I'm having problems grinding titanium for liners, mainly profiling them. I find it particularly hard on belts, I start with a new 60 grit belt and after profiling one set of liners the belt is useless. Belt speed is approximately 3000 sfm but I can make it run faster and/or slower.
Has anybody go any info. of the correct procedure?

Regards from Australia.

Neil,
I usually spend a bit more time on the bandsaw, cutting as close to the line as possible.If you use a fine tooth blade and have a flat peice of wood on the saw table(make a cut part way through the wood,this supports the thin material and helps stop the chatter.)it is a lot easier to cut and it does not wreck your blades as quick.
I have also found that if I use finer belts(about 120 grit) they sem to last longer.Also do not use as much pressure as you normally would,let the belt do the work.
Hope this is of some help.

P.S.
Are you coming to the show in Brisbane.
Doug

Another thing you might consider is ceramic belts (if you are not using them already).

Thanks Doug, I use a fine tooth bimetal blade on the bandsaw and have no problems cutting the stuff only grinding it, I'll try a 120 grit belt and see how I go.
I already use 3M ceramic belts Don and whilst they are an improvement they are expensive down here.
Unfortunately I have no stock made (only orders) so I will be unable to make Brisbane, these orders have thrown my plans out and I'm desperately trying to get some stock together for future shows.

Regards from Australia.

They're expensive here too <BG> I get maybe 3 sets of liners out of a 60g 3M ceramic. Something I did find was with a fresh belt, using my contact wheel, i make a "close" grind up to my lines using the edge of the belt. Once they are all profiled close, I move to the center of the belt where it's still fresh and run my grind lengthwise with the liners right down to the line. Ti's rough on everything I've found so far. At $7 ++ for a belt, make em last as long as I can, but the minute I start fighting it, I ditch it for a new belt. The few times I've hurt myself on a grinder, it's usually been trying to get a little more grind out of a dull belt. It ain't worth it.

Everybody else been doing OK? Fine here.

Hi down there
Many years a go I worked for De Haviland and we were just getting in to Ti we would use a nibbler to go right to the line then just clean it up.
No wishing to be rude but a nibbler is a cutter that you can profile with a bit like a small guillotine. you can use a harden steel blank pin the ti to it and wiss round quick stroke with a file and you had the shape.
funy how these things come back a!
all the best
Alan

This is going to sound ridiculous, but I was having the same problem wearing out belts on ti, so I thought I would try my regular bench grinder. With a 6" medium grit AO wheel I can grind ti faster and with less heat buildup than with the belts.Of course it still heats up but not as much and as quick. I grind it as close as I can to the lines ,and then finish the rest with the belt grinder. ALso the wheel last a lot longer than the belts. It works for me. Although someone else may not like this method. Anyway I hope it helps. I,m new at this and just passing on what helps me.
Roland

Ti is so funny. I have a worn bandsaw blade that doesn't cut steel anymore, but eats through the Ti like butter...you just can't pause or it will surface harden. I also use worn belts to profile it...I have found that new belts give me no cutting advantage.

Nothing wrong with using that ole hard rock grinder:) It sure does save a lot on the belts. I cut my liners using a 14tpi running at high speed, can't cut anything else with it after cutting ti but it will run a long time before it plays out. Some call it friction cutting but it works pretty good for me and its fast. I then rough grind close to the lines using a hard rock grinding wheel. It will leave a lot of burrs but then I go to the belt kinda of like Jason does and start on the edges of the belt then gradually work to the center. I can usually get about five or six sets of liners to a belt this way.

Hi Neil! I have found that if I slow my machine back to say 40% output- I have the one horsepower D. C. size and stay consciouse of the grinding presure that I use.What I mean by that is too much pressure will case the titanium to melt and form minute droplet coverings on the sandpaper crystals. I start with used 60 grit ceramic belts. I find the speed setting most important. Less pressure more time. Regards and expect you will find the way .Frank Niro.

Thanks gents, I've taken that all on board.

Regards from Australia.

I agree with Frank, I use my wood cutting band saw with an old wore plum out wood blade to cut my titanium & run it at the same speed I cut my wood at; It screems so you need to use ear plugs but it cuts like butter, then I use a 60 grit ceramic belt & turn my speed down to about 40%, it cuts good. I found that if I ran my belt speed too high, it would glaze my belts over & also roll a lip on the titanium that is kinda hard to get off. I do all my grinding, through all the different grits on the 40% speed. I'll shut up now, Also enjoyed seeing everyone & the Hammer in at Johnny Stouts this past weekend. Later, Dwayne