Tungsten Alloy

[Neil WyattModerator @neilwyatt]

What about silver? The scrap rate for sterling silver is only about 28p/gram and you can mould it with minimal waste.

[duncan webster 1Participant @duncanwebster1]

Neil,

do you think I'm made of money? each one has a volume of 4804mm^3 which is 50 gms, £14, by the time I've allowed for machining that's going to be £20 each, £80 total. It's only 20% more dense than brass. You must have forgotten I'm from Yorkshire.

Comparing the Alibre model wit the real thing I realised that I had erred on the crankpins, so tonight's job was some precision application of the 2lb hammer to get the crankpins out and make some new ones from EN8. Good stuff this 3D modelling!

I ought to point out that the wheels are loctited to the axles, and the quartering is bang on, so I'm not inclined to take them off! Machining holes is possible I think using the horizontal spindle of the milling machine or even clamping them down on the lathe saddle, any profiling would be a lot more difficult.

 

 

 

Edited By duncan webster on 29/11/2018 23:26:24

[Jeff DaymanParticipant @jeffdayman43397]

I guess I won't suggest 22 g/cm^3 Iridium then, at $45000 / kg or 19.3 g/cm^3 gold at $36000 / kg…..

Google is wonderful, isn't it?

19.3 g/cm^3 Tungsten or 11.3 g/cm^3 lead might be in the Yorkshire style budget!

(the lead is what would be in my budget……maybe I had ancient ancestors from Yorkshire)

Edited By Jeff Dayman on 30/11/2018 02:01:25

Edited By Jeff Dayman on 30/11/2018 02:02:11

[David George 1Participant @davidgeorge1]

You could try tungsten Copper electrode material for spark erosion http://www.edm-consumables/edm-electrodes/cutg-bar.h for example other company's on internet.

David

[vintage engineerParticipant @vintageengineer]

F1 used to use mallory metal for crankshaft balance weights but now they use incapsulated DU.

[Nathan SharpeParticipant @nathansharpe19746]

Duncan, have you thought of Tungsten darts as your material source? Wrong shape but prices are low. With your skills you could find a workround? nathan.

[Roderick JenkinsParticipant @roderickjenkins93242]

I've just received a lump of copper tungsten alloy from here **LINK**

Took a couple of weeks to arrive. I calculate the density of my piece at 15.5. This is the only source I have found for small quantities at a "reasonable" price.

Rod

[not done it yetParticipant @notdoneityet]

Rod, unless there is a change in volume from the separate components, it would appear to be nearer 65/35 W/Cu. Lower down they quote 13.8g/cm^3 and indicate it as 70/30 Cu/W product. So it may be pot luck what actual density one might receive! So much for chinese products?

[Niels AbildgaardParticipant @nielsabildgaard33719]

Used carbide end-mills can be wire- sparked into strange forms and the scrap price is ca 10£ per kg.

Density is around 14.5

Edited By Niels Abildgaard on 14/12/2018 05:41:03

[Neil WyattModerator @neilwyatt]

Take care with the dust from machining tungsten.

Neil

[mechman48Participant @mechman48]

… And does anyone know why when I press return on this site the cursor goes back to the start of the document, not to the next line? I have to press shift/return…

I have the same issue… doesn't happen on other forums, e mails, word docs, et al, just on this site

George.

[not done it yetParticipant @notdoneityet]

Me, too.

I’m using an Ipad pro. Must try on my newly acquired old laptop. Logging in might be easier, too. The only site where it won’t load a saved password.

[Martin ConnellyParticipant @martinconnelly55370]

Duncan, did this get resolved? Tidying up I've just found a piece of tungsten copper 1/2" x 1" x 4" long that I found in a scrap bin at work some years ago. Kitchen scales say it's about 460g which works out to a density of about 14g/cc. Some shallow grooves on one side and some 3.5 dia holes about 3 deep on the other but plenty of usable material.

Martin C

[egaParticipant @ega]

Posted by Niels Abildgaard on 14/12/2018 05:40:23:

Used carbide end-mills can be wire- sparked into strange forms and the scrap price is ca 10£ per kg.

Density is around 14.5

Edited By Niels Abildgaard on 14/12/2018 05:41:03

I think the point may have been covered before but is there any convenient way today to re-cycle worn out or broken inserts?

I shall never have a kilo of these but a mickle and a mickle makes a muckle!

[Niels AbildgaardParticipant @nielsabildgaard33719]

Posted by ega on 21/12/2018 14:30:19:

 

I think the point may have been covered before but is there any convenient way today to re-cycle worn out or broken inserts?

I shall never have a kilo of these but a mickle and a mickle makes a muckle!

 

Please do not dispose it with your scrap steel.

Present crap steel made from scrap is lousy enough.

Edited By Niels Abildgaard on 21/12/2018 17:17:39

Edited By Niels Abildgaard on 21/12/2018 17:17:57

[Michael GilliganParticipant @michaelgilligan61133]

Posted by ega on 21/12/2018 14:30:19:

I think the point may have been covered before but is there any convenient way today to re-cycle worn out or broken inserts?

.

Realistically, I think the only thing we can do is grind them into smaller tool-bits.

The bulk dealers, however, can do something with them : **LINK**

https://www.mscdirect.com/betterMRO/metalworking/carbide-recycling

MichaelG.

[Ian S CParticipant @iansc]

I believe that safe manufacturers such as Chubb by used tungsten carbide to pack into the case of "Drill Proof" safes.

Ian S C

[egaParticipant @ega]

Posted by Michael Gilligan on 21/12/2018 17:42:56:

Posted by ega on 21/12/2018 14:30:19:

I think the point may have been covered before but is there any convenient way today to re-cycle worn out or broken inserts?

.

Realistically, I think the only thing we can do is grind them into smaller tool-bits.

The bulk dealers, however, can do something with them : **LINK**

https://www.mscdirect.com/betterMRO/metalworking/carbide-recycling

MichaelG.

Michael Gilligan:

Many thanks for the link. It seems that the bulk dealers will have a sufficient incentive not to be contaminating Niels' steel. I would guess that a great many blunt masonry bits are discarded and, unfortunately, it seems likely that a many of these end up as "steel" scrap.

[colin wilkinsonParticipant @colinwilkinson75381]

Duncan, On your doorstep.

https://www.viproducts.co.uk/index.htm

I used to work for Elmet Alloys in Grappenhall, manufacturers of tungsten/copper for the spark machining industry and switchgear manufacturers. It is not really an alloy, as the tungsten powder is pressed with wax, formed, then put in a furnace with a calculated weight of copper or silver on top and as the copper melts it is drawn in by capillary action into the tungsten matrix. Initial pressing determines the density of the tungsten/wax and thus the percentage of copper it will take in. When Elmet was absorbed into GEC power Engineering at Trafford Park, some staff started VIP at Woolston. Colin

[duncan webster 1Participant @duncanwebster1]

Colin, thanks, I'll try them after the Xmas break, but the one I tried earlier had a minimum order charge of £180, I'm not made of money!

 

Martin, thanks for the offer, at first sight I don't think it's big enough, when I get chance I'll draw it out and see if it could be used

Edited By duncan webster on 22/12/2018 22:39:55

Edited By duncan webster on 22/12/2018 22:42:03

[Dinosaur EngineerParticipant @dinosaurengineer]

I used to work for a company that made cancer radiotheropy treatment M/Cs( Linear accelerators) they used tairly large pieces of tungsten in their focusing tungsten autocollimators. A work colleague had two pieces of metal about 300mm x 150mm x 80mm . One piece was aluminium alloy and the other pure tungsten.. He would throw the alum. piece in the air & catch it and then hide it in in his desk drawer . He would then bring out the tungsten piece and place it on his desk top without any body noticing the switch. Sometimes visitors who saw the al. piece throwing and then seeing the machined tungsten piece on his desk would idly try to lift it up. Their reaction was often hilarious. When the visitor was leaving. the trick would be repeated whilst the visitor could still seeing the throwing action – all good fun ! The tungsten piece was allbut impossible to pick up vertically from the top of the desk, it had to slid to overlap the disk edge to get a grip. The M/CS were tested in lead lined (Much cheaper than lead) shelters and left for a period for any small radation levels to dissipate. Happy days.

[colin wilkinsonParticipant @colinwilkinson75381]

Duncan, explain what you want it for, pieces sometimes fail ultrasonic testing because of small voids in the matrix which is irrelevant for your application. Colin

[ChrisBParticipant @chrisb35596]

This seller on ebay might have something you want:

f:0″>https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Tungsten-Bucking-Bar-W-86-28-Ni-8-55-Fe-2-76-Co-2-41-1-160-kg/222999879107?hash=item33ebd41dc3:g:tp0AAOSwgStbEDPO:rk:29f:0

Tungsten blocks and bars, prices seem reasonable.

[Anonymous]

Posted by ChrisB on 23/12/2018 09:37:41:

This seller on ebay might have something you want:

I bought my tungsten alloy bar from the aforementioned seller. All bars were as described and pretty close to the density you'd expect from the stated composition.

My first order of a small bar for test purposes came quickly without any issues. The second, significantly larger, order got stuck in UK customs with notes to the effect that the import paperwork was incorrect. Overall delivery time was around 4 weeks and I got done for import duty.

Andrew

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