Help in cutting/drilling/turning tungsten

Use carbide tools with sharp edges and positive rake. Try 300 sfm.

ff

Steve, Use carbide tooling with positive rake. It can be parted off with HSS but run it real slow. It will come as a sintered rod and the chips will be powder. It breaks easily if bent. It can be tapped with HSS taps. Be careful when tapping, advancing the tap slowly and feeling for tap dulling. ERS

My friend Cam (King Custom Clubs in Saskatoon, Canada, my partner in Gingery casting and machine building) have discussed this. Tungsten is available in powder form, which we felt could be mixed with epoxy to make a heavy castable gunk. Mold as required. It would likely be less dense than a Tungsten rod, which could be epoxied into a hole. We've also discussed pouring Aluminum heads with Tungsten inserts embedded in the casting, but I digress .....

Dave

There are special "easy to machine" alloys that are nearly as dense as the pure stuff. They have copper in them. Tungsten work hardens very easily. If you need to make a cut, don't dawdle.

Doug White

Thanks for the help, looks like I will buy a carbide cutoff tool and try with HSS drills, if necessary I will get a carbide drill bit.

BTW, the friend is talking about making them to sell now, so the volume is going up!

Thanks, Steve

Steve,

I've done quite a bit of work with HD-17 Tungsten. The cutoffs I used were Iscar carbide inserts or Etco. Both worked extremely well. Cobalt drills hold up well. It machines well, but is a little pricey. You should be able to make do with what you've got.

Matt