This is what BILLET means!! ex: billet flyweels, marketing BS

So many people think, just because its says BILLET, that a billet steel flywheel is this great piece of metal, (thats its super strong or something) or billet aluminum is a hybrid of greatness.

Thats marketing bullshit!!!

What does "Billet" mean?

A billet is a raw block of metal, any type and any grade can be a billet!

A billet is simply a solid piece of material that is shaped into it's finished form by machining. Most finished products are either cast or molded into shape. A billet is a raw block of material.

So in other words is just a process of fabrication, let it be done by machineing or by by pushing a solid billet through an extrustion.

This process does not necessarily mean its stronger or better even though IT CAN BE... Companies only state a part is BILLET because most people dont know what billet means. So in turn a company charges more for the part, since they use the word BILLET for flashieness..

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Originally Posted by ibanez7

This process does not necessarily mean its stronger or better even though IT CAN BE... So in turn a company charges more for the part, since they use the word BILLET for flashieness..

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This is a good point. The buyer always must beware. Generally, billet parts cost more partly because machining a shape out of a solid piece of metal is more expensive than just casting it, but also because the piece is often superior in strength.

An intersting point to ponder is just what "billet" really means to most people. Do you consider something like a FIKSE Profil 5S 3-piece wheel to be "billet?" Each piece of the wheel is made from a separate forged casting, by machining ALL surfaces (i.e., 100% of the surface area of each part is a machined surface). However, the forged castings in each case areroughly shaped like the eventual parts, so there is not too much metal left to machine off.
But some people would not classify that as "billet," saying instead that "billet machined" means only those situations where the machinist started with a standard-stock piece of metal (say a solid aluminum cylinder, 19" in diameter by 1.5" deep, from which the pieces were cut and machined to make a 18" x 13" wheel). This is what the "billet" catch can sold by MTI is (a beautiful piece by the way): solid stock of AA machined into a beautiful shiny can with fittings).

thank you, someone who understands processes and what Billet means.

I truely believe there is a huge misconception of the word, which is why I posted this.

I also like when they they say "billet T6061 aluminum," like it was some exotic.

Some people will do whatever it takes to sell their stuff. A lot of marketing is in what you call it and there is a sucker born every minute, as they say.

I once saw a speed equipment catelog (I won't name which), that listed rolls of duct tape for sale as "Racer's Tape." For $15.95/roll.

Casting save a lot of time and money. But they sometimes have voids in them that you may or may not see. Air holes or pockets as meatl is being poured.
(X-ray the castings. ) You also can make the grain of metal on a billit go on way to make it stonger.