forging titainum ?

[042399tank]

come across some free titainum today 4 pieces 3/8 round stock about 4 inches long and really wanting to do something with it. i would love a blade but as i dont have a forge i was think about make me some punches out of it, would it make a good punch without heat treating? or what would someone charge me to forge and heat treat a blade for me?

[Spots]

I have some titanium plates I was given by a member. I have worked with it in the forge some, and it is ungodly hard to forge. It has to be white hot to work, but if you overheat it'll catch fire. It might make good punches, it wouldn't make much of a blade as far as edge holding ability and sharpness go, but it would be cool. Theres no real heat treat for titanium. How did you plan to make punches out of it?

[042399tank]

thought about using a lathe or belt sander.

[Spots]

thought about using a lathe or belt sander.

A lathe maybe if you have great tools. A belt sander theres no way. My big 8" angle grinder will barely scratch the stuff have.

Sent from the backwoods of Nowhere

[RED333]

Please be very careful, Ti shavings WILL catch fire, you have to use LOTS of coolant.

[Romad7]

I can give it a try if you want. I have a lathe and I have always wondered how hard it is to turn aluminum. Might be able to work out a deal where you send me two and I send one back, machined of course. If I can't machine it I will send both back.

Aluminum's even harder, don't try that! Just kidding, Had to mess with your typo;-)

[peejman]

come across some free titainum today 4 pieces 3/8 round stock about 4 inches long and really wanting to do something with it. i would love a blade but as i dont have a forge i was think about make me some punches out of it, would it make a good punch without heat treating? or what would someone charge me to forge and heat treat a blade for me?

 

 

Depends on what type of Ti you've got.  There's several different alloys with noticeably different properties.  Generally, I don't think Ti wouldn't make good punches, its too soft and can't be hardened easily (or at all, depending on the alloy). 

 

 

I have some titanium plates I was given by a member. I have worked with it in the forge some, and it is ungodly hard to forge. It has to be white hot to work, but if you overheat it'll catch fire. It might make good punches, it wouldn't make much of a blade as far as edge holding ability and sharpness go, but it would be cool. Theres no real heat treat for titanium. How did you plan to make punches out of it?

 

 

Regarding the heat treatment... again, it depends on the specific alloy.  You can't heat treat any of them in air, but it's routinely done in a vacuum furnace. 

 

 

 

Please be very careful, Ti shavings WILL catch fire, you have to use LOTS of coolant.

 

 

More like Ti dust.  It would take some real effort (or stupidity) to get shavings/chips of any size to catch fire while machining.  We turn Ti dry routinely.  You've just got to go slow. 

 

If it does catch fire, it's best to just get away from it and let it burn.  You can't really put it out without big equipment.

[Capbyrd]

I have some titanium plates I was given by a member. I have worked with it in the forge some, and it is ungodly hard to forge. It has to be white hot to work, but if you overheat it'll catch fire. It might make good punches, it wouldn't make much of a blade as far as edge holding ability and sharpness go, but it would be cool. Theres no real heat treat for titanium. How did you plan to make punches out of it?

 

Plenty of makers are making Ti blades these days.  They aren't hard use blades but great for light use.  The key is to carbidize the edge.  Same as using Ti in a frame lock or liner lock.  Carbidize the lock face.

[peejman]

Plenty of makers are making Ti blades these days.  They aren't hard use blades but great for light use.  The key is to carbidize the edge.  Same as using Ti in a frame lock or liner lock.  Carbidize the lock face.

 

 

True, but you can't effectively carburize titanium in a home forge, it's typically done in a vacuum.  Titanium oxidizes very quickly at high temperatures.  It forms a very thin and very brittle oxide layer commonly called alpha case when heated in the presence of oxygen.  It doesn't take lots of heat, if your angle grinder is throwing sparks, you're likely making alpha case on the surface.  Since alpha case is brittle, it cracks easily.  Small cracks in the alpha case on the surface can propagate into the base metal.  

Edited April 9, 2013 by peejman