Starting a new can, titanium

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mr fixit
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Starting a new can, titanium

Post by mr fixit »

Just starting a new can. This one will be titanium tube and ends, welded, with stainless baffles, it will be 1.625" OD. I've never worked titanium before, and in fact are still new to machining. This is the end cap.

http://imgur.com/wItvrKe

http://imgur.com/Jv4RicV
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Re: Starting a new can, titanium

Post by ECCO Machine »

mr fixit wrote:titanium tube and ends, welded...... I've never worked titanium before, and in fact are still new to machining.
Do your homework on Ti welding; it's not like steel or aluminum. You have to fully shield the HAZ until it drops below 800°F or you embrittle the metal.
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Re: Starting a new can, titanium

Post by garredondojr »

looks good to me.

I've never played with it either but when I was thinking of trying it most mentioned fast feeds and heavy cuts to keep the heat in the chip rather the tool or work piece or it could burnish/gall and harden.
Last edited by garredondojr on Sun Dec 02, 2018 8:51 am, edited 3 times in total.
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Re: Starting a new can, titanium

Post by ECCO Machine »

garredondojr wrote:looks good to me.

I've never played with it either but when I was thinking of trying it most mentioned deep and heavy cuts to keep the heat in the chip rather or it could burnish/gall and harden.
You don't have to take heavy cuts if you use fresh, sharp carbide tooling. As I've mentioned before in other threads, Ti is not especially difficult to work except for deep drilling and tapping, and full tool diameter cutting with end mills. Drills & taps for Ti are heavily relieved to account for the elastic behavior of the material, which will close up hard on normal twist drills and thread taps. It'll burnish tools quickly if you dwell, but just keep your feeds up and you'll be fine. It's honestly easier to work than 304 stainless in most regards.

You do have to watch your chip piles though if you're working it dry. Don't let it build up. Ti fires are no joke, will trash machines.
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Re: Starting a new can, titanium

Post by poikilotrm »

Do you have the ability to set up an argon matrix before doing the welding? Ti is best welded away from water and oxygen.
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Re: Starting a new can, titanium

Post by garredondojr »

ECCO Machine wrote:
garredondojr wrote:looks good to me.

I've never played with it either but when I was thinking of trying it most mentioned deep and heavy cuts to keep the heat in the chip rather or it could burnish/gall and harden.
You don't have to take heavy cuts if you use fresh, sharp carbide tooling. As I've mentioned before in other threads, Ti is not especially difficult to work except for deep drilling and tapping, and full tool diameter cutting with end mills. Drills & taps for Ti are heavily relieved to account for the elastic behavior of the material, which will close up hard on normal twist drills and thread taps. It'll burnish tools quickly if you dwell, but just keep your feeds up and you'll be fine. It's honestly easier to work than 304 stainless in most regards.

You do have to watch your chip piles though if you're working it dry. Don't let it build up. Ti fires are no joke, will trash machines.
Corrected my post not sure why I put deep and heavy ment fast feeds and heavy cuts. but as I have no experience your advice is much better.

I'll go sit in the corner now. :mrgreen:
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mr fixit
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Re: Starting a new can, titanium

Post by mr fixit »

poikilotrm wrote:Do you have the ability to set up an argon matrix before doing the welding? Ti is best welded away from water and oxygen.
ECCO Machine wrote: Do your homework on Ti welding; it's not like steel or aluminum. You have to fully shield the HAZ until it drops below 800°F or you embrittle the metal.
My plan is to convert a small sandblast cabinet that I don't use anymore into a purge chamber. I'm not sure what you mean by an argon matrix.
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Re: Starting a new can, titanium

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ECCO Machine wrote: You do have to watch your chip piles though if you're working it dry. Don't let it build up. Ti fires are no joke, will trash machines.
I had one stringer light off the other day. I was profiling the end cap, working dry with carbide inserts. It sparked and a single strand started to burn. It fell on the cross slide. I was able to blow it out. That made me decide not to work it dry anymore. I finished by using WD40 as lube/coolant. I'm not working any more Ti parts until I get my mist cooler set up and running.
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Re: Starting a new can, titanium

Post by fishman »

I only ever see sparks if the workpiece is really hot. Slow down, take a break, or use coolant
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Re: Starting a new can, titanium

Post by poikilotrm »

mr fixit wrote: My plan is to convert a small sandblast cabinet that I don't use anymore into a purge chamber. I'm not sure what you mean by an argon matrix.
Have an area devoid of anything but dry argon. A purge chamber would suffice.
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