Aluminum Alloys

Fun fact: the success of the Wright brothers in achieving powered flight was due in part to having an engine with an aluminum block, giving a better power-to-weight ratio than one with a cast iron block. The block was actually made from an alloy containing 8% copper, which gave it much better strength than pure aluminum. Because Al/Cu alloys harden through tiny particles of copper precipitating out of solution over time, the Wrights’ 1903 engine block is now actually stronger than it was when first built.

I am pretty well familiar with ferrous metallurgy. I understand pretty well how to heat treat steel to get soft, tough, or hard states. But aluminum…about two years ago I forged some parts for a neighbor from some extrusion grade aluminum I had laying around ( 2024 I think) the stuff forged beautifully. It moved like copper and working down two inch material meant I got to play with for a bit. Now machining was not the same story. The parts had to finish with a 1/2-13 thread. The stuff cut like cold peanut butter. It was soft- too soft. Material would tear out, deform, chips welding back to the parts causing big halls to form. I know there are alloys for different applica…

Tomorrow I am picking up a vintage satellite dish 7' diameter free from a friend. He claims it is 1/4+ thick aluminum mesh. I plan on using a reciprocal saw to cut with a 9 teeth carbide blade using wd40 as a lubricant. I have bent plenty of sheet metal but never aluminum. I plan on bending it into a cone with 1' top diameter and 4' bottom diameter, then drilling and bolting together seam. I understand aluminum cracks and do not want breaking to happen. I want to bend the cone first and then cut out removable doors later. Please share tips on bending without cracking?

What is aluminum oxide? It seems to me that an oxidized form of aluminum wouldn't be hard enough to use as an abrasive for sanding steel--that it would be weaker than aluminum, like oxidized steel is weaker than steel, so I suspect then that what is used as the abrasive on emery cloth is different from how it sounds. Also, sand, when melted, forms glass--an electrical insulator. This could cause a problem if sandpaper were used to polish metal, and sand fragments imbedded in the metal, then it was heated, and the resulting glass insulated the metal electrically---as in an HVAC guy cleaning a flame rod in a residential furnace, with sandpaper, to get a better electrica…

Over the last 3 weeks I spun 100 6" aluminum 6061 balls that are .055 thick with a pacman cut out. These attach to fascia on the Marin Civic Center building and get anodized 804 inorganic light gold. This was last building Frank Lloyd Wright designed before he died. Cheers and "happy metal working" Paul

Pyrolized Bread Metal Casting Foundry Well earlier today I found this video posted yesterday by one of the guys I subscribe to on YouTube. He isn't the most safety conscious person, but he is an experienced machinist. The entire set up should of been outside, but its his house right? Its an interesting concept and he understands it and enjoys nerding out on the scientific to those of us who are not as, well you know...

Had a go at the search function, and didn't find anything, so that probably means this is a dumb question - but here goes anyway. I want to make a mount frame for my electric motor on my kayak, part of doing this means shaping aluminium to both the hull form, as well as to curve it to grip the shaft of the motor. My question is that given aluminiums propensity to crack when bent / folded, can you use heat to help shape the metal to get away from that risk? IE can you work aluminium like you can steel? I know it does change colour as it heats, but I am not looking to approach forging (if possible with aluminium) or indeed melting temp, just to make it…

Decided to play with some aluminum made this pin put of 1/4" stock

Can you forge Aluminum i.e. with a hammer and anvil? Is there any toxic gasses or anything that I should be worried about?

So, I have some duralumin laying around and I decided to use it for the base of my forge (where the charcoal where be placed on). But I heard people say that aluminium releases toxic gases, is it safe to use duralumin, or should I change to something else? I also know that aluminium has a relatively low melting point compared to other metals, do you think that it would be able to withstand the heat?

Hi all a few weeks ago I came across a stencil for a copper rose online and decided to have a go at making it with a scrap sheet of aluminium I had lying around. It took me around an hour to do the first one which included threading a piece of 4mm bar for the stem (and finding my tin snips). It came out quite rough as I used a pair of needle nosed pliers to shape the petals without grinding the grip part off, if I was to do more i'd use circlip pliers or shape the pliers I have. I posted the picture to my facebook and within an hour I had nearly 50 likes and around 12 of my friends asking if I was making more. With valentines day around 4 weeks away I was thinking …

Need some help from you guys. Im working on writing weld procedures at work for gmaw and gtaw aluminum so that I can send them off for testing to certify the procedure. the problem that im running in to is that the gtaw works great and bent with no problem. but the gmaw breaks almost every time. I am using 4043 filler that is for 6000 grade aluminum, letting the coupons cool completely, then cleaning and bending. Even made sure to round all the corners and weld the pieces together with the grain running the same direction. Does anyone know the process for annealing 6061 or have any suggestions. If this is already in another thread I apologize I just haven't found anything…

Hi all, I decided to have a crack at making a Bass fish from 1.5mm alu sheet. This was my first attempt at a fish of any kind, I may have a buyer for it already and they also want a full size salmon too. What do we think?

What is the best method to make an aluminium tube of 13 OD,280 length and having a reduced cross section at one end? One 'piece' of the foldable cane used by blind people for example

hi guys, i'm new here and would like to confirm a few doubts :) -firstly, exactly how strong is aluminium? i've done my homework and found that it had a brinells modulus of 245Mpa and tensile modulus of 70Gpa. the problem is that i am not sure how hard it actually is. could someone give me a comparison and description of it? thanks! really appreciate it!

Hello, I have more than a few prototypes on my sketch lab that I want to put into real world environments and that means making them out of something. Right now the cheapest option sounds like aluminum, which is great for prototyping. I am looking into methods for welding aluminum together, at one point I was considering getting a Tig machine but the cost doesn't seem to justify it and I felt there was a better choice for putting copper or aluminum together. So I started looking around and then I recently discovered this website. This forum has a lot of fantastic information that I find to be very useful. I am learning a bit about green sand and lost foam casting. …

I have some machined aluminum pieces to bend for a customer. I would prefer not to anneal them as the not bent parts should be as stiff as possible. They are only 1/4" thick and I was going to go with a 5/16 inside radius 45 degree bend. Does anyone know if this is likely to crack or can I go ahead and bend it withot annealing.

Hello All, new to this forum and lovin' it! I'm planning on fabricating a large driveway gate out of aluminum and was wondering what the best way would be to heat the aluminum at a steady temperature of 750-900 deg. F. I'm guessing right now that natural and propane gas usually burn at a higher temperature thus start sputtering when dialed down. I have a large quantity of scrolls and leaves to forge so the constant watching of the aluminum is not an option. Steady temp is a must. Would an electronic oven make more sense than an open flame forge? Any info greatly appreciated, Thanks, Thomas

Has anyone on here have any experience with anodising. What I would like to know is how to prepare the surface before anodising. As aluminium is soft and easily marked, I have thought of gently shot blasting the surface with glass beads to hide any scratches. This would also give the surface a more interesting look than just flat and shiney. Does anodising take evenly to a uneven surface or does it have to be polished for the best effect. Mick.

Is there a formula for brightening Aluminum? Have tried internet with no success.Thanks,Mark

Hey I am currently making a sword out of 3 heavy duty rolls of aluminum foil (it actually gave me enough metal to work with haha.). I was wondering if anyone has done anything with aluminum? I'm really curious about how hard it can get. I planned on quenching it in olive oil. :EDIT: Also, are there any thoughts on whether or not I should make it into an alloy of Iron / Aluminum? Maybe add more carbon?

Hi all, here's a picture of an aluminum hoof stand I just built Goatee

Howdy. Been a while since I posted here so forgive if I have this in the wrong spot. I currently am knee deep into a smoker project and I really want to use a 120 gal tank I was given by my uncle. Just one caveat though. After removing some of the paint in transport I quickly realized after draggin this thing 100 miles that it is made of aluminum. It is a nice thick tank so I can imagine why I shouldn't use it anyway. I am building this thing from the ground up. All the steel parts that are showing I am putting a gunmetal finish on. Wood will be stained a dark red. WHat I am hoping you guys can give me is some insight on refinishing this old aluminum tank. Sh…

I need a pc of 10" wide x 2 5/8"leg x 1/4" thick web aluminum channel 18" long. If anyone has some and is willing to sell a pc of it, lets get it on. Thanks, Ben

forging aluminum? i know how to anneal it but would like to try hot forging it any tips or tricks would be greatly appreciated