Hi John, and GT,
After 23 years of absence from that confounded metal I have tried to forget the problems that machining the early Titanium Alloys Presented.
The Metal was tough, stringy, soft, easily dented, penetration resistant, and abrasive to the cutting tools. The metal was easily galling, and in general a machinists nightmare.
I had the experience of band sawing 4ea Ã?¼” x 1” x 6” specimen blanks from the first piece of it to appear in the machine shop in the early 1950’s.
The cost was 2 complete coils of High Speed Do-All Band Saw Blades (50’ per coil @ 6 blades per coil) dulled to uselessness. Ten pounds of high-speed steel band saw blade destroyed in cutting just 4 ea 2 oz titanium specimens.
Things had improved substantially in the machinability of this material before I retired, but nothing has blunted the bad memories that remain in my mind of that first day and being called the one who needed a tool steel battleship to build a titanium airplane.
I agree with John, I cannot conceive that titanium will be useful in manufacturing a Luger Frame or any complex part that receives high impact stress.
ViggoG
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