Mig welding of Titanium

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I have been TIG and Plasma welding Titanium for a number of years (20) and have always heard that MIG welding of Ti could be done, has anyone had any luck with this process? I have tried this process a few times on Ti without good results fouled liners, tips, and major splatter just to name a few. Any suggestions.
Reply:Does anyone make titanium mig wire??MM350P/Python/Q300MM175/Q300DialarcHFHTP MIG200PowCon300SMHypertherm380ThermalArc185Purox oaF350CrewCab4x4LoadNGo utilitybedBobcat250XMT304/Optima/SpoolmaticSuitcase12RC/Q300Suitcase8RC/Q400Passport/Q300Smith op
Reply:Originally Posted by DesertRider33Does anyone make titanium mig wire??
Reply:Not that I have ANY experience with this, but CO2 is usually some part of the gas that is used with MIG, and I would expect it to be too reactive for Ti.
Reply:Originally Posted by SupeYes.If you can buy it in cut lengths, you can almost always buy it in spools.
Reply:Found one.  Washington Alloy/US Alloy advertises on their website they sell titanium mig wire, though you have to call them to find out anything more about it.MM350P/Python/Q300MM175/Q300DialarcHFHTP MIG200PowCon300SMHypertherm380ThermalArc185Purox oaF350CrewCab4x4LoadNGo utilitybedBobcat250XMT304/Optima/SpoolmaticSuitcase12RC/Q300Suitcase8RC/Q400Passport/Q300Smith op
Reply:Don't know anything about it besides some third hand stories. Out of interest were you welding in a chamber or did you set up a diffuser and trailing shield?Only info i'm aware of on the process... http://www.twi.co.uk/psg/review.jsp?id=3
Reply:It is almost certainly special order if you can because from what i remember it is like $200 a pound or something ridiculous.  Plus I wouldn`t think a whole lot of people would have a need for such a thing. There is a place around here that welds 1/4" and it is all done in a bubble if possible or at the least with a trailing edge on the torch w/TIG. It may be too sensitive a material for MIG.
Reply:I have a friend who welds titanium small tubing assemblies for aircraft.  He tigs it inside a chamber with a positioner.  Chamber looks kinda like a sand blast cabinet with gloves connected to the cabinet you put your hands into to reach inside and weld.  Doesn't look like much fun to me.MM350P/Python/Q300MM175/Q300DialarcHFHTP MIG200PowCon300SMHypertherm380ThermalArc185Purox oaF350CrewCab4x4LoadNGo utilitybedBobcat250XMT304/Optima/SpoolmaticSuitcase12RC/Q300Suitcase8RC/Q400Passport/Q300Smith op
Reply:Originally Posted by RugermanI have been TIG and Plasma welding Titanium for a number of years (20) and have always heard that MIG welding of Ti could be done, has anyone had any luck with this process? I have tried this process a few times on Ti without good results fouled liners, tips, and major splatter just to name a few. Any suggestions.
Reply:Originally Posted by DesertRider33I have a friend who welds titanium small tubing assemblies for aircraft.  He tigs it inside a chamber with a positioner.  Chamber looks kinda like a sand blast cabinet with gloves connected to the cabinet you put your hands into to reach inside and weld.  Doesn't look like much fun to me.
Reply:High production Ti work sounds like a contradiction in terms. Production run of mountain bikes perhaps?City of L.A. Structural; Manual & Semi-Automatic;"Surely there is a mine for silver, and a place where gold is refined. Iron is taken from the earth, and copper is smelted from ore."Job 28:1,2Lincoln, Miller, Victor & ISV BibleDanny
Reply:Sorry fellas got a little busy and forgot about this post. Still not having much luck. I have gone to a teflon coated liner seemed to help some, still having major spatter issues and wire walk. I will try to keep you updated on my progress. We are a code shop do alot of vessels and piping in Ti and are trying to speed the process a little.
Reply:Hello Rugerman, I have been to Teledyne Wah Chang in Albany, Ore. they do have mig of TI going on there. It is however, very proprietary, we were not even allowed to watch the process, only the results. Know that doesn't help for you necessarily, so you'll likely have to keep plugging away at it by yourself. Best regards, Allanaevald
Reply:According to my txt book from school it can be done.  You need to use a really pure inert gas.  Side shielding must be used, and a backing gas.  it also states that the wire must be kept extremely clean and stored in a bag or container to keep dirt off of it.  It says the weld and heat affected zone should be kept shielded until the temp is below 500 F.Maybe welding with a spool gun would help eliminate any wire contamination ?I dunno
Reply:The guys at Litespeed (in Tennessee) sure know how to weld titanium, although it's definately TIG, not MIG. I talk to their tech desk occasionally, next time I'm going to ask him about the welding process. Attached ImagesJohnLincoln TIG 185Lincoln MIG SP-180TLincoln AC/DC tombstone
Reply:titanium need helium and in/out shielding...? I have a couple of titanium/ aluminium tube... that I might practice Unit in my fab shop dept:my good hand and team that trust me...A lone welder make art... a village full of welder make Miracles...
Reply:Titanium does not like to be heated quickly. It is more like stianless steel or nickle. I do not like MIG on stainless and I doubt I would like it for titanium.        Sincerely,             William McCormick
Reply:Originally Posted by William McCormick JrTitanium does not like to be heated quickly. It is more like stianless steel or nickle. I do not like MIG on stainless and I doubt I would like it for titanium.        Sincerely,             William McCormick
Reply:what are you welding that you want to use mig on? I have used some 1/8 rod for tig but never tried mig and I honestly think it would be a disaster waiting to happen. having worked with Ti a fair bit I think it may be a wash in time to mig weld everything when you look at all the extra time you would have to take to set up a trailing purge to keep it covered. I have seen Ti mig wire in person. a shop that i worked at bought a spool of 'mig' wire because it was cheaper that buying the 'tig' wire and we just cut it off the spool and used it to tig with.litespeed is one of the few Ti bicycle builders that does their frames with a single pass as opposed to a fusion and filler passes like moots, seven and the like. not a big difference structurally but the double pass seems to look a little cleaner. as far as i know nobody welds Ti bikes in a chamber but they do use a variety of different widgets to keep the back purge in tight spots like the seat stay cluster.Last edited by quasi; 02-06-2010 at 01:15 PM.
Reply:I've seen wire fed automated TIG welders weld stainless, I'd imagine it could be adapted to some for of TIG/MIG hybrid, but it seems like straight TIG would be far easier.