A customer sent me a 2 mm thick titanium plate.
He wanted to have me make a wedding ring for himself.
I had enough material for two attempts.
Check out
http://www.ganoksin.com/gnkurl/ep81ik
Hi Hans,
You know, I’ve never figured out how some people (namely you) are
able to get Ti red hot and work it without it getting brittle.
If I so much as look at a torch in the presence of Ti, it shatters
like glass.
“By the book” you shouldn’t anneal (or hot work) Ti in open
atmosphere, because it reacts with all the O2 and N2 to form brittle
oxides and nitrides that get sucked into the core of the metal,
making it brittle. (at least for me) I’ve had 1/4" (6mm) sections
snap like toothpicks just because they were torch annealed
(quickly). Total time hot? Less than 30 seconds, and the
embrittlement shot straight through the piece. (I’ve done it a bunch
of other ways too. Brittle every time.)
Meanwhile, here’s Hans torching a relatively thin section, bashing
on it hot, and not having any trouble with it at all.
And you guys wonder how medieval metalsmiths got seriously
superstitious.
Grumble, grumble, grumble…
Brian
And you guys *wonder* how medieval metalsmiths got *seriously* superstitious. Grumble, grumble, grumble....
Gods smile on him. We all have learned a lot in our own niches. At
times we come across little tricks as we work, that fly in the face
of the knowledgehammered into us. Hans has found the tricks that
work for him. I work mostlyin copper and silver. Silver I follow all
the rules strictly. Copper I do things that would make people on this
forum cringe. Yet It all works for me. What we should do, is find
out exactly how he did it. I would love to sit in thecorner of his
shop and watch for a year. After that I might get enough courage to
ask like a apprentice, just how he accomplished his fine work.
Hi Brian,
And you guys *wonder* how medieval metalsmiths got *seriously* superstitious.
It’s really simple.
I did my apprenticeship in Mordor under the guidance of Sauron.
Also, I work under the law promulgated a couple of thousand years
ago that says the ignorant are protected.
That’s all there is to it, I’m afraid…
Hello Hans,
You have had lots of experience. 'Nuff said. BTW, amazing work. as
always. Judy in Kansas, who is hoping for a nice rain.