Welding titanium

Any help welding titanium. What gas , tungueston? Is it as picky as welding alunimum. Anyone have any help or ideas to keep me out of Trouble with it. Who has the best selection of buying pipe , flat stock?

 

Us argon for shielding gas red band tungsten an use 6AL-4v filler rod an a big cup for the tig torch. Titanium does not like oxygen in the weld it gets embrittlement keep the weld looking silver too straw look color. It welds smooth thou just keep the shielding gas on the weld till it cools. An keep the material clean too.

 

I have an air cooled torch. Should i make or use like a purge block to put around back side of it.

 

Weld

Miller had some good info online. It's a finicky metal to weld and the worst thing is a decent looking weld can fail. Color is everything.

 

Know what you have to weld FIRST!

Yes, the guy above says use 6AL-4V welding rod, but didn't finish the statement "on 6AL-4V" only!!!
There are many types of Titanium, just like many types of Aluminum! For instance: guys wonder why they can't get a recert on a "TI" can that they repaired with 6AL-4V......they just killed it! A "TI" can is "CP" material (Commercially Pure) and must be welded with "CP" rod.
Do lots of research on sites like Miller or Lincoln. You can buy very expensive large gas lens and cup assemblies for a start, be prepared to spend double the money on Argon, and you'll have to learn excellent rhythm with each drop of filler, because the rod tries to stick big time. Good Luck and hope you have fun practicing for many hours before you catch on.
It is done every day without a chamber, but patience is a real blessing!!!


Bob Meyer
Meyer Race Cars / San Diego
2014 Our 49th Anniversary

 

Some guys use old sand blast cabinets create a vacuum and weld with argon. tim mc amis also makes a device that goes on cup to extend behind weld to encapsulate weld longer. also look up toxic fab they have special cups. big.

 

So who sells ti tubing at a good rate? Clearly the weight saving is worth it.

 

www.titaniummetalsupply.com



Bob Meyer
Meyer Race Cars / San Diego
2014 Our 49th Anniversary

 

I have been trying to research online titanium tubing to have some new wheelie bars made. Does anyone have any suggestions on the tube size/wall thickness and grade of titanium that would be best and most cost efficient to make a set of 96 inch bars? And does anyone have an idea what the cost of the tubing alone would be to build them?

 

Well I just finished my ti firewall. It was way harder than I expected. Would I do it again. No. Welding with a air cooled torch was awful. Took forever. I did from the cross bar to the windshield and blower box. In total lost almost 10 lbs. couldn't find anyone to help me make sure I had the right pieces for my machine to get started took some practicing and getting used to how sticky the filler rod was. It is truly an art for the guys who do it for a living. Thought I'd share my expirence

 

BE careful on buying tubing CP or pure Ti it has very little strength compared to Ti-6Al-4V alloy some times buy small drops is a crap shoot

 

I thought welding Ti was easy
6al4v rod
in a sand blast cabinet
purge the box
weld away like mag or alum
easy as pie...

 

Didn't have a cabinet. Had to do it on the floor. Bought some giant ass gas nozzle. Like 1.250 !

 

Build a cardboard box the length of the tubing. Cover it where your not welding with cardboard sheets and flood the box with argon. Will work fine. Work slow with hand movements in the box.