Inlaying gold on Titanium?

[Lauren_Jensen]

Does anybody know anything about what this takes? What kind of
torches and fluxes should be used, or wether it needs to be welded
or Books that cover this? I have tried on my own with trying to
solder gold onto it without any success.

[alberic]

Greetings:

My MFA thesis was on the fun and joy of getting gold to stick to
titanium mechanically. The short answer is you can’t do it with
solder.

The only ways that work (short of plating and laser welding) are
mechanical. The easiest is essentially a sort of damascene technique.
It works, but it has a very definite surface texture, and it’s a bit
sensitive to wear. It’s great for collection pieces, but would be
lousy for daily wearable stuff.

I’ve been meaning to dump my thesis into a PDF, If you’re really
interested, contact me directly, and I’ll see what I can do.

Regards,
Brian Meek.

[ReactiveMetals]

Does anybody know anything about what this takes? What kind of
torches and fluxes should be used, or wether it needs to be welded
or Books that cover this? 

Oh my, oh my You can not solder weld or braze titanium in ordinary
atmosperes. That is all there is to it.

At best you could laser weld in an argon atmospere. But, you said
inlay. In that case you are talking about a channel with undercut
sides. The gold is then chased into the channel for a mechanical
connection.

Bill
Reactive Metals Studio, Inc.
PO Box 890 * Clarkdale, AZ 86324
Ph-928/634-3434 - Ph-800/876-3434 - Fax-928/634-6734
@Michele_Deborah_Bill

Reactive Metals Studio | AZ |

[Tim_Goldstein]

Does anybody know anything about what this takes? What kind of
torches and fluxes should be used, or wether it needs to be welded
or Books that cover this? I have tried on my own with trying to 
solder gold onto it without any success.

My experience (limited) is that you can not solder the inlays, but
have to attach them mechanically. In the wedding bands I have made
for myself I cut a .032" wide by .025" deep groove and then hammer
20ga round metal into the groove. To hide the seam where the wire
overlaps I lightly tack it with the laser welder. Been alternating
between a band with sterling silver inlay and one with 18ky for the
last year or more and the inlays have not at all lifted or separated.

Tim
A2Z Metalsmith Supply Inc
5151 S Federal Blvd Ste I-9
Littleton CO 80123
Classes and Laser Welder Rental in the Denver, CO Area.
www.A2ZMetalsmithSupply.com

[Jerry_Smith]

Don’t solder Titanium or try open air type of welder, Titanium is a
flammable substance at certain temps and the flakes will ignite. If
you do any thing TIG weld it or use a bonding agent in gold dust.

Jerry

[ReactiveMetals]

    Don't solder Titanium or try open air type of welder, Titanium
is a flammable substance at certain temps and the flakes will
ignite. If you do any thing TIG weld it or use a bonding agent in
gold dust. 

NO! NO! NO! Where do you guys get this stuff. It is not true. You are
not going to light titanium on fire with your tortch at soldering
temperatures. Filings, and fine turnings can be a fire hazard. You
can save a little pile of filings take it outside and light them with
your torch. They use them in fireworks. Light a chunk of metal good
luck. It will turn to white/brown oxide, Rutile. The mineral it came
from. Yes, that rutilated quartz on the mantel is full of titanium
oxide crystals. I have been known to hot spin titanium, it is glowing
red, over 1600F. Never once did it catch on fire. Remove this fear
factor from your mind.

Bill

Reactive Metals Studio, Inc.
PO Box 890 * Clarkdale, AZ 86324
Ph-928/634-3434 * Ph-800/876-3434 * Fax-928/634-6734
E-mail- @Michele_Deborah_Bill
Catalog- www.reactivemetals.com

[toothdoc9]

I would love to see your research!

Charles Friedman
Ventura by the Sea

[Red_Rodder]

 Never once did it catch on fire. Remove this fear factor from your
mind. 

I once accidently tried to use a titanium solder pick on platinum.
Pretty good reaction!

Bruce D. Holmgrain
JA Certified Master Bench Jeweler
http://www.goldwerx.com

[Shaun_Pearton]

We regularly cast Gold or Silver into Titanium pieces. Simply attach
wax to the Titanium in the shape that you require and then cast
using the standard lost wax method.

In order to ensure a good bond we usually drill tiny holes into the
Titanium and mushroom the inside with a round burr. The Gold then
penetrates the hole and ensures that it does not come off.

Shaun Pearton
Africagemstones