Re: Cutting Tungsten - Was: Electrodes (Re: Tungsten Rod)

["Tesla list" <tesla-at-pupman-dot-com>]

Original poster: "marc metlicka by way of Terry Fritz <twftesla-at-qwest-dot-net>" <mystuffs-at-orwell-dot-net>



Tesla list wrote:
 >
 > Original poster: "Mccauley, Daniel H by way of Terry Fritz 
<twftesla-at-qwest-dot-net>" <daniel.h.mccauley-at-lmco-dot-com>
 >
 > Don't waste your time trying to cut tungsten.  Tungsten is an extremely
 > brittle material, so take advantage of that.
 > Just use a small triangular file or similar, and file a very small notch in
 > the tungsten rod.
 > After that, simply secure the rod in a vice, and use a hammer to break it at
 > the notch.  Very precise, VERY QUICK,
 > and much more easier than trying to actually cut through it with something.
 > Afterwords, just use a flat file to remove any burrs etc...

yes, but a "green cup wheel spun in a drill press or drill in vice with
the carbide in a drill will round the arcing surface nicely.
any sharp edges, no mater how minute will excite electron transfer
prematurely,
Marc M.


 >
 > Dan
 >
 > A  cut-off disk by dremmel is about the best I have found to cut  tungsten
 > and carbide with limited problems. Take your time, feed slow, hold steady.
 >      Robert  H
 > --
 >
 >   > From: "Tesla list" <tesla-at-pupman-dot-com>
 >   > Date: Sun, 01 Dec 2002 19:04:14 -0700
 >   > To: tesla-at-pupman-dot-com
 >   > Subject: Re: Electrodes (Re: Tungsten Rod)
 >   > Resent-From: tesla-at-pupman-dot-com
 >   > Resent-Date: Sun, 1 Dec 2002 19:06:47 -0700
 >   >
 >   > Original poster: "Terry Fritz" <twftesla-at-qwest-dot-net>
 >   >
 >   > Hi,
 >   >
 >   > McMaster-Carr has tungsten alloy (90W 6%Ni 4% Cu) rod at:
 >   >
 >   >
 > http://www.mcmaster-dot-com/cgi/loadpage.cgi?pagenum=3357&catnum=108&forceFormat
 > =P
 >   > DF
 >   >
 >   > Or try
 >   >
 >   > http://www.mcmaster-dot-com/
 >   >
 >   > and search on tungsten. Its the top ones for "high density tungsten
 > carbide
 >   > rods"or try to get to page 3357.
 >   >
 >   > They have from 1/8th inch to 2 inches in diameter (for larger coils
 >   > :o)))  It says it is "machinable", but I imagine it is darn tough!
 >   >
 >   > 12 inch long 1/4 inch rod goes for $38.00  12 inches of 2 inch rod sets
 > you
 >   > back $790.
 >   >
 >   > They "say" the melting point is 2012F (maybe they meant C?) which seems
 >   > kind of low.  Pure tungsten is 6192F.  I think these rods are made in an
 >   > odd powered sintered process so maybe the melting point is low.  I could
 >   > not find melting point information in a quick net search.
 >   >
 >   > The tungsten bare drill rods have very low tungsten content, but maybe
 > that
 >   > is the material Marc had so much luck with?  That is what they use for
 >   > cutting tools on page 3359.  With an R/C harness of 44/66, good luck
 >   > cutting it ;-))  I imagine that is well within the EDM, waterjet, plasma
 >   > cutting territory, although, a cobalt tipped hack saw may have a small
 >   > chance.  Cobalt rod I know will just shatter (guess how I know that ;-))
 >   >
 >   > Cheers,
 >   >
 >   > Terry
 >   >
 >   >
 >   > At 08:16 PM 12/1/2002 -0500, you wrote:
 >   >> Way back Marc Metlicka had some nice tungsten carbide electrodes for
 >   >> sale.  There are pics at:
 >   >>
 >   >> http://www.fortunecity-dot-com/meltingpot/syria/1210/1c120580.jpg
 >   >>
 >   >> Anyone know where to get anything like this?  A bulk buy, maybe?
 >   >>
 >   >> - Bill Vanyo
 >   >>
 >   >> Tesla list wrote:
 >   >>>
 >   >>> Original poster: "Dave Leddon by way of Terry Fritz
 >   >> <twftesla-at-qwest-dot-net>" <leddon-at-attbi-dot-com>
 >   >>>
 >   >>> After firing up the old SRSG with a pig for the first time, it quickly
 >   >>> became apparent that 1/8 inch tungsten electrodes just weren't going
 > to get
 >   >>> it, so I'm now trying to locate a source of ¼ inch tungsten rod.
 > McMaster
 >   >>> has some tungsten/carbide rod listed but I don't know how suitable 
this
 >   >>> would be compared to pure tungsten.  Any thoughts or suggestions for
 >   >>> sources and materials would be appreciated.
 >   >>>
 >   >>> Dave
 >   >
 >   >
 >   >