[ATM] re: metal working Titanium

["Ellen Mackenzie" <mackenzieconsulting@sympatico.ca>]

Titanium work hardens fast, you must have very sharp tools and operate them
at low speeds with a lot of pressure. As long as you are making a chip it is
alright. If you use a portable drill at full speed it will eat up a M42
drill like butter. You must use a lot of coolant when cutting, water being
the best available to an ATM.
It cannot be brazed to my knowledge and the only way of making a decent weld
is in an argon container with a TIG welder using Argon. It does not weld to
steel
Titanium burns and produces voluminous amounts of Titanium oxide.
Titanium is one of the most resistant metals to alkaline materials we have.
It anneals by being heated and then quenched in salt water (best method for
ATMs)
If you intend on using Titanium figure on using mechanical fasteners or
epoxies. I would be tempted to try spot welding very well cleaned surfaces (
in reference to the .020 inch strip listed in the recent threads.
Mechanically Titanium is about the same as steel except for it being a bit
lighter, and not prone to fatigue failure.
The Russians are the world's largest producer of Titanium and since the
market has opened to them the price of Titanium has fallen a lot. It would
be my choice of materials for PLOP - - having the right equipment to work
it.
There are many alloys of Titanium, with 6AlV4 the best of the lot for sheet
stock. It is not as notch resistant as steel, so you should avoid sharp
transitions in parts under tension.
With a hacksaw you must use lots of water and slow firm strokes, same goes
for filing. Work hardened Titanium will go over 70 on the Rockwell C scale
compared to M42 HSS at a max of 66.


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