Re: [CAD_CAM_EDM_DRO] Annoying Newbie Questions

Greg Nuspel wrote:

> We cut allot of inconel and titanium at work. Inconel is hard on tools and
> hard to work with. Titanium isn't near as bad depending on grade I watched
> some cutting of Beta grade 4 titanium and it didn't look nice. Fun part is
> taking the fine cuttings and lighting them on fire.

I've had a few good titanium fires in my lathe. It produces a white
smoke that is at least partly titanium dioxide which is used as the
coloring in white paint. My experience is limited to grades 1 and 2
which are basically pure titanium (I was making sputter targets) and I'd
say it cut pretty easily. I can imagine that some alloys could be really
bad though.

I'll second your comments on inconel... I don't know if it's applicable,
but niobium is a good high temperature material, and it machines easier
than inconel, but I don't know if it's as strong.

I just finished handling a job (more sputter targets) made from
zirconium. It cuts ok, but the swarf is EXTREMELY flammable. While fine
titanium shavings will burn fairly easily, the zirconium swarf would
absolutely burst into flames even when soaked with coolant. The MSDS is
pretty frightening...

Matt