Blake Mantel wrote:

Hi all!

This makes my first post to this forum, but I am going to be lurking more as I am
working up the knowledge curve on rotary engines!

I have a bit of experience with aluminum tubing and most common alloy I work with
is 6061-T6.

Annealing is pretty easy as one other person stated. Just smoke the piece in
question with a sooty flame to deposit carbon onto the surface. Then heat with a
rosebud or other torch (neutral flame), while constantly moving, until the carbon
burns off. IMMEDIATELY quench into cold water! (the opposite of iron!)

Aluminum is dispersion hardened and the anneal process puts these elements back
into solution in the aluminum. Making it softer and more malleable. Over time
(about six months or so...I think) it will have reached a T4 hardness level. To
artificially age you could pop it into a 450'F oven for around 4-6 hours and it
will be close to T6.

What are some good reasonably technical books on the rotary engine and it's
modifications?

I be an engeinnern' stu'dent! I reaz real good!  ;-)

Noticed that many of the tricks and techniques I have learned from normal internal
combustion engines are null and void here!

Thanks,
Blake
1998 Triumph Tiger BRG & Cozy MkIV Canoe
http://www.tiac.net/users/blakem/

Blake, double click on this and scroll down to books. 
http://home.earthlink.net/~rotaryeng/            

Paul Lamar

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