[TowerTalk] 6061 vs 6063

[Joe Reisert]

Jim etal,

One of the reasons many Ham antenna manufactures use 6063 instead of 
6061 is its appearance. 6063 has a nice bright look while 6061 has a 
dull appearance. To some this makes the antenna more invisible since 
it reflects light although if the sun is in the right position, the 
reflection can literally blind you!

73,

Joe, W1JR


At 02:45 PM 3/24/2009, jim Jarvis wrote:

>Dave,
>
>I haven't looked in a materials handbook to see the spec, so I'm only
>repeating what Bethlehem Aluminum and Wikipedia said.   But I think you
>misread my comment.
>
>6061 will spring.... it can be bent and NOT take a set.    Up to the
>point of breaking.
>6063, on the other hand, can be bent into a curved shape and stay there.
>
>If you use a bending brake to bend 6061, it's likely to fracture or
>surface distort,
>before it takes a set.   i.e. you can't work it as well as you can 6063.
>
>One argument in favor of 6063 may be that being less brittle, it may
>withstand
>vibration better, over time.
>
>Perhaps I'm wrong.   Check with the Alcoa Aluminum spec sheets, which
>can be
>linked to from Wikipedia.
>
>Jim
>
>
>
>
>On Mar 24, 2009, at 1:37 PM, Dave Johnson wrote:
>
> > Sorry Jim but who ever told you this is full of it.  6061-T6 is a
> > alloy that is designed to be bent a long way and not take a set.
> > It will not crack or orange peel.
> >
> > Dave - K4SSU
> >
> >
> >
> > ----- Original Message ----- From: "jim Jarvis"
> > <jimjarvis at optonline.net>
> > To: <towertalk at contesting.com>
> > Sent: Tuesday, March 24, 2009 10:40 AM
> > Subject: Re: [TowerTalk] 6061 vs 6063
> >
> >
> >>
> >> I verified with the Al tube vendor the 6061/6063 question.
> >>
> >> They're both the same price.
> >>
> >> 6061 is stronger.   but if you need to put a bend in the material,
> >> 6063 is what you want.
> >> 6061 will crack or orange peel if you try to bend it.   6063 will
> >> not.
> >>
> >> N2EA
> >>
> >>
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