ATTEMPT TO BUILD WITH TITANIUM
By James Morikawa

It's the 12th of February 2008.  I've decided to create this webpage on my "Attempt To Build With Titanium".  Got some pictures.  I'll post them, and write a little about each —  whatever comes to mind at the time.    I'll  add, and edit this webpage as time goes on,  and see what becomes of it.

                   TITANIUM WELDING PRACTICE     12 February 2008

I've practiced alot, and wish I could do much more.  Cost of material is a problem.   It's very expensive and puts limits on that wish..
Did a lot of bad welding —  learned what happens to Ti when done poorly.   The more I did it,  the better the welds became,  and the easier it got.

Pictured above are some practice welds.   I've bent, punched, rips, cut, hammered,  and pressed some of the welds to see the effects.  My own personal "quality testing".
I asked a lot of questions.  Many of them seem so stupid to me now.  Thanks to the small number of you Ti-welders, that did answer my questions.   Thanks to the internet for giving me the ability to harrass  them with all my questions.

Special thanks to Carl, and Joe . . . two very cool Titanium welders.  Someday I hope to be as good as them,  and "know my shit"  ass backwards, and forwards   Aw Right!.

                CREATE A DRAFT FREE ENVIRONMENT     12 February 2008

Very important to weld Titanium  in a draft-free room.  If you don't have a draft-free room,  make it so.
If you can't make it a draft-free room,  don't weld Titanium.  Even a person walking by can create a draft that could effect a Ti-weld.

Many of my bad welds were caused by air draft.   I had to seal-up all the open spaces in the shop.   Foam works great,  as in the picture above.

"STOP THE DRAFT"

Hey,  that's what the Vietnam War Protesters used to say.

                TITANIUM FILLER RODS     12 February 2008

This ERTi-5 Titanium filler rods.   This stuff is expensive,  so plan to send much of your hard earned wages paying for it.  I sure did.
Also known as the  6Al /4V  filler rod.   All the Ti-framebuilders I've asked,  say they use it..

I use the .045 ",  and .035" diameter rods.

                  THE HEADTUBE FIXTURE     13 February 2008

I fabricated this headtube fixture.  It's machined for the tube I'm going to use.  Machined on a lathe out of 6061 Aluminum.

 The critical need for the internal Argon purge.

                      THE BOTTOM BRACKET FIXTURE     13 February 2008

Fabricated a special sleeve for the  bottom-bracket fixture.  The sleeve expands in the bottom-braket to secure it.  It should allow argon to flow to the back side of the weld.
Got to be able to get an Argon purge inside the BB when welding.  I hope this works out.

         
Machined the sleeve from a piece of chromoly pipe.
Always the critical need for the intenal Argon purge.

                     MITERED TUBES AND STAYS     13 February 2008

I have the tubes and stays mitered and fitted — ready to be welded.

I did miter them using my abrasive belt-miter.  I had to switch to a lower RPM motor to miter the Titaniuim.  Friction heat can be a threat when abrasive mitering Ti.  It can reach a temperature where it will contaminate and embrittle the Ti.  I was able to control that factor,  and  successfully use the belt-miter.

                  TIG TORCHES   13 February 2008

Below are the torch set-ups I've practiced with.  They're basically extra large gas-lense set-ups.  There are other gas-lense designs I've seen, but have never tried — someday when time and money allows, I will.

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