Aluminum Sheet Choices

[JDA_BTR]

Time to build avionics shelfs again. On the first plane, everything was 2024-T3. I'm looking at 0.032 sheet prices and I wonder if 6061 would do the job just as well. I like to prime my pieces, so if I'm doing that anyway why not use the 6061?

But as usual I'm wondering if anyone else does this or something different for shelves and such.

 

[Weefle]

I used 6061 in my build it wasn’t structural. Easier to bend with little fear of cracking.

Keith

 

[lr172]

Depends what you are making. 6061 sheet, thinner than .063 is very soft and bends easily . If you are making things that need rigidity on their own, stick with 2024

 

[fixnflyguy]

The 6061 T6 is fine, and nearly equivalent to 2024 in workability/strength. I work with all these alloys a lot in the heavy aircraft overhaul business, and it's quite commonly used in the AVX rack systems. 6061 is also weldable, and more corrosion resistant.

 

[DanH]

If you are making things that need rigidity on their own, stick with 2024

Strength and stiffness are often confused. Strength varies quite a lot, but stiffness (rigidity, i.e. modulus) is not significantly different for any aluminum alloy, from dead soft 1100 through the 7075 we use for landing gear legs.



Just polishing the pins, old bean...

 

[lr172]

Strength and stiffness are often confused. Strength varies quite a lot, but stiffness (rigidity, i.e. modulus) is not significantly different for any aluminum alloy, from dead soft 1100 through the 7075 we use for landing gear legs.

View attachment 82551

Just polishing the pins, old bean...

I guess i don't have a good grasp of the terms. Maybe should have said ductility or maybe it is hardened to a greater level. Mostly trying to use a word the avg man would grasp. If I take two pieces of .040" 1' long and hold at the ends and push, It is substantial easier to make a curve in the 6061 than the 2024. The 6061 also deforms/bends much easier. I learned that the vans inst panels were 6061 because they couldn't repeatably make the 90* bend without cracking in 2024. Clearly it resist movement in some way that 6061 doesn't.

 

[fl-mike]

For an avionics shelf? 6061-T6 is fine. Similar to 2024-T3 in terms of working (drilling, bend radius, etc.). 5052-H32 is gummy but bends easier.
I think Van's uses some 5052 in the baffle kit and some 6061 in select places.
Need to make sure you clearly mark it. Wouldn't want to end up with 5052 where 2024 was specified!

 

[DanH]

Mostly trying to use a word the avg man would grasp.

"Structures, Or Why Things Don't Fall Down", by J.E. Gordon. Less than $12 on Amazon. Elon Musk and I both recommend it. I'm not kidding.

Prof. Gordon breaks materials science and structural design into interesting and humorous examples. And however amusing, it's quite serious in scope. You'll love it.

 

[SabreFlyr]

=5052-H32 is gummy but bends easier.
I think Van's uses some 5052 in the baffle kit....

I'm curious what you mean by "gummy." I'm in the process of designing an avionics mount in Fusion 360 and plan to send the design to SendCutSend for cutting and bending. The only aluminum alloy for which they offer bending services is 5052-H32. Based on Budd Davisson's comments in the February Sport Aviation, 5052 sounds like a good choice of material ("highest strength alloy of the more common non-heat-treatable grades,""fatigue strength is higher than most aluminum alloys," & "excellent workability,").

 

[fl-mike]

I'm curious what you mean by "gummy." I'm in the process of designing an avionics mount in Fusion 360 and plan to send the design to SendCutSend for cutting and bending. The only aluminum alloy for which they offer bending services is 5052-H32. Based on Budd Davisson's comments in the February Sport Aviation, 5052 sounds like a good choice of material ("highest strength alloy of the more common non-heat-treatable grades,""fatigue strength is higher than most aluminum alloys," & "excellent workability,").

You'll see when you go to drill a hole in it. I don't know how else to describe it. Shears, punches, and bends fine. Machine/drill....not so great.

 

[KayS]

i built an airplane made almost entirely out of 6061 aluminum sheets. this alloy is completely fine for your purpose. 6061 is easy to work with and more corrosion resistant, so there's no real need to prime.

 

[Dugaru]

i built an airplane made almost entirely out of 6061 aluminum sheets. this alloy is completely fine for your purpose. 6061 is easy to work with and more corrosion resistant, so there's no real need to prime.

Yup, the Zenith 801 we’re building is almost all 6061. I also think it would work great. Extra points for stoking the primer wars!

 

[KayS]

Yup, the Zenith 801 we’re building is almost all 6061. I also think it would work great. Extra points for stoking the primer wars!

Even if all RV's would have been made of 6061 completely, somebody still would have started the primer wars.

 

[Dugaru]

Even if all RV's would have been made of 6061 completely, somebody still would have started the primer wars.

We primed ours! Didn’t really think about it, TBH. I take no position in The War.

 

[SabreFlyr]

You'll see when you go to drill a hole in it. I don't know how else to describe it. Shears, punches, and bends fine. Machine/drill....not so great.

I'll probably still give it a try. I'll be attaching nut plates and was going to have them drill the clearance holes and I would match drill the rivet holes for the nut plates. Maybe I'll go ahead and have them drill the rivet holes, as well. I'll see what I end up with.