[TheForge] forging titanium

Wed Sep 17 00:21:00 2003

I have done some forging of a Ti alloy known as 6Al-4V. This is one of=20=

the common forms of Ti used, along with CP (Pure). CP is mot quite as=20
strong (don't quote me on these figures) at about 70ksi while 6al4v can=20=

be stronger at approx 120ksi. 6al4v can be heat treated - I think it is=20=

closer to an aluminum precipitation hardening process rather than a=20
steel quench hardening process. It doesn't make as great a change in=20
physical properties as you would expect from a background working with=20=

steel, maybe 20 to 25% improvement.

You should be able to find heat treatment info at somewhere like=20
prinicipalmetals.com or maybe at carpenterdirect.com .

I don;t think you will hurt your anvil working with Ti, but here is one=20=

precaution which will make a big difference to your finished piece.=20
Titanium has an amazing propensity to oxidize at temperatures above=20
about 800F. The oxide layer is very brittle and can penetrate very=20
deeply. It looks like a greenish-gray powder and the surface will=20
develop an elephant-skin like texture if it is oxidizing. Whenever I=20
work Ti, I keep the piece completely covered in borax to reduce oxygen=20=

contamination. It gets  pretty slippery with this coating, but the=20
oxide layer can totally ruin a piece.

good luck

On Tuesday, September 16, 2003, at 08:44 PM, William Futer wrote:

> At the last demo I picked up some pieces of titanium to try to forge. =20=

> I got advice that I would only get 2 hits per heat and maybe damaging=20=

> my anvil.  The odd thing is the metal worked as easily as pure iron.
>
> So with that in mind what kind of titanium might I have, and also I=20
> have been challenged to make a knife out of it.  What precautions and=20=

> heat treat if necessary is required by this weird metal???
>
>
>
> Bill
>
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				Cameron Stoker
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				"May you run like a vicu=F1a!"
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