I have determined what the exact alloy is from a mid 60's semi truck frame, that will be a source of donor material, for melting down. This truck frame alloy is 2014T6 aluminum. Would you guys, with more experience and wisdom, please chat on the casting properties that this material will have? Also how it will behave during the actual pouring process during molding? Share your hints if you have any please.
Regards, Alan
I know nothing about it, I suppose I could try to look into, but I would have the same resources to draw from as you. Anybody aver cast this?
Murray
5:55 is a state of mind
Probably sucks....copper alloys are one of the less castable alloy series (200 series).
MatWeb says 2014 is (wt%, balance Al and impurities):
Cu 3.9 - 5
Si 0.5 - 1.2
Mn 0.4 - 1.2
Mg 0.2 - 0.8
201 might be the closest casting alloy.
Some extra silicon would probably improve it. It would be nice to remove the excess copper, so you could dilute it with hypereutectic alloy (pistons/con rods; 4019 hot forged alloy, or 390 series castings) and some 6061 (which contains magnesium and some silicon, forming a three-way hardness improvement, but without overpowering it).
Tim
Librarians are hiding something (tm)
Hello TIm,
I have read your posting a couple of times. I do not have enough experience to know why the 200 series aluminum does not cast good. You suggested putting a percentage of cast aluminum in the melt with this 2014T6 material and I may be ok. Could you tell me porportions, as in, 15 lbs. 2014T6 and 1 lb. good cast aluminum? I have a need to pour several thin cross section items and have plenty of this 2014T6 material as well a a fair amount of good cast aluminum. It would sure be nice to be able to use what I have. I did read that the 2014T6 material is one that is used for aluminum forging and has a high tensil strength. If any one has any other ideas, please post.
Al
I can tell you that the silicon alloy I cast has about 7% silicon. Can you do a test piece and see what comes of it? I cast the second strongest(that I am aware of) sand cast alloy called A206.2. It takes skill with the gating and risering and design of the piece, and the proper heat treating knowledge to achieve optimum results.
Murray
5:55 is a state of mind
Murray,
Could you be specific when you mention gating, alloy characteristics, etc.? Does the 200 series alloy, you refer to, not flow, set up quickly, have wrong grain structure, when being cast? I am sure trying to learn. I have read lots on other sites that suggest the 2014T6 was a very strong alloy that is used normally used for the forging process. I understand now, why it is used for truck frames. We crafty back yard mechanics/metal workers may be able to coax this 2014T6 material to be a useable materail for my process. As I mentioned in another posting, I would like to use what I have access to, if I can. Several have suggested not mixing, I don't have a real good handle on that idea. I do not need specific metallurgical properties, just a product that can be cast and not fall apart or quickly oxididate or corrode in the atmosphere. You gave me some excellent council, in another posting, about pouring thin cross section patterns. I am 50% done with my burner and 25% done with my furnace. I will be building my crucible next week, out of 8" sched. 40 pipe. I would hope to be melting, into ingots, alumunim in the next couple of months.
Al
Heh, you've got the wrong stock for that, then! 2000 series alloys are notorious for being some of the most corrodable aluminum alloys. Be sure to protect that (I recall hearing it anodizes bad, so good paint is going to be the way to go).
I was thinking 25 to 50% of a high-silicon alloy like 390. I don't know how you can easily tell it apart from other silicon casting alloys. (Best would be to dissolve the aluminum out with HCl and weigh the difference, but I have bad experience with this not working for some strange reason.) With normal alloys like 320 and 356, which don't have as much silicon, I would suggest 25 to 50% of your 2014 in that case.
The table I read on casting alloys showed 200 series as the worst "castability" or "flowability" or whatever.
Tim
Librarians are hiding something (tm)
I should not be in this post, so I'll just "nudge the fudge" a bit.
Do you have the rest of this truck? It doesn't have a blower or turbo does it? Can you sell it to buy good casting stock?
To who may know: When selling scrap do they give you any more money for certain alloys ? I do know that cast,noncast and cans (at one time paiding the most ?!) are of differentiating pricing.
Heat them up, mold them out.
Geez HHWC, that post was almost Anon or Tim grade! Gettin' a hold on that there spelling!
Librarians are hiding something (tm)
Well..........
It sounds as if I really don't want to use the 2014T6 material for casting. I may do an experiment or two but not anything serious. I suppose I should salvage out the frame rails and trade for other cast aluminum material that would be more suitable for my intended use. A fellow from a truck website suggested what has been reaffirmed here, 2014T6 has a real corrosion problem. When the trucks were built, they did their best to isolate the steel from the aluminum in an effort to impede galvanic corrosion.
I do have another question for the experts here, if I choose to experiment with this 2014T6 and ad more silicon, without removing the copper, would I be reducing the corrosion characteristics of the aluminum? Or would I just be improving the casting/flowing capabilities?
If feel just a bit smarter by reading and studying on this subject!
Al
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