[TheForge] Heat treat for Titanium

[David E. Smucker]

Bob,

Well, As with most "scrap" or "drops" you just don't know so you wing it. 
If it is one of the commercially pure products then what you have is what 
you will get.  In other words if doesn't have alloy content then you can't 
solution heat treat.  You can add some hardness by cold working -- and that 
maybe enough to make your striker work.

The "solution heat treat" is not really the same kind of thing going on as 
we are used to in good old high carbon steel -- but heat treating it still 
is.  (The second step is not really tempering but rather accelerated aging.)

If you have a lot of time in your striker and still have some of the scrap 
around then I might try a test piece from the remaining material and see 
what you get first.

Also you may find that the part ages at room temperature or just by setting 
it out in the hot MO sun for a day or two.  In other words try the first 
step, heat to orange and quench and then let it age a low temperature.

It will be interesting to hear how it works and if I have helped you have 
your striker "crack."

Dave Smucker

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Bob Ehrenberger" <eforge at centurytel.net>
To: "theforge" <theforge at mailman.qth.net>
Sent: Monday, September 04, 2006 11:24 PM
Subject: Re: [TheForge] Heat treat for Titanium


>I really have no idea what variety of titanium I have.  In this area most
> high tech materials originate at the McDonnel-Douglas/Boweing scrap bin in
> St. Louis.  The piece I started with was a sheet 3/16 thick by 6" by 12"
> maybe part of an armor plating  system.  Or it may be a drop left over 
> after
> the primary piece was cut out.  You really never know with scrap.
>
> I did try a better piece of flint today and got better results.
>
> I will try the process that Dave recomended and report back if it helps.
> The main reason I hadn't tried quenching it was I really had no idea how
> titanium would react.  It appears that it is at least feasable to water
> quench and then temper, I'll give it a shot.
>
> Robert Ehrenberger
> Shelbyville, Mo.
> eforge at centurytel.net
>
>
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