Actually I've often wondered about the strength thing with aluminium.
Refer http://www.capral.com.au/product_info/alloy.pdf for a nice summary.
In Australia, the common alloy over the hardware Bunnings type bench is 5005
H34 for rolled sheet and 6060 T5 for extruded angle with Ultimate Tensile
Strengths (UTS) of 135-180Mpa (depends on thickness) and 150Mpa
respectively. 6060 seems interchangeable with 6063 and both are termed
architectural.
6061 T6 appears a lot stronger at 260Mpa however it is not as corrosion
resistant, does not appear to come in sheets and seems to harden (more
fatique prone?) with age.
I just wonder whether we would ever have a need to use the higher strengths
of 6061...wouldn't the 5005/6060 be more than enough? 135-180Mpa is still
bloody strong in my view and certainly it is more easily available over here
and a lot cheaper. I've used 5005 for my fuel tanks and 6060 for all the
bracketry in my bird except the elevator hinges where RR plans specifiy 6061
T5 or equivalent.
John Martindale
29 Jane Circuit
TOORMINA NSW 2452
AUSTRALIA
phone: 61 2 66584767 (H)
61 2 66869075 (W)
mobile: 0403 049990
email: johnja...@optusnet.com.au
web: www.members.optusnet.com.au/johnjanet/Martindale.htm
----- Original Message -----
From: "Mark Langford" <n5...@hiwaay.net>
To: "KRnet" <kr...@mylist.net>
Sent: Tuesday, February 13, 2007 11:28 PM
Subject: Re: KR> 6063 aluminum
> Brian Kraut wrote:
>
>> Be leary of any metal you get from Home Depot or Lowes if you plan on
>> doing
>> anythng structural with it. I am not 100% sure what alloy they carry,
>> but
>> it is pretty bright and corrosion resistant which means it is most likely
>> a
>> weaker alloy than 6061.
>
> The aluminum that's sold at Home Depot and that kind of store is usually
> 6063, which looks like polished 6061. ..........................snip
