cheaper than their
buttery stock aluminum.

That would be "scale", if it's got markings. Try a real hardware
store next time, HD and Lowe's are engaged in a race to the bottom for
quality. I know Ace here has had Johnson products. As far as
aluminum stock, all of them have about the same stuff, all extruded
and machines like bubblegum. I have run across a few chunks at one
store, now out of business, that had "6061" rolled on them in ink
along with the maker's name, so it CAN be had. If all you're going to
do is bend it and maybe poke some holes in it, the extruded stuff will
work just fine. If you're going to put some load on it and/or run it
down gravel roads with the same load on it, you might want to do some
more engineering. Watch your minimum bend radius, that stuff will
fall apart if you go too tight.

And, I might add, it doesn't TIG weld fer ****...