6061-T6 vs 5052-H32 sheet aluminum

[Talyn]

I'm going to be making some custom sill plates for my XJ. They will be machined on a router and then a 90* single bend added like the stock sill plates. Purely cosmetic. I'm looking at using either 1/8" 6061-T6 or 5052-H32. I've heard that the 6061 will machine better, but it doesn't bend well. I've also heard that the 5052 has better corrosion resistance (road salt). I'm also looking for some scratch resistance.

I have worked with 6061 on the router making aircraft panels and haven't had problems with it. It also looks nice. However, I have only bent it to about 30*

Which one to use?

 

[wolfpackjeeper]

can you flash heat it to make the bend?

we use 6061 in the foundry my dad runs as a hobby. Finishes nicer and it casts better. Of course this has nothing to do with bending it.

 

[Talyn]

We have an oxy acetylene torch but that is on the bucket truck and I don't want to have to drag than monstrosity over and screw with the torch. I also have a propane torch. That is the extent of fire I have access to.

Since you have experience with casting, for another project can you give me some tips on that? Planning on using it in lost wax casting using a centrifuge.

 

[wolfpackjeeper]

Unfortunately we do green sand casting. Very much the same process. Build a mold, fill a mold, open a mold. Never really messed with the lost wax, however I do understand the procedure. It is very much like painting though. 95% of the process is perfecting the mold.

If you had the oxy setup close all you have to do is leave it full rich acetylene and coat the part you are trying to work with ash. Then go neutral flame and heat the piece. Aluminum is neat because when you get to the right temp all the ash will just kinda disappear and thats how you know you were hot enough.

 

[Mr_Random]

MMM... metallurgy is interesting! Dang I wish I knew that kind of stuff. Just gotta get myself that mechanical engineering degree and I'll learn a bit about it.

Do you mean the pinch seam "sill" at the edge of the roof, or around the doors? What year XJ do you have? I'm pretty sure all older models have aluminum trim that is covered by rubber (mine is peeling off), which may serve the purpose you want?

 

[5-90]

6061 should bend fine, if you take it slow - a slower bend builds internal stresses more slowly, and won't work harden as much (a moot point once you've finished the bend, but a factor while you're bending.) I've bent 6061 sheet double without too much trouble, and with no real stress cracks. Are you going to be working with gauge sheet, or going into plate?

If you're going to go with plate, the same caveat applies - but 6061 won't be your answer (maybe 6061-nothing, but not -T6.)

For scratch resistance, aluminum in-the-white isn't your answer. Got an anno shop anywhere handy? See if they can do a mil-spec clear anno - that mil-spec anno on a lightly knurled aluminum part results in something you can use to saw through white 6061 or even white 7075 - nice! You should be able to get it in whatever colour you want, or none. But, even a clear "hard" anno will help significantly with scratch resistance.

 

[Talyn]

Do you mean the pinch seam "sill" at the edge of the roof, or around the doors? What year XJ do you have? I'm pretty sure all older models have aluminum trim that is covered by rubber (mine is peeling off), which may serve the purpose you want?

No, the sill plate that sits on the bottom of the door opening.. you know the plastic thing?

 

[Talyn]

For scratch resistance, aluminum in-the-white isn't your answer. Got an anno shop anywhere handy? See if they can do a mil-spec clear anno - that mil-spec anno on a lightly knurled aluminum part results in something you can use to saw through white 6061 or even white 7075 - nice! You should be able to get it in whatever colour you want, or none. But, even a clear "hard" anno will help significantly with scratch resistance.

I'm using plate. I'm thinking of going hard anodized, but that adds cost.. but at the same time I could do my pedals. There is a shop in Roanoke that I have worked with in the past that does good work.

-Chris

 

[Talyn]

If you had the oxy setup close all you have to do is leave it full rich acetylene and coat the part you are trying to work with ash. Then go neutral flame and heat the piece. Aluminum is neat because when you get to the right temp all the ash will just kinda disappear and thats how you know you were hot enough.

Do I then bend it when hot, or is this just annealing it and the bending it when cool?

 

[wolfpackjeeper]

depends. I did this to bend an impact puncture on a Sign Letter I found back in and I did it pretty warm. I believe you can still do it cool though. Ill have to look it up

 

[Talyn]

Well, after some experimenting I got a nice 90* bend in it. I found that a black sharpie is a good indicator of temperature since it burns off right around where aluminum anneals. I heated the aluminum piece with a propane torch until the sharpie burnt off. Then quenched it in water. Then bent it about ~ 20*, anneal, quench, bent to ~45* anneal, quench, then bent to ~70*, anneal quench, then finally bend to 90*. There are some small cracks that you have to really look for, but its not structural so I don't care about them. I also tried annealing it then quenching it then bending it the full 90*.. that didn't work. And it didn't seem to make a difference if I let it air cool or run it under water. I also put some cuts in it with a table saw just to see how they would react to the bend and it worked out fine, but the deeper cuts did have some more dis formation on the back side.

However, I will probably go with 6061-O instead of T6...anyone know if them machine differently or not?

The pics are not where near what the real item is going to look like, just a rough sand and clean. The brake did leave a few marks on it though.

 

[urban yan]

SWEET!!!! I like it allot.

 

[seanyb505]

That is nice work. I would ask for a set, but it would go completely against anything else in or on the Jeep

 

[5-90]

Them's pretty swift after all! Perhaps I should make a set for my two-door, and have a MIL-spec hard anno (in OD) put on them...

 

[wolfpackjeeper]

very nice

 

[Talyn]

That is nice work. I would ask for a set, but it would go completely against anything else in or on the Jeep

That is not even a prototype... the real one will be much better.

I may make and sell some, but they won't have a bend. Just too much time involved in it, unless I can get teh right price for them. I'll probably just do some flat 1/8" 6061-T6 on the router with some engravings. May do some bent diamond plate ones too with out engravings, which is much easier to bend.

And I do need to use 6061-T6 to keep the machinability as 6061-O isn't as easy to machine.