Anyone ever tried machining their own titanium parts?

[ljamesb]

I've been looking for a really long titanium stem bolt for a quill stem (m6x150mm) and they are so expensive/hard to find. This got me thinking back to my school design+technology classes when we tapped threads onto a steel rod using a tap and dye set or a lathe. I found that you can buy a grade 5 titanium rod (6mmx150mm) for only like £4 off ebay.

Could it be as easy as threading both ends of one of these titanium rods with a titanium coated tap and die bit, then epoxy glueing an allen key nut (female nut with allen key socket) to one end? The result would basically be a custom length titanium bolt.

Tap and die set

Allen key nut thing

Could it really be this simple? Same would surely also work for making your own titanium wheel skewers. Perhaps it would mangle the dye part though, but provided it's able to survive one or two uses, that would be okay since a new one is only a couple of quid.

 

[syncrosfan]

I have modified standard titanium M8 V-brake mounting bosses to fit in my Look Fournales M6 mounts. Machining down the outer diameter to proper size and length on the lathe was super easy (go slow RPM, lots of coolant). Re-taping them with a die (not so much). They do make specialized dies for titanium but those are expensive (defeating the whole purpose of making your own cheap parts). I used a decent quality Snap-on die and got the parts done but wrecked it in the process (fair enough the die was not mint, has been used a few times in the shop so I didn't care if I destroy it, which I did). If you're willing to wreck a couple of cheap dies in the process it's possible. Starting the thread is a b**ch! You will sweat and swear a lot in the process. Generally threads on parts you can buy are cut on a lathe or rolled which is a different process than cutting them by hand.
Possible? Yes. Pain in the arse? You bet! Have fun!

 

[FluffyChicken]

BiiTD i remeber it was a big pain just to but a normal seatbolt size down to length and also to file down the cap on a stem bolt to fit in a old style syncros quill stem.

good luck threading a bar.

 

[ljamesb]

Re:

Cheers for the info for the lathe. A mate of mine does use a machine shop at a car maker in the midlands which is close-by. He might be able to help me out with a couple of parts if I fail miserably by hand.

So do you mean you succesfully tapped some ti by hand? Or did you use a die+lathe for all of it? I figured it would be very tough to do by hand, but since I'll only be making one bolt, I can probably bear the pain (I hope) .

I've already got a tap and die set and some anti-seize compound which I've read works well for machining titanium. The titanium rod I'd buy is slightly longer than I need. I think I'll use that to my advantage and grind down a cm each end to a taper. I think this may make starting it off a little easier. Then just trim off the tapered excess part.

 

[ljamesb]

BiiTD i remeber it was a big pain just to but a normal seatbolt size down to length and also to file down the cap on a stem bolt to fit in a old style syncros quill stem.

good luck threading a bar.

I think you may need to use a new hacksaw blade . As it happens, just this morning I cut a Ti seatpost bolt down to size and it took less than a minute to cut through (27g saved off the bike thank you very much ). I used a full size hacksaw with a recently replaced blade and this definitely helped. I started with a pretty dull junior hacksaw because it was closer. Was getting nowhere so went to find the other one and it made short work of the bolt.

I did find it really difficult to file down the sharp edge though. I reckon it took 10 times longer than it would have with a steel bolt.

 

[FluffyChicken]

Re:

junior hacksaw was used here, it was new but very quickly dull. i'd probably be able to do it better now i'm older and would lube it up, i still haev the two bolts somewhere, but the seatbinder bolt rounded of in the allen head. torx would be much better now.

 

[02gf74]

I doubt it. Id go as far as to suggest you dont waste any more on trying to make your own in the manner suggested. Ti is very hard, you would need a die for Ti, if such things exist, and it wont br cheap. Cutting a thread that runs true aint easy either. Most of the Ti bokts on ebay are cut but lathe.

Glueing on a nut? Doubt that'll be stong enough.

I would suggest contacting probolt, seem to recall they can make custom bolts, if they do i predict you are looking at £ 30. (That is my guess)

Btw whats the best price youve found?

 

[02gf74]

Looks like these peeps make ti bolts, if not then they supply bolts cheaper than quite a few ebay chinese sellers. Worth contacting them

http://www.competitionfasteners.com/

 

[Rampage]

Yes.

 

[Rampage]

General turning and milling is easy enough as long as it's kept cool and your using rigid equipment. Drilling can be slow and painful, threading can be a pain too. Grade 2 is pretty easy to use. I have some here that is very difficult to thread.

Some bolts here, ask them if they can make a longer one. Or just use the. 130mm one and cut the quill down a bit.

http://www.torontocycles.com/Selling/Ti ... Bolts.html