captainchaos

Anyone on here have any experience welding titanium properly? I know it requires a special gas shielding unlike welding aluminum. While trailering my project back and forth the sato titanium kickstand cracked around the weld at the top where it bolts to the bike. I called sato and it's no longer available. Im really trying to shy away of doing this type of thing through the mail anymore but if any of the better known folks on here can do it and have any idea how much it might cost please let me know. I'm picking the bike back up tomorrow and I'll be able to take some pics if needs be of the side stand. Thanks.

RCVTR

We used to do a lot of titanium welding back when I was designing carbon sailboat masts and rigging.

We had an amazing fabricator, named Nacho that made it look easy.

There was nothing special about welding titanium. Standard argon shielding is all that's required. Any good TIG welder with some Ti 6Al-4V wire should be able to do it. You may have to find the wire for him, but there is nothing particular about the process.

A MIG welder would work too, but it may be hard to find anyone with a spool of Ti 6Al-4V wire.

Ti 6Al-4V is the standard Grade 5 high-strength structural titanium alloy. I'm about 99.8% sure that's what your side stand is made from.

captainchaos

Ok cool thanks. I read the difference was that the argon shield was required on BOTH sides of the weld to prevent contamination, so it's done in a chamber-similar to a bead blasting cabinet. Otherwise it can result in a brittle weld that can break. I was able to find a shop near me that advertises online their ability to weld titanium properly. Spoke to them too and I'm going to check them out next week. They have lots of pics of custom fabbed aircraft and helicopter parts etc so I have some hope. Most of the welding shops around here build fences and **** lol.

RCVTR

We built a fabricated titanium headstay lug for the Team GBR America's Cup yacht. It was unbelievably light and thin and designed to a maximum 160,000 lbs headstay load.

I watched Nacho cut and bend and fit and weld. He just did it in open air, with his TIG welder and a regular argon shield. Not saying that a full argon atmosphere would not be better, but I know it didn't break. I also know the safety margins are pretty thin for America's Cup rigs. And the rigging loads are like nothing else. But Nacho is truly a phenominal fabricator. He probably had tricks up his sleeve that were not visible to the casual observer.

Sounds like your on track. Good luck!

Circuit_Burner

Purging is an option, but not mandatory for TIG welding Ti.
Purging or using a chamber of course will make a pure weld, but mostly you can bench weld and use a single Argon purge hose to flood the backside while you run the flow at around 20CFM on the torch side.
Use high frequency for start and run. Its a lot like aluminum when welding.
If you havent done any aluminum yet, forget it.

captainchaos

I took a tig class last summer. Actually most all I did was aluminum. Tried a little steel, and I'm glad I did it that way instead of the other way around. I wasn't intending to try it myself though. Unfortunately I haven't had to time or money to get a good machine of my own and continue learning. Eventually I will, then grow a beard and never leave the garage I think welding is fascinating. I wish a few more of you guys that know what the hell you're doing were closer. It's seems like so many people in my area claim to know what they're doing but it's really had to find mechanics, welders, electricians, whatever who REALLY know what they're doing. I guess they're out there but it's a frustrating, expensive, time consuming process weeding out the idiots. Thanks for your help guys.

j shizzy wizzy

My weld instructor told me the way to do it was to weld in a argon saturated environment. so the bead blast cabinet idea is what I have been told too.