I Wish They Sold 7075 Local To Me

[Suzuki4evr]

Sorry guys, I take it that these are aluminium grades? What is the difference in properties? I don't work with aluminium that much or should I say I work more with other types of steel and don't know the difference between adam from steve when it comes to aluminium.

 

[darkzero]

@darkzero, is there really no 7075 AL for sale in L.A.? That's like saying there's no good tacos in L.A., hard to believe!

There are. I guess I'm just cheap & spoiled. I get most of my metal from Industrial Metal Supply, 20 min drive. They carry 1ft pre cuts in most of the common metals in round bar like 6061, 1018, 303, 304, brass. They have flat bar precuts too. Copper only comes in 3ft lengths, I forget about the bronze. They carry a lot of other grades of metals but have to buy them in 3ft, 6ft, & longer lengths like the copper. Lots of other things too like plate, tubing, ornamental, brackets, supplies, too much to list.

You can get something cut but they charge for that. There are times when I need a large diameter piece of metal but don't need a long length. They do have some precuts for that and sometimes I can find what I need in the remnant bins (drops) for less cost. So if I needed a 5" dia piece of steel or alumn, that gets quite expensive even if I buy just a 1ft bar. I tend to only buy what I need & I also don't have room to store 3ft lengths.

For other stuff I buy from McMaster cause it'll arrive the next day. Acetal I buy from my local MSC. I avoid ordering metals online if I can, shipping is expensive these days. I know I can find 7075 near me but not in short lengths "off the shelf". Not worth it to me unless I need to make something that actually needs to be 7075.

I realize not everyone has places like IMS near them & have no choice but to order online. I'm lucky to have them near me & couldn't be happier that it's easy for me to get what I need. Again, I'm spoiled.

 

[Aukai]

Extremely,

 

[Nogoingback]

Sorry guys, I take it that these are aluminium grades? What is the difference in properties? I don't work with aluminium that much or should I say I work more with other types of steel and don't know the difference between adam from steve when it comes to aluminium.

6061 is versatile and used for all sorts of applications, heat treatable and can be welded, and is inexpensive. Very common and
easy to obtain.
7075 is used in high strength applications, and is often used in aerospace. More expensive than 6061, naturally. It also
can be heat treated. I've turned some of it on the lathe and I like it better than 6061.

 

[Nogoingback]

7075 is at least 3x the price of 6061 at https://www.onlinemetals.com and McMaster. The eBay renments/surplus looks like a bargain if the sizes are useful.

My question is about any negatives to using 7075. My understanding is that it is not as corrosion resistant as 6061. It seems to be easier to machine and as strong as many steels for certain applications. Reading the charts and comparisons is almost useless. I am looking for more hands on experience both positive and negative and in particular in a hobby shop.

I can't imagine a negative if you just plan on machining some, other than cost. I'm not a welder, but I understand it's difficult to weld.
In a hobby environment I can't imagine corrosion resistance would be a factor unless you plan on using it in a corrosive environment.
There's no reason not to give it a try.

 

[mikey]

6061 is versatile and used for all sorts of applications, heat treatable and can be welded, and is inexpensive. Very common and
easy to obtain.
7075 is used in high strength applications, and is often used in aerospace. More expensive than 6061, naturally. It also
can be heat treated. I've turned some of it on the lathe and I like it better than 6061.

Also machines more like mild steel than most aluminum alloys. Very light, strong and threads nicely. When I need moderate strength light weight and corrosion resistance I use 7075. Very good stuff.