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[TowerTalk] 6061 vs 6063

To: towertalk@contesting.com
Subject: [TowerTalk] 6061 vs 6063
From: jim Jarvis <jimjarvis@optonline.net>
Date: Tue, 24 Mar 2009 06:30:49 -0400
List-post: <towertalk@contesting.com">mailto:towertalk@contesting.com>
Since several asked about 6061 vs 6063 Aluminum, off reflector,
I decided to do a bit of wikipedia research.

The specific gravity of each is about the same;  6061 is 2.7,  6063  
is 2.68.

6061-T6

T6 temper 6061 has an ultimate tensile strength of at least 42,000  
psi (290 MPa) and yield strength of at least 35,000 psi (241 MPa).
In thicknesses of 0.250 inch (6.35 mm) or less, it has elongation of  
8% or more; in thicker sections, it has elongation of 10%.

The alloy composition of 6061 is:

     * Silicon minimum 0.4%, maximum 0.8% by weight
     * Iron no minimum, maximum 0.7%
     * Copper minimum 0.15%, maximum 0.40%
     * Manganese no minimum, maximum 0.15%
     * Magnesium minimum 0.8%, maximum 1.2%
     * Chromium minimum 0.04%, maximum 0.35%
     * Zinc no minimum, maximum 0.25%
     * Titanium no minimum, maximum 0.15%
     * Other elements no more than 0.05% each, 0.15% total
     * Remainder Aluminium


6063-T6

T6 temper 6063 has an ultimate tensile strength of at least 30,000  
psi and yield strength of at least 25,000 psi.
In thicknesses of 0.124-inch (3.1 mm) or less, it has elongation of  
8% or more; in thicker sections, it has elongation of 10%

The alloy composition of 6063 is: [1]

     * Silicon minimum 0.2%, maximum 0.6% by weight
     * Iron no minimum, maximum 0.35%
     * Copper no minimum, maximum 0.10%
     * Manganese no minimum, maximum 0.10%
     * Magnesium minimum 0.45%, maximum 0.9%
     * Chromium no minimum, maximum 0.10%
     * Zinc no minimum, maximum 0.10%
     * Titanium no minimum, maximum 0.10%
     * Other elements no more than 0.05% each, 0.15% total
     * Remainder Aluminium

According to Bethlehem Aluminum, 6063 is more bendable than 6061.
Each grade can be tempered a number of ways, T6 being the strongest.
-0 being the weakest.    By contrast to 6061t6, with tensile strength  
of 42,000 psi, and
yield strength of 25,000 lbs,   6061-0 has tensile strength of 18,000  
psi and yield strength
of only 8,000 psi.   So the temper very much matters, in selecting  
mast material.   Or element material for yagis.

Alcoa Aluminum spec sheets are the place to look, if you're trying to  
engineer a mast or antenna,
before selecting your material.   Those are available online, and  
wikipedia can give you the URL.

N2EA
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