What metal is this - some aluminum alloy but what exactly

[The Buddha]

OK I was looking at some metal bits...and came across this.
Its shiny and very aluminum like... nearly certain its aluminum form the look and weight... But it has 1 edge of it 4 feet long cut with some type of saw... and that cut is beautiful ... straight line and mirror like ... all other sides are shiny as well... and have a few marks suggesting it was cold rolled... the other 4 feet long edge (BTW its a 4 feet long flat bar of sorts) seems to have marks indicating it was cut in a billet shearing machine. The metal has sorta bent in toward the direction of the shear but just a little. It seems to scratch just like 6061... with the exception being ... this was part of a large cold rolled sheet... very pretty looking and very machinable... making me think its 2024... but what is it... anyone know. if its 2024... it will save me a 1 hour round trip drive... and heck its far nicer than the 6061 atleast to look at. BTW its 1/2 inch thickness.
Cool.
Srinath.

[Lars]

I'm not a metal expert at all, but maybe magnesium??
I don't know if you could take pictures of it, would certainly help  

[John Bates]

Check it with a magnet, see if it has any ferrous metal in it. :dunno:

[The Buddha]

Magnesium is a lot duller... this was shiny. Willmake great fork braces... polish ... we dont need no steenkin polish.... its polished right from the factory ...  :lol:  
It does have a small amount of steel in it... the other metals are what the mystery is... Too many of aluminum alloys have steel in them.
Cool.
Srinath.

[70 Cam Guy]

Don't know if I understood you completely but...

They make precision thickness plate that typically has a great finish (maybe ground) straight from the supplier.  Maybe you got some of it?  6061 is very common so it may be that.

[The Buddha]

Oh They have that in 6061 ... If we took 1/2 inch thick plate of 6061 and cut it with a billet shear machine...will the material near the cut fall toward the direction of force.... and by how much... this one has a little... that makes it softer that one that falls even less right... wondering if 6061 falls when you shear it... Heck even steel falls I think... cast stuff wont fall cos its brittle ...
Cool.
Srinath.

[70 Cam Guy]

Sorry but I'm not sure what you mean by fall or billet shear machine :dunno:

A picture of the material in question may help

[The Buddha]

Billet shearing machine is like a massive scissors... big enough to cut 1/2 inch metal like it was a sheet of paper.
fall is where the material surface which used to be straight has started to bend toward the direction of force applied. say you cut a sheet of paper... and the top surface of that sheet as you cut begins to bow down. I'll put a pic up when I go there next...
Cool.
Srinath.

[davipu]

it's trash, if you can't identify the alloy and temper waste the hour and get a piece that you know is the right metal.  a fork brace is not somthing that you want to have fail while riding, and even at a half inch 2024/6061 does not have the strength to hold up to the lateral stresses at the bolt holes if it is at the incorrect temper.

[The Buddha]

Hey davipu ... welcome back...
We identified the metal and alloy and ... Its 7475 and hard as hell and machines up well... I couldn't Identify it but my machinist had no problem ... took one look at it and said ... yep good stuff 7075 in plate form and its hardened from this sharp and smooth cut you see here its ...  blah blah blah Then I check suppliersonline and they say that they make 7075 in plate or sheet and its called 7475 ... we cant weld to it, but no problem with that on the fork brace ... all 6061 I have been using is T6 ... no 2024 ... except to make my case cover ...
BTW Davipu I might have the answer for your pipeless bike ...  :lol:
Cool.
Srinath.