How to prepare 6061 before using punch set?

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sudeva
Posts: 49
Joined: Wed Nov 04, 2009 11:30 am
Location: NY

How to prepare 6061 before using punch set?

Post by sudeva »

Hi, all. I have a 3/16" thick bar of aluminum that is going to be used for decorative purposes, no loads involved. I've tried using my Pryor punch set on a test block that's a bit thicker (1/2") and I can barely make a dent in it—only faint partial impressions of the very clear, undamaged numbers and letters even with multiple whacks of a peening hammer. Previously I've used the stamp set (3/8" tall characters) only for numbering thin copper plates that were going to be attached to other things, so I have no experience with aluminum. Am I going about the stamping wrong? I've watched videos and I can't figure out why this 6061 is resisting so vigorously. Is there some way to anneal at home? I would barely be able to get to 50% of the melting point of 6061, so that may be out of the question. Any advice would be appreciated.

Thanks!
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jim314159
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Joined: Fri Aug 15, 2008 3:27 pm
Location: Atlanta, GA, USA

Re: How to prepare 6061 before using punch set?

Post by jim314159 »

Are you sure what you have is 6061? Getting hardened steel stamps to leave good letter impressions in that material should be pretty darn easy. Unless you have an unusual temper of that alloy or its plated or something (I've never run into any that wasn't T6 temper) it should be cake to get nice looking letters.

--jim
sudeva
Posts: 49
Joined: Wed Nov 04, 2009 11:30 am
Location: NY

Re: How to prepare 6061 before using punch set?

Post by sudeva »

Went back and checked the order and it looks like they shipped 6061-T6511. I'll play around a little and see if I'm doing something exceptionally stupid an re-post here if I figure it out...
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jim314159
Posts: 79
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Location: Atlanta, GA, USA

Re: How to prepare 6061 before using punch set?

Post by jim314159 »

Also make sure you're doing your stamping with the workpiece on something that doesn't give...a soft workbench will absorb a lot of the force from your blows instead of the Al. Use a steel table or the anvil of your vise (but not your surface plate).

--jim
redneckalbertan
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Location: South Central Alberta

Re: How to prepare 6061 before using punch set?

Post by redneckalbertan »

I've never had a problem stamping mild steel or other low carbon alloys, I've used sizes from 1/8" to 1/2" stamps in both regular and stress relieved stamps. Just have to give it a good stout whack with a hammer. Aluminum should be easier, even hardened aluminum, the info I found gave a hardness for 6061 t651 and came in at 95 hardness on the brinell scale, by contrast, mild steel is 120 on the brinell scale.
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