briand

briand

Well Known Member
I have to replace a 9 foot length of .063 and for my lower longeron. Spruce only offers this size in 2024t3 (costs more than 6061t6). Is 2024t3 as strong as 6061t6 and can I use it in place of the vans provided angle? I read the alloy descriptions on Spruces website
( http://aircraftspruce.com/catalog/mepages/aluminfo.php ) but failed to take away an answer to my question.
 
Go to the source!

I'd ask Van's. On such an important question, there's only one sure source.

According to Mil-Hbk 5, 2024T3 has an ultimate tensile strenght about 50% higher than 6061T6, and is slightly stiffer. Does that mean it's OK to use it? I don't know.
 
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I miscut mine. I ordered a new one from van's and it was less than $40. I renovate houses and everything is 96" or 8'. I had a brain fart and cut the longeron 96" .Well the longeron was suppose to be 98". I came really quickly. It was my only mistake in the empenage.
 
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I wouldn't use 2024-t3. It is stronger the 6061-T6, but is more brittle and has a high notch sensitivity. 6061-T6 will give a bit more notice before it fails, where 2024-T3 can fail catastrophically with little or no deformation.
 
Guy Prevost said:
I wouldn't use 2024-t3. It is stronger the 6061-T6, but is more brittle and has a high notch sensitivity. 6061-T6 will give a bit more notice before it fails, where 2024-T3 can fail catastrophically with little or no deformation.
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Practically everything on the plane is 2024-T3 with exception of the angle stock and I am pretty sure that is because of cost considerations. I wouldn't hesitate to use the stronger material.

-mike
 
Wow! I had to read this thread twice to really believe folks are discussing substituting material for a structural member without talking to the design engineers.

Jekyll
 
Jekyll said:
Wow! I had to read this thread twice to really believe folks are discussing substituting material for a structural member without talking to the design engineers.

Jekyll
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You're right. Most builders don't have the experience or training to make any reasonable material substitutions and most don't know the poster or their qualifications to make such statements. Ask Vans.

-mike
 
TSwezey said:
I miscut mine. I ordered a new one from van's and it was less than $40. I renovate houses and everything is 96" or 8'. I had a brain fart and cut the longeron 96" .Well the longeron was suppose to be 98". I came really quickly. It was my only mistake in the empenage.
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$40 for the longeron? How much was shipping?



I did email vans and also suggested they make note of the need for the .063 on that blue ATTENTION letter.

I cut up the first one for use on the flaps and my wing jig.
The reason I chopped my 2nd one up was to make the angles for the F814 and F818 floors. They were really gouged up so I had to cut good pcs in between the DEEP scratches and never imagined they would include such rough stock for structural applications.
 
I was told by Vans 2024t3 is acceptable. He also said I could use .125 but I had already ruled that out because the bulkheads would be too hard to adjust and would probably end up with an unsightly bulge.
 
briand said:
I have to replace a 9 foot length of .063 and for my lower longeron. Spruce only offers this size in 2024t3 (costs more than 6061t6). Is 2024t3 as strong as 6061t6 and can I use it in place of the vans provided angle? I read the alloy descriptions on Spruces website
( http://aircraftspruce.com/catalog/mepages/aluminfo.php ) but failed to take away an answer to my question.
Click to expand...

Brian,
Why not check your local industrial aluminum supplier? (Assuming you don't live in a rural area without a nearby city) I mangled the rear spar doublers on my HS. I simply purchased flat stock from a local supplier and made new parts. Just make sure you are purchasing STRUCTURAL angle. You can tell the difference between structural and architectural easily. There is no fillet on the inner vertex (corner) of architectural angle.
Charlie Kuss
 
I called EVERY place I could find and all that was available was .125. I think Vans is the only place that sells/uses .063 in 6061t6. Spruce doesn't even sell it.
 
Thats interesting. I checked Wicks and must have missed it. Either way that 6061 is almost as much as Spruces 2024 plus it looks like they don't want to ship over 8' lengths.

It doesn't matter anymore because Vans said they would cut me a pc to length (106") and ship it fedex. Shipping will probably be more than Spruce East but I should make up for it by getting the cheaper 6061 (I think vans charges around $1/ft from what I can tell).

Lesson learned..... Just call Vans first.

If nothing else this thread tought us that 2024 is an acceptable alternative (in this case at least) and hopefully someone will see this and it will stop them from cutting up their 12' .063 angles.
 
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