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I was surprised to see a selection of aluminum angle at the local hardware store (Lowe's, though I think Home Depot has the same thing).  I bought a three foot piece for my instrument panel.  It had no mill markings on it, though other items in their rack (mostly flat stock) did have mill markings saying which alloy it was, mostly 6061.  I called the manufacturer (distributor?) which was SteelWorks of Denver.  Their phone number is (800) 321-1115.  Reading off their SKU number (a four digit number starting with 6) the sales guy was able to tell me what alloy it was -- in this case 6063-T5, which is what I had thought. (No, I can't tell by looking.  But it was an odd shaped piece which was in the Aircraft Spruce catalog as 6063-T52, so I thought it was the same thing, and it was.)

The lesson?  If you need a piece of aluminum, don't mail order it until you check the local (big) hardware store.  Then call the distributor and verify the alloy.  Cost me $2 instead of $2 + $15 shipping from Aircraft Spruce or Wicks (or even from Vern!)

My wife didn't believe I actually brought home an airplane part that only cost $2.

- Rob Wolf

LML website:   http://www.olsusa.com/Users/Mkaye/maillist.html
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Please send your photos and drawings to marvkaye@olsusa.com.