TITANIUM DIGGER

[Frankn]

Well, Frank.. It was the thought that counts!!

Now, if there was only a titanium printer, you would be an instant millionair.
Frank...-

 

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[Number9]

Made by hand would take awhile to make a bunch..but if ever want an investor

Mike

I didn't keep up with the time it took to make it.. it was in spare time over a three week period.
Even if you had the right equipment and supply of metal.. it wouldn't be worth the investment for the number you could sell.
The 4"x 8" piece on eBay was $30.. that's about $1 per square inch. I would say a new 48"x 96"x 1/8" sheet of Grade 5 would cost in the range of $8,000 or $9,000.. maybe more?

 

[BC1969]

holy cow! I had no idea titanium was so pricey! is 1/4 inch to thick to work ?

 

[BC1969]

lemme borrow it! I'll take it to where I worked for a long time and carburize it, plenty of titanium in those furnaces, since beaver aerospace is their biggest customer. can do wonders in there. I left after the trichloroethylene degreaser caught fire and nearly killed me, one breath of that vapor = bad news 2 breaths = dead.

Mike

 

[Higgy]

Number 9: I used to make knives for a living, and I can say that you do fine work, sir!

 

[Number9]

lemme borrow it! I'll take it to where I worked for a long time and carburize it, plenty of titanium in those furnaces, since beaver aerospace is their biggest customer. can do wonders in there. I left after the trichloroethylene degreaser caught fire and nearly killed me, one breath of that vapor = bad news 2 breaths = dead.

Mike

I don't think it will wear down to fast? My pick/mattock and shovel has survived over the years and was used mostly in rocky conditions.
Titanium is like stainless.. it's hard to lubricate and easy to gall under a bearing load.
I know Oak Ridge Labs were working on different methods of carburized titanium for biomedical and aerospace...
I don't think any research was done on digging tools!?

 

[BC1969]

probably not, sure its tough and can't imagine how tough it would be with carburizing, alot of what they do is landing gear components, some loads are in the furnaces upwards of two weeks, but that's adding between 0.180 to .0231 of carbon.
kinda miss doing that work, was always exciting quenching a load of 12 cylinder caterpillar camshafts, watching something that's at 2850 degrees contact water..weeeee lol. all things considered, that's cold compared to the salt pots.

Mike

 

[CincinnatiKid]

Superior metal work!
Wish Ida viewed vid years ago. Would have saved many drill bits.
Have you considered marketing your "diggers"? Lesche and Garrett stock would drop.
Great vid. Most folks would begin with a 1/2" hole.
Best of luck
Peace

 

[BC1969]

I agree with that above, for a tool that would become a heirloom that could be passed along the generations, heck I'd pay two hundred for one, probably more if heat treated/annealed as I mentioned above.

Mike

 

[Number9]

Superior metal work!
Wish Ida viewed vid years ago. Would have saved many drill bits.
Have you considered marketing your "diggers"? Lesche and Garrett stock would drop.
Great vid. Most folks would begin with a 1/2" hole.
Best of luck
Peace

If I had a dollar for every mistake I've made in metal.. I could have retired 25 years ago!
I don't think Lesche and Garrett has anything to worry about.. takes to long making one by hand.
I can run just about any CNC equipment.. but the places I've worked wouldn't let me bring them home!
Starting with a 1/2" hole in Grade 5 just wouldn't happen on a small drill press!

Best at ya!
-Wayne