Re: tungsten alloys for SG electrodes?

["Tesla list" <tesla@xxxxxxxxxx>]

Original poster: "Edward Wingate" <ewing7@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>

Tesla list wrote:
>
> Original poster: "Finn Hammer" <f-h@xxxx>

> Now I chuck it in the battery drill press (hand drill? power driver?) and
> rotate it rather slowly, while gently introducing it to the belt sander. I
> start putting it square into the belt, when the surface is all ground even,
> tilt it relative to the belt to produce the rounding. The rotation in the
> drill chuck ensures that the surface you make is axially true, the belt
> does the actual grinding. It is easy to produce something that resembles a
> Rogowsky/Bruce profile, but even a spherical end is easy enough to make.
>
> If I explained this well, so that it is possible to visualize, then you`l
> all agree (now that none of us have that tool griding machine, bar Ed
> Wingate) that this is one helluwa fine way to make the electrodes.


Hi Finn, Greetings from across the pond.

Never said you needed a grinding machine for pure tungsten rod stock.
I've used a chop saw with abrasive cutoff blade and belt sander many
times to cut and size tungsten rod before I acquired my surface grinder.
A belt sander works just fine for tungsten. Good luck working tungsten
carbide on a belt sander!


My statement below:

"Tungsten carbide will work, but you pretty much have to find shapes
that will work for you without modification, unless you have access to a
wire EDM machine or grinder
equipped with a diamond impregnated rubber wheel and have lots of spare
time."

You do, however, absolutely need diamond wheels or an EDM machine for
tungsten carbide which is slightly less hard than diamond. I wanted to
make that clear, because people are still confusing pure tungsten and
tungsten carbide which are NOT the same material.

Ed Wingate RATCB



> Fast too!
>
> Cheers, Finn Hammer