Bending small aluminum rod

[Twmaster]

I have been using some small aluminum rod (.25") for an RC buggy project and am having problems with the rod breaking while bending. I can get it to bend cleanly around a 1" post (.5" radius) but around the .5" post it breaks after about 15 degrees of bend. I have no idea what the grade of this rod is and the maker (K&S) won't respond to my emailed queries. I have some other small rod made from 6061-T6 that bends just fine.

What grades of alluminum are best for bending operations? Which to avoid?

(Moderator(s): If this is the wrong forum please LART me and move to correct forum.)

[sendkeys]

might try heating it and bending it. or heating it and quenching to remove the temper just a guess.

[DSL PWR]

Heat it until it becomes plastic. If you put the oven on high it may be enough. Avoid using an oxy fuel torch, remember what happens to pop cans when you put them in a camp fire? A small propane torch may work, if you heat SLOW.

[Twmaster]

I think at this point I'll re-clarify my original question.

What grades of alluminum are best for bending operations? Which to avoid?

Cheers!

[BigDaddyG]

Twmaster,
Stay away from the "T" aluminums. The 50 series, with 0 temper would work best. The 6061 and 6063 are great for Machining, but will not bend well. The 5052 does not machine as well but will bend just fine. The Alloy 3003 is litterally a "Pure Commercial" grade aluminum but not hold up well "strength" but be "bendable".

My recommendation would be to look for the 5052 in the size your looking for, all in all it will work best. Brass could be another avenue to look into.

Good Luck, let me know if you want more info and I will be happy to help!

Glen

[BigDaddyG]

Twmaster,
Here is some good information for you:

The temper designation system is used to specify the condition, or temper, of a heat treatable alloy. The most common designations include O (sometimes erroneously referred to as TO), F, T4 and T6. O refers to soft or annealed condition and is the preferred temper for forming processes such as tube bending. F refers to the condition of the material following a forming process during which work hardening occurs, and is the official designation of tubing bends. T4 designates that the alloy was solution heat treated and naturally aged. T6 is sometimes referred to as fully "heat treated" and is the result of solution heat treating and artificial aging.

Like I said, look for the "0" temper for bendable tubing!

Regards,
Glen

[BigDaddyG]

Mike,
I just located some 5052- 0 temper used in Aircraft applications. 1/4" dia. @ 1.33/ft. - 3/8"dia @ 1.41/ft.. sacskyranch.com but I am sure you can find it if you look. This stuff should work fine for your application. Good luck man!
Glen

[Twmaster]

Thanks for the info on the grades of aluminum. That is the kind of explaination I needed. As for 2000 series aluminum how does it compare? I found a source for surplus small rod (2011 or 2023 grade) in good quantity at good pricing and if suitable I'd love to get some.

Thanks!

[BigDaddyG]

Mike,
Well, I am glad I was able to answer some of your questions. As for the 2011, this is most likely a poor choice if your planning to do any welding!!! It is used for making Screws and threaded components mostly which tells me it has a very high tensile. It machines well, but I did not find any which had a 0 (or T0) which tells me it is not very soft. Again, if your doing any welding, and since your application tells me you might, it is NOT a good choice. 2011 is not going to weld at all! As for the 2023, I found little or know little about it. It is a very high Nickel alloy as is the 2011, which tells me your looking at a alloy that will not be very bendable.

As for my recommendations, I would try to stay with the 5052-0. It machines nice, it welds nice and will bend better than most. This is also very easy to come by, more so than the 2011 (which also is used in Medical Devices). Good luck and let me know if I can be of any further help.

Regards,
Glen

[Twmaster]

Glen thanks again for your helpful post. I will pass on the 2000 series stuff then. Shame, it's a nice quantity at a good price.