What aluminum alloy for fabricating headlight brackets?

[CowboyBeebop]

What would be a better alloy for fabing some headlight brackets?  6061, 6063, or 6065?

[ducpainter]

How are you bending?

[mmakay]

What would be a better alloy for fabing some headlight brackets?  6061, 6063, or 6065?

For all practical purposes, those 3 are more alike than not.  Any will do fine it handled correctly.  If you need to pick, you can't go wrong with 6061.

The more important question is, what are you planning to do with the metal?  Bend? Machine? Weld?  What you plan to do determines the suitability of a particular alloy.

[He Man]

whatever is the cheapest.

Welding would be...expensive and timely. Bending a heavy guage sheet of aluminum like that would require serious tools. Machine is...well..$$$

[NAKID]

Depends on how thick it is. I used bar stock aluminum about 1/8" to 1/4" thick to make my taillight mount after I chopped the tail. I bent it in a vice with my hands and cut it to length....

[MotoCreations]

Factory are 3003 series that is 3mm thick. Easily annealed (if required) and you can go wild with the bends/shapes. (even at this thickness!) Work hardens to H16-32 range.

It all really depends upon application and what you truly want to build?  Carbonfiber is still the drug of choice though for most...

[CowboyBeebop]

I'm making some brackets for the headlight.  Pretty simple shape - no welding or bending required, just cutting out the shape.

[ducpainter]

I'm making some brackets for the headlight.  Pretty simple shape - no welding or bending required, just cutting out the shape.

In that case it doesn't matter.