[TheForge] forging aluminum

[Gladish Family]

Does garden variety 300 series behave well? (that's what I can get locally)
Andy G

Dave Smucker wrote:

> Bruce,  Not all aluminum will "crumble" in other words go "hot short" 
> it is very dependent on the alloy.  The aerospace alloys 2XXX and 7XXX 
> do this big time but those alloys with lower alloy content do not -- 
> 1100 -- which for all practical purposes is pure aluminum can be 
> forged or rolled right up to the melting point.  I say this having 
> watched millions and millions of pounds of aluminum being hot rolled.  
> I have even seen 5182 hot rolled in the reversing mill and go liquid 
> at or near the center line from the energy added in rolling and still 
> make it off the end of the hot line without failure.  Other alloys can 
> break up in the hot reversing mill if they get too hot.  5182 for the 
> record is the stuff in the top of a aluminum can.  3004 is the alloy 
> in the body.
>
> I recommend 3003 for our kind of forging.  Other alloys will work 
> too.  The pine stick temperature test works well.
>
> Dave Smucker