[Jewelry making - Article 00175] - Re: [Orchid] Turning Speeds and Angles for Platinum

[James Binnion]

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    Platinum may be the most difficult material I have machined. It is
    sticky and very difficult to shear a chip away from the surface of
    the metal. With steel tools it wants to weld to the cutting edge when
    you are cutting and this rapidly ruins the cutting edge and the tool
    starts to drag and tear the metal rather than slice it. Carbide is
    somewhat better but still not the best answer, you will get better
    cutting action and less welding to the tool edge with carbide but it
    is not as sharp an edge as steel tools so the surface is still not
    wonderful. The best tools for cutting platinum are PCD poly-
    crystalline diamond or diamond tipped. They will give a good, bright
    cut but cost quite a bit and are easy to damage and still don't get
    great working life on platinum but the cut quality is quite good. 

Jim

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