Looking for a source of 0 state aluminum tube

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Does anyone know a good source for low volume quantities of round tube of either 5052 or 6061 in the dead soft 0 heat treat state?  My local tube suppliers are reluctant to even check on a cost, and say I'd have to buy it in large quantities.  The problem is the stuff age hardens on its own, and having a large quantity here rapidly becoming unusable for bending is not ideal...Thanks,Jason
Reply:It is very easy to anneal 6061 T6 with a O/A torch, so you can bend it.   Using an Acetylene flame, wave it over the tube in the area you want to bend it, coating it all around with carbon "soot".  Turn on the Oxygen and the proceed to burn the carbon off the tube until it is clean again.  Let the tube slowly cool to room temp and your good to go.Last edited by TSOR; 05-03-2007 at 12:07 PM.
Reply:I forgot to mention that I've done almost exactly that a few times but have not had the best results.  I am trying to bend 2.5", 3", and 4" OD x .065 wall tube on 1D centerline bend radiuses.  In other words, a 2.5" OD bend on a 2.5" centerline radius.  That is an extremely tight bend, and the material needs to be very uniformly dead soft to bend properly.I actually was quenching the tube with water after heating it - which is the normal process for annealing aluminum.  The biggest problem is trying to heat up a section of tube that big in a very uniform manner with a rosebud - it's just not too easy.  And, on a multi-bend part having one spot that didn't anneal properly ruins the entire piece.I have been toying with the idea of building an electric element type heater to go on the inside or outside of the tube to give a more uniform heating...
Reply:2.5" O.D. with a 2.5" CLR, Yikes!  Can't help you there,    Sorry!
Reply:Didn't check for dimensions but 6063 T1 ought to form and weld quite nice.http://www.indalex.com/website/home....luminumConduitCan't imagine getting away with that tight of a bend though,Clay