As an aircraft mechanic years ago I used this heat indicator many times. It also works on certain rivet called ice box rivets. Try to bend a 1/8" piece of 2024 or 6061 Al. Slow air cool for the best results. They now make grease pencils that are used the same as soot. Each one for a different anneal state.
Many years ago I had to do a lot of work bending thick Duralium plate, the bends were very extreme, The indicator we used was a wooden match stick on the top surface. Heat from beneath & when it started to blacken the matchstick you could bend 6mm plate in a very tight U bend, Radii under an inch. Always fun watching your videos, Thanks!
We were an aluminium fabricator in Australia and we use a similar technique. The soot is a good indicator where the heat is travelling but if you use a hardwood timber wedge and run the pointy sharp bit you will feel the drag of the timber. When the annealing temperature of the aluminium is reached the timber wedge will slip and start to burn. That way you know you are at the right temperature for the thickness of the material. Happy birthday 🥳
Aluminum has an interesting property compared to steel and other metals. With steel, the fatigue limit is infinite if not pressed to the point of deformation - if you just flex a wire coat hanger back and forth without actually bending it, it will never break. Aluminum on the other hand doesn't have to be bent to the point of deforming to reach its fatigue limit. Every bending cycle takes a toll towards the fatigue limit and it will eventually crack.
Leave it to cool, no need to hit the hot metal, soap can also be used as an indicator for thin (16g) aluminium alloys.Heat until the soap goes brown, cool slowly in air and re work
Well, I'm using this for when I make my forged aluminum letter openers and orniments as gifts. Quick questions as follow up: 1: if you dont have a large oxi acetiline torch to use but had a plumber's style gas torch, what process would you recommend to put soot/ lamp black on the aluminum? 2: for the " power hammer" wood block technique, what are the dimensions of that block and what type of wood is it made of? ( asking so I can incorperate the dimensions into wooden mallets and a possible treadle hammer build.) Thanks in advance!
I think you should have put the piece through your roller. That would have flattened out the 3 dimensional,shape to one that flat but rolled. I believe that would have been easier than this. Flattening out the curve then isn’t that hard to do as you can put it through the roller the opposite way to flatten it. I’ve done that and it does work.
Same thought. The aluminum will be nearly as soft once it is cool, and then you can use traditional shaping tools without melting your hands or the tools😂
As an aircraft mechanic years ago I used this heat indicator many times. It also works on certain rivet called ice box rivets. Try to bend a 1/8" piece of 2024 or 6061 Al. Slow air cool for the best results.
They now make grease pencils that are used the same as soot. Each one for a different anneal state.
Many years ago I had to do a lot of work bending thick Duralium plate, the bends were very extreme, The indicator we used was a wooden match stick on the top surface. Heat from beneath & when it started to blacken the matchstick you could bend 6mm plate in a very tight U bend, Radii under an inch.
Always fun watching your videos, Thanks!
You guys have become my favorite channel to watch, always looking forward to the next vid:)
Happy Birthday Tay!!🎉
The best years are coming up.
Keep Drifting’ through life.
We were an aluminium fabricator in Australia and we use a similar technique. The soot is a good indicator where the heat is travelling but if you use a hardwood timber wedge and run the pointy sharp bit you will feel the drag of the timber. When the annealing temperature of the aluminium is reached the timber wedge will slip and start to burn. That way you know you are at the right temperature for the thickness of the material. Happy birthday 🥳
Now my faith is restored in TV personalities. Thanks for testing this. I always wondered if it would work.
Happy birthday🎉 got to enjoy those days, they only come around once a year.
Aluminum has an interesting property compared to steel and other metals. With steel, the fatigue limit is infinite if not pressed to the point of deformation - if you just flex a wire coat hanger back and forth without actually bending it, it will never break.
Aluminum on the other hand doesn't have to be bent to the point of deforming to reach its fatigue limit. Every bending cycle takes a toll towards the fatigue limit and it will eventually crack.
Leave it to cool, no need to hit the hot metal, soap can also be used as an indicator for thin (16g) aluminium alloys.Heat until the soap goes brown, cool slowly in air and re work
love how his 'hammer' just keeps getting bigger and heavier as the video progresses... lol good times...
Well, I'm using this for when I make my forged aluminum letter openers and orniments as gifts. Quick questions as follow up:
1: if you dont have a large oxi acetiline torch to use but had a plumber's style gas torch, what process would you recommend to put soot/ lamp black on the aluminum?
2: for the " power hammer" wood block technique, what are the dimensions of that block and what type of wood is it made of? ( asking so I can incorperate the dimensions into wooden mallets and a possible treadle hammer build.)
Thanks in advance!
I think you should have put the piece through your roller. That would have flattened out the 3 dimensional,shape to one that flat but rolled. I believe that would have been easier than this. Flattening out the curve then isn’t that hard to do as you can put it through the roller the opposite way to flatten it. I’ve done that and it does work.
That's a good trick with ALUMINIUM.
Happy birthday Tay! 🎉
You don't have to work it hot, it will stay soft after it's cool until it work hardens again.
Why would I believe you? You don't even have a UA-cam channel!
Happy birthday!!!
i don't think you need to work it while it's still hot.
Same thought. The aluminum will be nearly as soft once it is cool, and then you can use traditional shaping tools without melting your hands or the tools😂
love it
I think it was Ron Covell who made that technique popular with his videos
Back when I worked with glass we used the same trick cooling down the glass after working.
I use that method for taking dents out of aluminum truck bodies.
Mary had a little lamb, it’s feet were black as soot, everywhere that Mary went his sooty foot he put!
Soot or Sharpie ink.
:D
This isn’t his trick this is something welders and glass blowers have known for a long ass time