Heat Treating & Ageing Aluminum Frames

Ageing - Heat Treating Aluminum Frames

So...

I was planning and preping to do a 7005 hardtail as practice before doing some honest FS bikes. I've basically given up finding that the only choices available to a tiny builder are just lame. Basically nobody in the US makes 7005 and it all has to be imported from taiwan. Easton offshored everything a few years ago.

Now I'm changing material to 6061, which gives me zillions of choices of stock, but puts the whole quenching and aging front row center.

I spoke to my local heat treater (http://www.garnerheattreatinc.com/) and picked his brain and shopped pricing. This was the only place I could find with ovens and baths large enough for bicycles. It's going to cost around $400 per run. A run will be anything from 1 to 10 frames. 3 at a time will be a strech for me and will really limit testing and prototyping possibilities. Also, a holding fixture will need to be fabricated for each frame going through the process.

After quencing in the fixture I need to pick up the frames, the frames need to get alligned then returned in the fixture for heat treating/aging. Time consuming to say the least.

Recomended Places

I was told to go to Thermo-Fusion in Hayward for experience and pricing. Talk to Dave Jr. This from Ahernes.

Columbus

Frames in 7000 alloy.
The ageing of the frame realized in 7000 alloy has to be carried out 4/5 days after the welding, in two phases: 6 hours at 90°C ±5° - 4 hours at 150°C ±5°.

Easton

Artificial age for 7005 frames:
Age 6 hours at 200 degrees F (± 10 degrees F) plus 4 hours at 320 degrees F (±10 degrees F). This process must be performed by the builder on all Easton 7005 tube sets.