[TheForge] Tungsten

[Steve Smith]

Thanks for the details, Hochewa. It does seem like difficult stuff for 
blacksmiths to work with. From what you're saying, it wouldn't work well.

The problem we're really aiming at with the tungsten is slitting and 
drifting large pieces in a hydraulic forging press. The tools we've 
tried have a marked tendency to weld in the hole. Pretty ideal 
conditions for welding it seems to me--steady pressure, scraping to 
clean off any impurities (like anti-seize). What alloy would be least 
likely to weld, and will it really be much improvement over other alloys?

Steve

Hochewa at aol.com wrote:
> To  All,
>      Does anyone have a source for 3/4, 7/8, or 1"  round Tungsten.  it is a 
> "refractory metal" .
>  
> Typically, Tungsten begins its life as a 1" square bar made from  powder.    
> We use tungsten as an alloying element at work.   If we get lump Tungsten in 
> and the pieces are too big, we just hit them with a  hammer and the smaller 
> pieces work just fine.  It is brittle to say the  least.
> Being a refractory metal means that it has a high melting point.  It  does 
> not mean suitable for use at high temperatures even though as an alloying  
> element, it gives better high temperature properties.  One of the  disturbing 
> characteristics of refractory metals is that they have very poor  oxidation 
> resistance at relatively low temperatures.  Tungsten and  Molybdenum oxidize very 
> rapidly at 1500*F and their oxides are  volatile.
> It's not cheap, it oxidizes easily and you forge it at really white  heat.
> There are better materials available.
>  
> Hochewa
>  
> 
> 
> 
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