chamfer tungsten

[Rocketmachinist]

I have to just chamfer some 1.750 by .375 bar stock of high grade tungsten. I don't have to put a big chamfer on it. I have a feeling this stuff is going to eat up my tooling in no time flat.

 

Should I send this job out to someone who has a grinder?

[Eric@HorsepowerInc.]

Can't say I've ever turned or milled it, but I know from Tig welding it will tear up the grinding wheel when sharpening tungsten. Not sure if this is similar grade stuff your looking at, just my 2c.

[crazy^millman]

I guess my question would be is it pre-sintered or have it been sintered to make it hard? If it is hard then I think a diamond wheel would be your best bet. Places use these type of wheels when they are dealing with his type of material that I have seen work with it.

 

HTH

[Allan]

Sintering would only come into play when combined with Carbide.

Carbide by itself does not hold together so a binder is required Tungsten is used as that binder because it has the highest melting point of all metals (also why it is used for the filament of an incandescent light bulb)

Sintered parts are shaped by a die; powdered metal is put into the die and squeezed the part will fall apart if rough handled (think greenware as in ceramics) and would never be machined in this state.

 

I believe your Tungsten will come as bar stock about 20to30  Rc it is normally about 90% Tungsten with nickel and or copper added for machinability.

Machining will most likely be abrasive so with the right speed/feed you should be fine cutting with carbide.

 

 

Allan

 

[Matthew Hajicek - Singularity]

We're making core pins from Anviloy, which is a tungsten alloy.  It's kind of hard, but turns ok with the right inserts.  It's important to know what alloy and condition your material is.