[Blakelidge]

Hi,

I have a Taig C4 lathe (no mill yet) I am looking to use 2" OD aluminium rod - 6062-t6 & 6082 - T6 From the rod, I will be cutting approx 50mm and I need to drill/bore through this depth removing around 40mm, basically, this will leave me with a tube that has a 5mm wall.

Clearly, that is a large amount to remove and currently I am initially boring out holes from a small 3mm diameter up to around 1" then I take that up to 40mm using my boring bar. As you can appreciate that is a slow process and I was wondering if there was a more efficient method of removing such a large amount of stock?

[LeeWay]

I think that is the way it's done.
You may be able to eliminate the drilling portion by buying suitable tube to start with rather than rod.

[davereagan]

Whose part is it? Why would someone engineer something so close in size to a piece of tubing that requires machining from a solid?

[ger21]

Yeah, why not by 1/4" wall 2" tube?

[Geof]

Sometimes a good reason to bore from solid is because you can buy a short length. Many suppliers do not carry heavy wall aluminum tubing, sometimes when they do it is not 6061 but is a structural alloy.

[ger21]

McMaster Carr has it in 12" lengths. Probably not the cheapest place, but it's available.

[Geof]

McMaster Carr has it in 12" lengths. Probably not the cheapest place, but it's available.

In the UK?

[ger21]

The little details always get you. No, I guess not in the UK.

[Geof]

The little details always get you. No, I guess not in the UK.

I did a second read of the first post and found the details do indeed get you; it mentions 6062 and 6083 which arestructural alloys.

[Blakelidge]

Hi again,

I did consider tube, that would be an ideal solution, but it seems 2" tube with 1/4" wall does not exist, seems suppliers go 2" tube (3.6mm wall) and the next size up is 2.5" x 1/4" wall, unfortunately the 2.5" inner diameter is too wide I.E. 63.5mm od x 6.35mm wall this leaves me with a 50.8 ID, I need a 48.8 ID

I was only able to figure I would need to machine from solid to get the needed diameter, unless anyone knows another method? as I am still pretty novice at this.

Essentially I need to mate two pieces together, first is 2" tube machined to 48.8mm finish, I then need a bezel with a OD finish of 53.8 (from 2 1/4" rod) and ID of 48.8 so this part will be a friction fit over the first part, unfortunately I'm stuck with the 48.8mm of the first part as this is dictated by the part's use.

I have a mate who does casting and he has offered to cast me some rings, in an effort to avoid so much material removal for me, but I understand castings will not anodise properly, I already have my issues with the alloy I'm using and anodising, but finding 6063 - t6, which I am advised is much more suited to anodising, is not avaialabe in anything like the sizes I need. Haha, life is so tough. Shame I can't make the parts out of plastic or something, but as the part as a role to play in heatsinking this too is a no no. I welcome myself to the world of engineering & design, fun but challenging - a top hobby

[davereagan]

I don't see why you couldn't find tube in the UK. Below is my favorite aluminum supplier out of Akron, OH. They use UPS, so I don't see why they wouldn't ship to you. They even have 2" tube in 6061 with 1/8" wall, so you would have your size in no time and spend half as much to begin with even compared to 1/4" wall. Is the paradox that we use "English" units and now the UK goes in metric sizing? LOL.


http://www.clintonaluminum.com/Pivot...=34&Search.y=4

[davereagan]

If they turned you down, I would be happy to forward the stock to you if you purchased it from them with a Mastercard. Not sure what your time frame is either.

[Blakelidge]

Well, I suppose I'm lucky in being a child of the 70's in that I was tutored in imperial and was there when metrication came in so I was schooled in that also, but I agree that working in both can lead to confusion. I do tend to flip between the two, haha, sometimes even on the same measurement, I have been known to ask for stuff like, cut me a piece 2mm over 18" please.

I originally sourced my alu from metals4u, but for reasons of the alloy and the markings caused by the extrusion process mean that the anodised end result is not flawless (but not terrible either)

According to a table I read on various alloys, (http://www.asminternational.org/pdf/...eets/al392.pdf) it seems 6061t6 or 6063t6 is my ideal metal.

You are right in saying that 2" with 1/8" wall is commonly available, and that is what I use for the inner part.

I am struggling to source however a tube to cover my needs of 53.8 finish OD and ID of 48.8mm. This would equate to a tube of slightly over 2 1/8", so 21/4" realistically and the OD of this is 57.15mm so take away 2x3mm wall and it is too baggy on my first part. So it would have to be a tube 2 1/4 with min of 1/4" (6mm ish) wall to suit. I can't find a tube at 2/14" x 1/4" in 6061 or 6063 alloy anywhere, this is why I feel I'm stuck with the problem of all that machining.

Also, thanks for the offer to forward supplies on to me, it's appreciated.

If this were a timber project, I could easily use a holesaw to remove the inner waste from the timber. I assume there is no equivalent to a holesaw in the metalworking world? would be cool though as I could also use the resultant slug instead of my current useless mountain of shavings

Regards

[ger21]

I've drilled aluminum plate with a hole saw. Maybe one of the single carbide tooth type might work for you?

[kawazuki]

Try here?

http://www.m-machine-metals.co.uk/Ca...c_MAY_2008.pdf

they list 1 3/4" upto 1/4" wall and 2" dia upto 1/2" wall? Worth a call in case?