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Can 6061 T6 round or square tubing be bent and if so what would the smallest
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G"Day Mate,Check the Spruce Aircraft website for their tubing sizes and wall thickness etc, there I think you will find references to bending of tubes, to X amount of radius dependant on Y wall thickness etc.I dont believe I"ve ever seen a main frame bent up out of 6061-T6. Seen it done with SS or 4130.Cheers,Mitch
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HiIt is much easier to bend round tube rather than square or rectangular tube. Controlling the sidewalls for square is the problem.The technique used to bend the tube is extremely important. You cannot use a static hydraulic tube bender that you buy from Ebay for $200. You must roll the bends in a tube roller, as per attachedhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iSJE-W5vjKE&feature=related I am guessing from the sketch you are talking about the large radius in the keel. As Mitch has suggested 4130 chrome moly may be the safest option, as it is readily available in various diameters and wall thicknesses. Weight should not be a problem.If you have access to the necessary equipment should be Ok to bend the keel, otherwise it may be safer and cheaper to use traditional straights and plates which have been proven to work!!Good luck with the build.TimC
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Roger!.
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