Smelting and Mold Titanium

[wally188]

This is my first post. I know very little about forging.

I have a huge block of titanium. I want to get it smelted down into a mold of a custom hammer.

1. i have a resin hammer just like i want a titanium one to be made from. Is it possible to take this resin model and create a mold in which the titanium could be poured? What should it be constructed of?

2. once the mold is ready, how should the titanium be smelted? I am sure i will need to find someone near me in texas to do this, but i am not sure what exactly to look for.

3. will smelting mess up the titanium?

any help is appreciated.

[Sweany]

miilling would be easier,cheaper

[Timothy Miller]

Smelting is a very different process than forging. You should look for a metal casting forum. Not to say somebody hear could probably give you a decent idea of what you would need to do. Why do you want titanium hammer other than the cool factor? Steel is really the ultimate material for hammers because it has more mass for volume and it is stronger when heat treated. And you want mass in a hammer. Unless its an ice ax or something like that.

[arftist]

Fro the sake of clarity, smelting is the process of producing metal from ore. To cast metal, one must melt it. Machining (milling) is really the only option here, unless you are a millionare and want to be a lot poorer. I would find a local old school machinist, possibly a hobby shop or a retired type. Somewhere on this site I gave explanations for a machined hammer head. The eye needs a certain shape to work well. Try a search.

[Sask Mark]

There are a few people (I know of a few that are members of this forum) who have forge titanium tools before. I understand it is harder to forge than traditional hammer materials (like a medium carbon steel).

Is there potential to cut a piece off your large block and have it forged to the desired shape?

If you want to see a real life application of titanium hammers, check out Stiletto framing hammers. I have talked to a few guys that have used them, and they love them. The 15 oz. hammer is said to hit like a 24 oz. hammer.

[MattBower]

look at www.keytometals.com/article124.htm Casting is not the process for what you want to do[, unless you want to end up with the world's most expensive hand hammer. As others have suggested, have it machined.

[ThomasPowers]

I would cut a chunk off your block and forge one.

BTW how large is your block and of what alloy? CP 1 and 2 forges much easier than steel does save that you have the gas embrittlement issue if you are not careful.

Machining Ti can be a pain and the swarf can be quite dangerous in the "why is my mill/lathe so bright and forming a cast iron puddle on the shop floor?" sort of way.

[wally188]

I was just wanting to make one as i thought it would be cool. I already have the Ti, so why not i thought. Now that i think of it, milling here is the best option i guess. 4" thick Ti would be tough to melt down.

I have a pretty bad *** steel warhammer. Had some rust issues with it. Thought Ti wouldnt give me that.

Thanks

[arftist]

Yes, titanium should make a truly bad *** war hammer.