Melin Tool Company - melin carbide end mills
Saw cuttingtitanium
Both water cutting and laser cutting work well on titanium sheet and titanium plate. However, there may be reasons to choose one over the other.
Laser cutting can be defined as a cutting method with no direct contact to the material which uses energy concentration in the form of a beam of light to cut through the metal. The light beam is focused through a nozzle and melts the metal until eventually vaporizing it. Most common laser cutting machines used to cut titanium sheet are CO2 machines with nitrogen or oxygen as supporting gases.
Plasmacut titanium
Titanium sheet, as well as titanium plate, are great raw materials for applications that require high strength but lightweight components.
Only having used this tool a couple of times, I am completely satisfied with it's performance. I have used the bit to flush trim a few patterns in walnut and white oak. This bit moved right through the wood. The cut was very smooth. I am also happy that I will be able to turn / swap out the cutters.
Cuttingtitaniumwith angle grinder
I had previously been doing all my slab flattening on a home made sled. It worked ok and it got the job done, but it had many limitations, some of which I didn't even realize until I started using the SpeTool sled. The first issue was that it had too much flex in the wood rails and would sag when I tried flatting slabs larger than about 20" wide. The second issue was the mess it made in the shop. It was actually so bad that I would have to use it outside. The biggest draw back however, wasn't realized until I started using the SpeTool sled. With the SpeTool sled I was able to work the router with the grain down the long side of the Slab This was something that I couldn't really do with my homemade sled. Working with the grain produces a smoother surface and is less work in my opinion. Then when you add in the dust collection, I was able to work in my shop again. Now I am not going to say you won't need to vacuum when you are done, but the mess is drastically less than with no dust collection. Also, the aluminum rails are much stiffer than my wood ones and don't flex nearly as much over larger spans. I would absolutely put this kit at the top of my list if I was setting a small garage shop up for slab flattening. Rob @ RM Woodcraft llc
Cut titaniumwith hacksaw
When cutting titanium sheet and titanium plate to manufacture parts, water cutting and laser cutting are usually the best options. Of course, they have their own advantages and disadvantages. These are the most relevant.
For example, water cutting for titanium sheet and titanium plate makes more sense when cutting simple shapes, since it will be a more cost-effective and efficient approach.
Water cutting and laser cutting are two titanium sheet and titanium plate processing methods which have grown in popularity in recent years. Therefore, there are a couple of international standards which cover the best practices for these two processes.
This is an investment! That being said, if you only doing one slab, I would recommend DIY build or having someone professionally flatten your project. I would hazard a guess that you would be saving for a fifth of the cost of this rig. I bought the dust shield with vacuum hose attachment and was disappointed on a few levels. Firstly, it's a gimmick that falls short of its intended purpose and although it may cut down a little of the waste being scattered in the shop, it does not work as advertised. Do your slab flattening outside or you'llbe vacuuming for days. Secondly the hose port fit is not standard for any shop vac, so you'll be needing some type of adapter. As for the router sled itself, the build is sturdy, and it does work as intended. However there is the minimal clearance issue. Even at its lowest setting, I still had to raise the work piece as the plunge depth of routers are limited. Also expect to clear debris (constantly) from wheel path as it collects and will hinder the smoorh and level tracking of the wheels Overall, it works. But I'm thinking I should have opted for the bearing rail system. I gave it 3 stars because that's where it falls in the overall rating. Average! These are my opinions from my experience. Your millage may vary. If I could send it back without the hassle. I probably would. I don't have the box, and the return policy says everything has to be in original unused condition, which is impossible after use.
Howtocut titaniumring
TitaniumCutting Board
Water cutting, also known as water jet cutting, is a process that uses water at high pressure together with an abrasive element that is capable to cut through the metal. Common abrasive media include:
The best solution to the issues above when working with titanium sheet or titanium plate is using alternatives such as water cutting or laser cutting.
Titanium is similar to steel in when it comes to strength, but it can be around 40% lighter. And it has many other properties that make it the preferred choice for different manufacturers.
To better understand what are the differences between water and laser cutting, let’s take a look at the basic definitions of each method.
However, there are some issues that need to be taken into account when working with titanium sheet and titanium plate. Especially if you are thinking of milling these materials. The main considerations are:
However, the answer to which is best out of the two options is that it will depend on the application in hand and the resources available. Also, the need for complex geometries plays an important role.
Cuttingtitaniumby hand
Nevertheless, whenever in doubt, the best thing to do is to ask an expert before investing in water cutting or laser cutting of titanium sheet.
On the other hand, thanks to the high-precision that can be achieved with laser cutting, laser cutting will be a better idea when cutting very small holes on a titanium sheet or titanium plate. It is not that water cutting will not achieve it, but it will be harder and might not meet tight tolerances.
However, while water cutting can achieve results when cutting a titanium sheet or titanium plate in a more complex shape, the process will take very long. In this case, laser cutting is a better option. Initial costs may be higher for laser cutting, but a reduction in operational costs will compensate that initial investment.