Aluminum Bracket

SmokinBBC

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Joined
Mar 25, 2008
Messages
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Location
Oak Ridge, NC
I need to make a bracket. Plan on using 1/8 or 3/16 aluminum. Bracket will be approx 3 1/2 " wide on top and 1" on the bottom...about 4 to 5 " tall. I will need to do some cutting and shaping.

All I have is your typical garage mech. tools. Saws/grinders, etc.

What would be the best alum to use? 6061 or 7075. Both would be strong enough...but I am looking to get the one that is more workable with saws, grinders,etc.

I plan on putting the raw plate between 2 pieces of wood (plywood or floorboard) and then glueing the design on top, then use a jig saw with the proper blade for the cut....

Any opinions or suggestions?
 
Either one will work. You want 6061 T6 or T51. There is a 6061 T0 which is soft and difficult to cut and loads up cutters and saw blades.
 
They are both T6, so I might go with the 6061 since it's cheaper.

I have a router and a router table that I use for woodwork. Can I use a carbide tipped strait bit to cut the aluminum?
 
:crylol: I found this on the site where I was looking to buy the aluminum...


At OnlineMetals, we all failed shop class. Multiple times. As a matter of fact, our employment applications specifically ask to see people's grades for their high school shop classes. If they're too high, they go into the rejected pile. We're also not engineers, and cannot make any specific recommendations about the suitability of a given alloy, temper, or shape for your project or application.
 
They are both T6, so I might go with the 6061 since it's cheaper.

I have a router and a router table that I use for woodwork. Can I use a carbide tipped strait bit to cut the aluminum?

Routers work great for smoothing the edge of 6061. I've cut 4" plate with a 8tpi band saw blade. Cuts like butter.
 
:crylol: I found this on the site where I was looking to buy the aluminum...


At OnlineMetals, we all failed shop class. Multiple times. As a matter of fact, our employment applications specifically ask to see people's grades for their high school shop classes. If they're too high, they go into the rejected pile. We're also not engineers, and cannot make any specific recommendations about the suitability of a given alloy, temper, or shape for your project or application.
That's FUNNY!!
 
Another benefit of 6061 vs 7075 if ultimate strength is not a primary design requirement 6061 has better corrosion resistance and forming ability.

Grampy
 
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