Will 10mm x 3mm aluminium work as uke neck reinforcement?

[Tonxi]

I have seen the idea touted somewhere. I have some and it seems like it is stiff and light enough.
Cheaper and quicker than sending for carbon and it would fit nicely into a saw cut as I have a 3mm tungsten tipped blade.

[simso]

I personally would not use it unless it was an aircraft grade and age hardened piece, general purpose grade aluminium bends too easy IMO

[Allen]

Needs to be hard alloy Martyn. You could also use many of our native hardwoods as stiffeners.

[jeffhigh]

Whilst the higher grades of aluminium are stronger (will take more load before they break or permanantly deform) they are not stiffer, with the modulus of elasticity staying around 69-70 Gpa.
For a uke neck you would be fine with the cheaper grade aluminium.
I would use epoxy for fixing it in place

[Tonxi]

Whilst the higher grades of aluminium are stronger (will take more load before they break or permanantly deform) they are not stiffer, with the modulus of elasticity staying around 69-70 Gpa.
For a uke neck you would be fine with the cheaper grade aluminium.
I would use epoxy for fixing it in place

That is what I thought. It has sideways flex but the neck is 1 1/2" + wide. It is pretty stiff up and down and hard to twist. I was planning to leave it 1-2mm proud of the neck and key it into the fretboard.

[jeffhigh]

I'd put it all the way in the neck as long as your neck blank is thick enough, leaving at least 3mm between the back of the neck and the reinforcing rod.