[Jewelry making - Article 00421] - Re: [Orchid] Cutting Titanium

[James Binnion]

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    Titanium is tough to cut but not all that hard, even aerospace
    grades like 21S or Al6V4 are just not hard enough to need diamond
    tools. It is nowhere near as difficult to cut as most tool steels or
    nickel alloys. I would much rather cut titanium than even most
    stainless steels. The bigest problem is keeping the blade and work
    cool as titanium is a very poor thermal conductor and the heat from
    cutting is not carried away from the cut by the bulk metal. This
    overheats the cutting tool and causes it to lose its temper and it
    ceases to cut. 

    On 1/4 to 1/2 " material a standard band saw with a bi-metal or
    cobalt steel blade with something between 10 and 14 teeth per inch
    will will work fine. You will want a coolant pump and a soluble oil
    and water based lubricant like Rel-Saw semi-synthetic coolant to
    keep the cutting area and blade cool. You would need similar coolant
    for a diamond blade as well. I think you will find that the band saw
    will cut much faster than the diamond abrasive saw. 

    A jewelers saw would work as well but be way too slow. 

James Binnion
jbin AT mokume-gane.com
James Binnion Metal Arts
http://www.mokume-gane.com
360-756-6550
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