Custom extrusion costs

Cole2534 · Nov 23, 2018

What can I expect to pay for a custom extrusion? Axial cross-section looks something like a 'C', approx 4" high and 3" wide, 1/4"-ish thick, 7075 alloy, 12' long.

Thanks, Cole

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Ox · Nov 23, 2018

Off the cuff, but for a tool that size, I would guess $1500 for the die, and $2/# for 5000# of 6061.
Then you would need to add for 7075, but you will need to find someone that does 7075 as I doubt that most doo?

----------------------

Think Snow Eh!
Ox

gustafson · Nov 23, 2018

been 20 years but it was 2000 or 2500 for the die, had to buy 1000 pounds at a time, it depends on the circle size of the extrusion. bigger exponentially more.

Probably more expensive die for 7075, but less poundage as more expensive material.

Cole2534 · Nov 23, 2018

I could do 6061, 1000# is gonna be a problem....

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Milland · Nov 23, 2018

T0 sheet, bend to "C", harden?

Or look to rectangular tubing, cut one side off. You'll get some distortion, so prepare for that.

Cole2534 · Nov 23, 2018

Milland said:
T0 sheet, bend to "C", harden?

Or look to rectangular tubing, cut one side off. You'll get some distortion, so prepare for that.

I know nothing of heat treating AL, so this may be an option.

The idea is a camera mount. The part would mount to the bottom of the cam, reach around the edge over the top and then connect to a mount.

Prototype will be machined and bolted but that's not what I'd want for a production item.

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DDoug · Nov 23, 2018

Sounds like the truck cap clamps.

Milland · Nov 23, 2018

Cole2534 said:
I know nothing of heat treating AL, so this may be an option.

The idea is a camera mount. The part would mount to the bottom of the cam, reach around the edge over the top and then connect to a mount.

Prototype will be machined and bolted but that's not what I'd want for a production item.

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You don't need 7075 for that, you'd be better off with a formed piece of 1/8" 6061-T6 sheet. Use a .5" corner radius for the form dies, should have no or minimal bend cracks, and it should be stiff enough if reasonably wide.

Finegrain · Nov 23, 2018

What is your expected yearly quantity of finished parts?

Regards.

Mike

Cole2534 · Nov 23, 2018

Finegrain said:
What is your expected yearly quantity of finished parts?

Regards.

Mike

I have no idea, but not many.

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Finegrain · Nov 23, 2018

You did not say how deep, but let's say 2" -- that makes the blanks ~24 in^3, so $6-$7 for material, and something like 30 seconds of roughing and 30 seconds of finishing machining get to the C-shape. I don't know if your extrusion would be net, or if it needs cleanup. If it's net, you wouldn't need finishing time.

So, if you expect to make fewer than like 200-400 (depending in extrusion die cost), machining would likely be cheaper than extrusion. More than that, and it gets interesting.

You said you wanted 1/4" walls so bending would be tricky.

Cutting one side off of 4x4 square tube might work though (if I have the C--shape envisioned correctly). Could be relatively a PITA to cut off one side, but probably there is a fixture that makes this easy and fast.

Regards.

Mike

gustafson · Nov 24, 2018

then you do not buy tooling, mill it from solid if you want, the chips would be cheaper

Ox · Nov 24, 2018

Cole2534 said:
What can I expect to pay for a custom extrusion? Axial cross-section looks something like a 'C', approx 4" high and 3" wide, 1/4"-ish thick, 7075 alloy, 12' long.

Thanks, Cole

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So, you don't need 7075.
You don't need 12' lengths.
And you don't have near the volume to get any extruder interested.

This is why we have a habit of proding everyone here about the end product required.

Yeah, cutting up some 4" sqr tubing - if you can even find that - sounds best.

Otherwise, getting a fab shop to break it up for you would be good too. They would likely want to use T3, but ....
You may want to leave the door open for a broken (bent - fabbed) steel product that could be much thinner for same app.

-----------------------

Think Snow Eh!
Ox

metalpyro · Nov 25, 2018

Ox said:
Yeah, cutting up some 4" sqr tubing - if you can even find that - sounds best.

Cole, If you're wanting some, I do have a 8' length of 4" x 4" x .250 wall aluminum tubing. Not sure if it is 6061 or 6063. It's been on my shelf for over twenty years and has a layer of dust and some discoloration.

If you can use it, let's make a deal

Milland · Nov 25, 2018

metalpyro said:
Cole, If you're wanting some, I do have a 8' length of 4" x 4" x .250 wall aluminum tubing. Not sure if it is 6061 or 6063. It's been on my shelf for over twenty years and has a layer of dust and some discoloration.

If you can use it, let's make a deal

Remember, it's vintage, therefore worth more. Even better if it's "distressed"...

guest · Nov 25, 2018

Milland said:
Remember, it's vintage, therefore worth more. Even better if it's "distressed"...

And if it's aircraft grade, well the sky's the limit.

Good thing it's not billet... :crazy:

Cole2534 · Nov 26, 2018

Ox said:
This is why we have a habit of proding everyone here about the end product required.

And that is what I appreciate, thank you. So many questions that I didn't know I needed to be able to answer.

I'm going to shelve the extrusion idea for now.

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