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

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

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...

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
  >
  >
  >