[TheForge] Aluminum annealing temp?

[Lynn Emrich]

Jeff,
I'm sure that someone much more knowledgeable will
speak up, but until then:
Heat aluminum until a pine stick (paint stirrer) makes
a mark. It's just a little short of the silver puddle
that shows up in the bottom of the forge when you heat
it a little too much. For annealing cool it quickly,
like you would copper or brass.
The map gas torch will be more efficient if you use it
in the one brick or the bean can forge. Then you can
work it hot.
Just my thoughts,
Lynn

--- Barking Crow <mail at barkingcrow.com> wrote:

> I've been playing around with forging some trashpile
> aluminum rods about 3/8 
> ".  I forge it cold until I think it may break then
> stop and heat it with my 
> little mapp gas torch until I think it might be
> annealed and then let it 
> cool and start again.  Having fun punched and
> drifted a nice little hole.  I 
> started out to make a wedge of aluminum to put in a
> collection of wedges of 
> different size, shape, and material that I plan to
> give my daughter's 
> boyfriend as a gift.  Then I was having fun and kept
> on playing for awhile. 
> My question is how hot do I have to get the aluminum
> (a guess since I don't 
> really know what the alloy is) before letting it
> cool?  I've been heating 
> the piece until it is just barely red in the dark. 
> Is there a better way?
> 
> Thanks,  Jeff in Tallahassee 

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