For starters, the aluminum grades of alloys that are at my disposal here in the states may or may not be at your disposal in England. That said, I would suggest that 7075 would be a good choice, and for two reasons. It contains zinc, so the color leans more towards chrome, plus it's one of the strongest and best machining alloys of aluminum, especially when in the T6 or T651 condition.pollys1dad wrote: ↑Wed May 31, 2023 5:31 am " choose an aluminum alloy that leans towards blue at the outset. " What grade would this be? If I have a choice, what grade/s would produce the best result?
Unfortunately, I'm not a good source for that kind of information. I was trained as a machinist in a facility that built a specific product (missile) and have not pursued information from other sources. I simply don't know. Sorry I'm not more help in that regard, but there's no shortage of folks here who have learned "the hard way" that may offer some great guidance.Are there any books to read that would be helpful, YouTube channels to watch and learn?
One thing to keep in mind. Aluminum is generally very easy to machine, so the challenges are easily addressed. Of importance is that you understand how and why a proper tool cuts. Once you understand that, you can solve issues that may be a problem for you when you're trying to make parts. You can do it. Just don't assume that you don't have to know anything to be successful. That simply isn't the case. It takes considerable experience before you can make parts reliably. Making chips is easy. (Good) parts? Not so much.
H