6061 vs 6063 alum.

Just so you know i plan on using 6061 on my plane for alum. Struts and such but in serching locally i cant find it but can get 6063. Again i plan to just order from spruce but is there a big difference between the 2

 

Google on the two alloys, or go to a metal store website that will give specifications. Then compare numbers!

Yeah, I could tell you but then you wouldn't learn!

 

For a Boeing engineer the difference is very important, for a homebuilder going to the next thickest size from ideal as we generally have to, it's not a big issue between the 2. You need to understand those margins though.

However, I would avoid 6063 (relative as a direct alternate to 6061) as moving surfaces, rudder and stabs, ailerons and flaps, definitely not as hinges, and generally not for wings (due to a shorter fatigue life) unless you were doing something like using 0.020" where the plans call for 0.016".

For most of the fuse, especially folded fuse parts, I wouldn't be overly concerned.

Contradictory statement defeating the purpose of this forum.

 

As just a quick search:

http://asm.matweb.com/search/SpecificMaterial.asp?bassnum=MA6061T6

http://asm.matweb.com/search/SpecificMaterial.asp?bassnum=MA6063T5

Most of the 6063 you get local is probably anodized as well which, who knows what's going on with it at that point. Also a lot of the angle you get is going to have sharp corners.

If it's completely non-structural and non-critical and non-loaded, you can probably get away with using it in those limited places, even tho the plans would probably not call for that just because at a minimum you're already buying a load of better material for the rest of the plane. Certainly someone could design an entire aircraft to use 6063 structurally, but why? It's nowhere near a drop-in substitute for 6061 in any case; 6063 is just barely better than half the tensile strength, not as hard, and to top it off it's gummy and a real PITA to actually cut and work with from what I've seen.

We used a chunk of 6063 tube to hold a gopro, because the local hardware store was the best option we had near the airport. If I was at home I'd have used 6061 for that since we just have tons of it.

 

You are comparing T6 to T5.

 

True; but those are the commonly available commercial tempers of each. I've not seen anyone selling 6063-T6 in any significant way, and definitely not 6061-T5. So since OP did not mention temper just that its locally available, I'm gonna assume we're looking at commonly available choices around here for each alloy.

 

Cheapracer,

I was informed that the root word for educate (teach) is Borrowed from Latin educāre, and translates as "to lead"

As to the purpose of the board, I relate my responsibility more akin to the "give a man a fish" parable. I lean towards the Socratic method. I wouldn't have "cut him loose" if he came back with a question.

Great comments on your part, btw!

mjb

FWIW

 

Yes comparing 6061 t6 from acs to big box 6063 t5

 

With ACS 6061-T6 or 6063-T5 you at least have some idea of the provenance so there's a good chance the material is close to the datasheet specs. I imagine with Big Box aluminum the overriding purchasing department criterion is 'cheap as possible' so it might not be much more than recycled Budweiser cans. Unless your Big Box is willing to provide a material data sheet (I know mine won't) I believe you question is more along the lines of '6061-T6 vs 606x-Ty', where x and y are whatever the smelter extruded that day.