Rick W,
<img src="graemlins/soapbox.gif" border="0" alt="[soapbox]" />
I thought that some of the readers might not know that 7076-T6 Aluminum Alloy is one of the few Aluminum Alloys that when fully hardned will dent almost all of the low carbon steels.
And that it is classed as a Precipitation Hardening Alloys. That is to say to anneal these alloys you heat them to a predetermined temprature and quench them in water.
The distributes the hardening elements of the alloy evenly ansd results in the softest state.
Hardening is a condition of precipitation of these elements into crystals in the molecular structure and in essence keys these molecules togather.
This process of hardening is automatic and takes place over time without interuption.
Gripping Blocks are best made of annealed 6061 alloy which is much more ductile and less apt to damage a precision surface. <img src="graemlins/soapbox.gif" border="0" alt="[soapbox]" />
Sorry for the long winded dissertation.
now i'll jus git ofn my sopebox n'n hid <img src="graemlins/icon107.gif" border="0" alt="[icon107]" />
ViggoG