Cutting titanium bolts?
03-05-12, 11:31 AM
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Cutting titanium bolts?
What's the best method/procedure for cutting titanium bolts to length? TIA
03-05-12, 11:35 AM
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Lathe and a diamond parting tool.......if you don't have those,a radiac wheel will work.Radiac wheels build heat fast,cool them(bolts) in water or you will take the temper out of the ends of them.
Last edited by Booger1; 03-05-12 at 11:40 AM.
03-05-12, 12:07 PM
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A Dremel with a cut-off wheel (the fiber reinforced ones are better and stronger) will also work well. As above, work slowly and keep the bolt cool with frequent dips in water.
03-05-12, 12:52 PM
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One of the first builders of a titanium frame used titanium stock that he drilled out. He was a stud. I wish I knew his methods.
03-05-12, 01:07 PM
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A regular rotary cutter with abrasive disk for cutting metal (slow and regular cooling as mentioned, it will wear faster* than cutting steel but it will cut it)
*if you cut 1000 steel bolts with this disk, you may be able to cut only 6-700 titanium bolts, so no biggie.
Leave the nut on the bolt while you cut it so you don't mess with the threads.
It's not like it's some alien space technology, Ti is a slightly stiffer metal than steel, with a bit less strength, less surface resistance, a bit more elastic so you need more pressure on the cut, more heat, etc. So with some patience any ordinary tool that cut steel, will cut Ti eventually.
*if you cut 1000 steel bolts with this disk, you may be able to cut only 6-700 titanium bolts, so no biggie.
Leave the nut on the bolt while you cut it so you don't mess with the threads.
It's not like it's some alien space technology, Ti is a slightly stiffer metal than steel, with a bit less strength, less surface resistance, a bit more elastic so you need more pressure on the cut, more heat, etc. So with some patience any ordinary tool that cut steel, will cut Ti eventually.
Last edited by Asi; 03-05-12 at 01:15 PM.
03-05-12, 06:34 PM
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03-05-12, 07:07 PM
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Be sure to put a nut on the bolt you're cutting so you can back it off and smooth out the last thread.
03-05-12, 10:32 PM
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And never forget to wear goggles (or better yet a face shield). The thin cut-off wheels can break apart sending high velocity shards right at you.
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