Cutting , working with tungsten

[arkangel06]

anyone here have any sudgestions on cutting tungsten can you get a plasma that can do it for thin stuff (500ths)

how about a 1.5'' thick brick

and can you run it on a lathe
also can you weld it ?

 

[fingers99]

An aweful lot is going to depend on the alloy. Pure tungsten can be cut with a hacksaw (apparently) but is very brittle.

Some stuff here and on Wikipedia.

What are you trying to do?

 

[arkangel06]

well im thinking 90% plus alloy
Im making bucking bars

when riviting aircraft you need a rivet gun and somone in the buck of the rivet to flatten it out I have many steel bars in various shapes and sizes but tungsten is great so much denser then steel so you only have to handle smaller peices i eather want to make a few different shapes heres a link so you kind of know what im talking about

http://www.yardstore.com/browse.cfm/2,328.html i want to get them really really cheap so making them myself i hope will be cheaper

 

[fingers99]

I'd heard of tungsten being used for that.

Really not sure. I'd guess it would machine OK with the right tooling (the only uses I know of it apart from yours and lightbulbs are TIG electrodes and darts), I think it oxidises fairly easily (and I'm not sure of the properties of the oxide), so maybe pretending it was Titanium would be the way to go.

 

[arkangel06]

ok what tooling can i use and how can i cut it ?

 

[fingers99]

Only references I have are the Wikipedia and that tungsten association link. Really is a specialised area. I'd guess that carbide tools would work it OK.

 

[arkangel06]

thanks