Titanium

[Hillbillysmith]

Since I am going to school for welding, I want to learn all that I can. So, lets discuss the proper procedure for welding titanium according to AWS code. Has anyone ever done this?? I am trying to get into a welding college (Hobart) and there, they have a special titanium welding class/course. I just figured on getting another thread in welding started and I KNOW there's some welders in here. So, LET'S HERE IT!!

P.S:
Does anyone work with titanium in knife making/decorative use etc.?? If so, lets see pictures. Does anybody have the atmospheric chamber (bought or homer-made) for welding titanium at home??

Lets get this goin.....

[Hillbillysmith]

To weld Titanium, you only use the TIG welding process and you have to have it completely shielded from ANY oxygen and the rest of the "xxxx" in the normal atmosphere that we breath. Otherwise, the weld can/will fail or be rejected from a welding test. I also know that you can't weld it at high enough temperatures that it changes to certain colors, because they are rejectable. And that you CAN NOT wire brush the weld when finished before the visual test is given. It become IMMEDIATELY rejected.

Any other thoughts, comments, questions??

[RegionalChaos]

I want to forge some titanium.. Got any drops around

I saw a guy with a great pair of titanium tongs one time.

[LDW]

Plating shops that do anodizing use titanium racks. They get broke from time to time and have to be repaired. I have seen a man at a local machine shop repair these racks with a tig. If you have a local anodizing shop around you could probably pick up some pieces and some side work as well (if you can weld that tuff stuff together) once you tell them why you want it. good luck

[RainsFire]

YouTube - Titanium Sword

kinda cool+related.

[ThomasPowers]

Well it's not welding; but: I forged a set of Ti tongs a bunch of years ago from CP 1or2 Ti; some of the alloys can be toxic according to Rob Gunter. I also forged a knife, fork and spoon for my SWABA meeting potluck eating set---dishwasher safe. Forged a Ti Penannular brooch, Ti pipe tool... You have to watch out as hot Ti will absorb atmospheric gas components and become quite brittle. CP Ti is much softer than steel at working temps. I have forged it in propane, coal and charcoal forges.

In general Ti makes lousy blades *unless* you have to have the absence of magnetic signature or the corrosion resistance. But they got so many Ti wheenies over at swordforum.com they even put up a Ti faq on it.

[habu68]

The SR-71 black bird spy plane (Habu) was the test bed for early TI development, here are some quotes on some of the production problems they had:

"This was an entirely new structural technology. The process of learning how to work with titanium was long and difficult. It is a very hard material; tools that work well on aluminum break when used on titanium. New machining techniques and tools had to be developed. Titanium reacts badly with chlorine, fluorine and cadmium. This proclivity caused significant problems on two fronts. Initially, the water used to wash parts for spot welding came from the Burbank municipal water supply. In the summer, this water was heavily chlorinated to prevent algae growth. Lockheed had to use distilled water for all its titanium processing.

Cadmium was also a problem; many ordinary tools (particularly wrenches) were cadmium-plated to prevent them from rusting. Tiny flakes of cadmium from tools attacked titanium bolts and caused their heads to drop off when the structure was heated."
SR-71 Blackbird | Flight Journal | Find Articles at BNET.com