what should i use this for.

JTknives

JTknives

Joined
Jun 11, 2006
Messages
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well to day i scored a stick of aluminum. its 1/2" x 2" x 84" and to think it cost 10 bucks :D. so i need some ideas on how to use it.
 
Aluminum alloys have been used for pommels and such in production straight knives of the Marbles/Western/Camillus genre, but I dont think it is used much for higher quality custom work. Aluminum comes in many, many alloys, some of which may be suitable, some not. Aluminum is difficult to finish and requires different methods from steel or brass. Remember how your aluminum ladder from Lowe's always stains your hands black from the omnipresent surface oxide? Aluminum is a very reactive metal, but self-seals with a surperfical layer of aluminum Oxide. You may want to reserve your find to making fixtures and shop tools. I am sure we have folks here that can add much more.
 
How about a San Mai Slicer... Mill a thin slot in the Aluminum and bake it at 500 degrees for several hours next insert a thin frozen strip of your favorite blade steel that is the same width as the groove. (+.001" - .002" more would be better) as the temps normalize the aluminum will grip the steel and you have an extremley light weight knife for it's size. also the aluminum polishes up ALOT easier than steel. finish by profiling, polishing and sharpening.
 
i was thinking some quench plates. cut it into 8 chunks and make 2 stacks with 4 sections each. drill holes in each corner and bolt the sections togather making a block 2"x2"x10". the 2 center sections will be hallowed out and filled with water. water can absorb 5 times more heat than aluminum to reach the same temp. that would be like having a block 2" x 6" x 10". as you can see it could absorb quite a bit of heat and not get very hot. thay could also be piped to a water pump to circulat water.
 
it will onley quench as fast as the aluminum will remove the heat. the water just makes it hold more heat.
 
deker said:
Tools, jigs, and widgets around the shop!-d
Click to expand...


A C Richards said:
What Dek said
Click to expand...

Same here....... fixtures and the like.

Quench plates are a fine idea too but I wouldn't make them that complex a design. IMHO, I would just tack weld a couple together to get the 1" thickness and use them like that. I always keep several different size bars of aluminum around the shop for different projects. It can be quite handy :thumbup:
 
I too keep pieces around the shop for jigs and what not. Sanding blocks like those shown in another thread could be made with some. I have a set of pieces that have matching holes with one set threaded. Bolted together I clamp them on my blades when I silver solder as a heat sink to help keep the edge area from overheating and losing my temper. Stuff is easy to machine and thread for holders clamps etc and doesn't mar steel. make a set of vise jaws for a small finishing vise etc. Jim
 
Sharpen the end, put a para cord handle on the end, paint it black and call it the Jrod Tactical Grizzly Bear Irritation Device.

Will
formerly known as badbamaump
 
it makes nice knife handles also, the one I carry for hunting that I made over 30 years ago I made with aluminum and it still look nice.. hey Randall made Knives uses it all the time :D
 
You will NOT NOT NOT get the same thermal conductivity, even by welding your thin plates together, as you would with two pieces of 1" aluminum stock. If what you want is quench plates quit being so cheap. Sell your aluminum stock, add the extra 10 bucks to get quench plates of the appropriate thickness. You are talking about water jacketing thin aluminum and all kinds of other BS when all you really need are quench plates of the appropriate size.
Time is money bro!
Matt
 
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