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geekhack Community => Off Topic => Topic started by: tp4tissue on Wed, 13 January 2016, 15:07:16

Title: So many types of Aluminum..
Post by: tp4tissue on Wed, 13 January 2016, 15:07:16: (http://www.msgking.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/onion-avatar050.gif)
Title: Re: So many types of Aluminum..
Post by: Melvang on Wed, 13 January 2016, 15:12:58: There are more alloys of aluminum than any other base metal. Last number I heard was over 11,000. And that is without taking different tempers into factor.
Title: Re: So many types of Aluminum..
Post by: tp4tissue on Wed, 13 January 2016, 15:41:19: Gives me a headache cuz I'm just making keycaps in my spare time for fun..

But dang so many...
Title: Re: So many types of Aluminum..
Post by: Melvang on Wed, 13 January 2016, 16:03:50: Quote from: tp4tissue on Wed, 13 January 2016, 15:41:19
Gives me a headache cuz I'm just making keycaps in my spare time for fun..

But dang so many...

Just go with 6061 T6. One of the cheaper alloys, very easy to find, and machines easy.
Title: Re: So many types of Aluminum..
Post by: jerue on Wed, 13 January 2016, 16:39:53: To me, love all aluminum. Except maybe aluminum foil...wouldn't make for a good keyboard.

(http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-U-6hCFZuJpY/TdU-5hktoPI/AAAAAAAADkI/wdRXpVsIjfk/s1600/onion-head-dp-animated05.gif)
Title: Re: So many types of Aluminum..
Post by: Leslieann on Wed, 13 January 2016, 18:07:04: Quote from: jerue on Wed, 13 January 2016, 16:39:53
To me, love all aluminum. Except maybe aluminum foil...wouldn't make for a good keyboard.
That's okay, we need to save it for cookies and pizza.
Title: Re: So many types of Aluminum..
Post by: tp4tissue on Wed, 13 January 2016, 19:22:13: Quote from: Melvang on Wed, 13 January 2016, 16:03:50
Quote from: tp4tissue on Wed, 13 January 2016, 15:41:19
Gives me a headache cuz I'm just making keycaps in my spare time for fun..

But dang so many...

Just go with 6061 T6. One of the cheaper alloys, very easy to find, and machines easy.

Yea, I'm thinkin 6061 as well.. but it seems that it doesn't work as well with bright color anodizing..

(http://www.msgking.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/onion-avatar127.gif)
Title: Re: So many types of Aluminum..
Post by: Melvang on Wed, 13 January 2016, 19:48:43: Quote from: tp4tissue on Wed, 13 January 2016, 19:22:13
Quote from: Melvang on Wed, 13 January 2016, 16:03:50
Quote from: tp4tissue on Wed, 13 January 2016, 15:41:19
Gives me a headache cuz I'm just making keycaps in my spare time for fun..

But dang so many...

Just go with 6061 T6. One of the cheaper alloys, very easy to find, and machines easy.

Yea, I'm thinkin 6061 as well.. but it seems that it doesn't work as well with bright color anodizing..

Show Image
(http://www.msgking.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/onion-avatar127.gif)

That, I have no idea on. I don't have any experience with different alloys and how they react with different anodizing colors and depths. I do know a lot of bicycle parts are anodized 6061
Title: Re: So many types of Aluminum..
Post by: rowdy on Thu, 14 January 2016, 00:17:38: "aluminium"
Title: Re: So many types of Aluminum..
Post by: Halverson on Thu, 14 January 2016, 01:19:35: Quote from: rowdy on Thu, 14 January 2016, 00:17:38
"aluminium"

+1
Title: Re: So many types of Aluminum..
Post by: rowdy on Thu, 14 January 2016, 03:29:23: Quote from: Halverson on Thu, 14 January 2016, 01:19:35

Quote from: rowdy on Thu, 14 January 2016, 00:17:38
"aluminium"

+1

:-*
Title: Re: So many types of Aluminum..
Post by: bazh on Thu, 14 January 2016, 05:35:01: Quote from: jerue on Wed, 13 January 2016, 16:39:53
To me, love all aluminum. Except maybe aluminum foil...wouldn't make for a good keyboard.

Show Image
(http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-U-6hCFZuJpY/TdU-5hktoPI/AAAAAAAADkI/wdRXpVsIjfk/s1600/onion-head-dp-animated05.gif)

have you not learnt something from Weird Al?
Title: Re: So many types of Aluminum..
Post by: jerue on Thu, 14 January 2016, 09:26:47: Quote from: bazh on Thu, 14 January 2016, 05:35:01
Quote from: jerue on Wed, 13 January 2016, 16:39:53
To me, love all aluminum. Except maybe aluminum foil...wouldn't make for a good keyboard.

Show Image
(http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-U-6hCFZuJpY/TdU-5hktoPI/AAAAAAAADkI/wdRXpVsIjfk/s1600/onion-head-dp-animated05.gif)

have you not learnt something from Weird Al?

apparently not :(
Title: Re: So many types of Aluminum..
Post by: Bromono on Thu, 14 January 2016, 09:50:23: Quote from: rowdy on Thu, 14 January 2016, 00:17:38
"aluminium"

-1
Title: Re: So many types of Aluminum..
Post by: Leslieann on Fri, 15 January 2016, 02:50:06: Both are right, but if you want to point blame, blame the person who named it (a Brit) and changed it twice (originally it was Alumium), once after it was picked up by dictionaries.
Title: Re: So many types of Aluminum..
Post by: tp4tissue on Fri, 15 January 2016, 02:58:20: Quote from: Leslieann on Fri, 15 January 2016, 02:50:06
Both are right, but if you want to point blame, blame the person who named it (a Brit) and changed it twice (originally it was Alumium), once after it was picked up by dictionaries.

i knew it.. british people... (http://www.cute-factor.com/images/smilies/onion/th_118_.gif)
Title: Re: So many types of Aluminum..
Post by: Rotwitt on Mon, 18 January 2016, 14:03:43: Did someone say aluminium? Because I love that ****.
If you're having trouble figuring out what the various series contains, ~~and their properties take a look at this table I've just made.~~ :thumb:

New version of document, including tempers further down.
Title: Re: So many types of Aluminum..
Post by: tp4tissue on Mon, 18 January 2016, 18:30:38: Quote from: Rotwitt on Mon, 18 January 2016, 14:03:43
Did someone say aluminium? Because I love that ****.
If you're having trouble figuring out what the various series contains, and their properties take a look at this table I've just made. :thumb:

which would you recommend for bright color anodizing + easily machinable.. so far i'm thinking 6061 T6
Title: Re: So many types of Aluminum..
Post by: Melvang on Mon, 18 January 2016, 18:43:39: Quote from: tp4tissue on Mon, 18 January 2016, 18:30:38
Quote from: Rotwitt on Mon, 18 January 2016, 14:03:43
Did someone say aluminium? Because I love that ****.
If you're having trouble figuring out what the various series contains, and their properties take a look at this table I've just made. :thumb:

which would you recommend for bright color anodizing + easily machinable.. so far i'm thinking 6061 T6

That would be my suggestion. Keep in mind that the 6061 is the composition of the alloy (the actually ingredients in the molten metal mixture) and the T6 is the temper (how hard it is). If you see a T65, or T651, the 5 and 51 means that there was a mechanical straightening process 51 more so than the 5, after the tempering process. For 6061 the most common tempers are gong to be T0 (not that common really unless you need it and know where to look) and T3, T6. For anything keyboard related, I recommend T6. That is barring odd manufacturing
Title: Re: So many types of Aluminum..
Post by: Rotwitt on Tue, 19 January 2016, 08:45:22: Quote from: Melvang on Mon, 18 January 2016, 18:43:39
Quote from: tp4tissue on Mon, 18 January 2016, 18:30:38
Quote from: Rotwitt on Mon, 18 January 2016, 14:03:43
Did someone say aluminium? Because I love that ****.
If you're having trouble figuring out what the various series contains, and their properties take a look at this table I've just made. :thumb:

which would you recommend for bright color anodizing + easily machinable.. so far i'm thinking 6061 T6

That would be my suggestion. Keep in mind that the 6061 is the composition of the alloy (the actually ingredients in the molten metal mixture) and the T6 is the temper (how hard it is). If you see a T65, or T651, the 5 and 51 means that there was a mechanical straightening process 51 more so than the 5, after the tempering process. For 6061 the most common tempers are gong to be T0 (not that common really unless you need it and know where to look) and T3, T6. For anything keyboard related, I recommend T6. That is barring odd manufacturing

Good point. I'll be adding the tempers as a separate table, for easy identification.
Title: Re: So many types of Aluminum..
Post by: Rotwitt on Tue, 19 January 2016, 08:55:24: Quote from: tp4tissue on Mon, 18 January 2016, 18:30:38
Quote from: Rotwitt on Mon, 18 January 2016, 14:03:43
Did someone say aluminium? Because I love that ****.
If you're having trouble figuring out what the various series contains, and their properties take a look at this table I've just made. :thumb:

which would you recommend for bright color anodizing + easily machinable.. so far i'm thinking 6061 T6

EN AW-6061 T6 is great for machining purposes and fairly good for anodising. Something you should be aware of when choosing this type however is that an iron content larger than 0.2% will produce a matte anodisation finish, rather than a bright one.