Titanium does not Solder

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Having Soldered eyeglass Frames for over 25 years, using amixture of Oxygen and Butane, applying a little flux and usingTen Carat gold solder, I now have a new material to deal withand it's Titanium...Titanium eyeglass frames will not solder, orfuse together in any way...... Calls around with questions sayit can't be done....The maufacturer says they use a laser....Can I buy a Laser?....No they say...the priceis beyond my reach.........Unless someone has a trick to connect togethertwo pieces of Titanium (usually no more than 2 millimeters thick)I will resolve myself to say... It can't be done...
Reply:oh yes it can... you could "fuse" it with a itsybitsy tungestion and a tig welder...never say never...  ...zap!I am not completely insane..Some parts are missing Professional Driver on a closed course....Do not attempt.Just because I'm a  dumbass don't mean that you can be too.So DON'T try any of this **** l do at home.
Reply:...and some practice im sure
Reply:Titanium can indeed be brazed, it just requires the use of a vacuum furnace, and if you can't afford the laser, then you sure ain't gonna want to spring for the vacuum furnace.Zap is right, titanium can be fused with TIG.  Just make sure you use a gas lens, and set your post flow for like 20 or 30 seconds.  Hot titanium reacts with air to form a brittle, sensitive surface known as alpha case.  Once this case forms, the relatively ductile titanium will fracture like glass, especially considering the thin cross sections you're dealing with on eyeglass frames.I r 2 a perfessional
Reply:Thats why I wear the big ol' black frames with the piece of tape in the middle for character....LOL, never have to fix em.Miller blue star 2eLincoln 175
Reply:A second option to Fix that Big old black plastic frame is a band aid.....Just wrap it real tight.....I am off to price a Tig welder, Small slice of tungeston, anda gas lens.........
Reply:Check and see if your local college has a jewelery dept titanium is in vouge at the momment and they may be able to help. Mark
Reply:Now I have never...I repeat NEVER done any titanium welding (when the titanium parts on my dad's tractor breaks, we just buy new ones)...but, why should that stop me from rendering an opinion, right?Why not get one of those micro tigs...I have occasionally seen them on ebay, but I don't know what they went for...but, they weld UP TO about 25-50 amps and are adjustable below 1 amp.  You could fix up a simple inexpensive purge chamber for something as small as eyeglass frames...maybe even out of a little old aquarium or something.  Those frames had to be welded by someone, otherwise how do they get them little nose dohickies on them?!Orphan68 used to tig weld using a microscope on teenie tiny stuff.  I bet he would be a good person to ask for something like this.Smithboy...if it ain't broke, you ain't tryin'.
Reply:Nose doohickies on mine are resistance spot welded.  But I don't think going out and buying a 'lil Unitek spot welder is going to help Short, takes a lot of prep and just the right parameters to spot weld Titanium.  I'll stick with TIGI r 2 a perfessional
Reply:LasikMiller blue star 2eLincoln 175
Reply:Fearcity has the answer.  We just couldn't see the forest for the trees...maybe we need glasses...plastic rim glasses.Smithboy...if it ain't broke, you ain't tryin'.
Reply:Since I am still checking on my TIG purchase........forthis titanium fix...The first question that Came up is  CANI use a DC only Machine......If NOT..... I can purchase anECONO TIG  which switches between AC and DC...... and thisEcono Tig is made by MILLER.....
Reply:I think I've read that titanium uses a dc process, doesn't it fellas?Smithboy...if it ain't broke, you ain't tryin'.
Reply:For Titanium, you're gonna want to use DCSP, make sure you use pure argon, use a gas lens, and set your post flow to at least 20 seconds.  If you've dont it right, there should be a shiny surface to the weld puddle, and possibly some light brown discoloration adjacent to the weld.  That's normal.  If your weld is blue or dark brown, you don't have adequate gas shielding, and you'll get a brittle weld.Good luck!I r 2 a perfessional
Reply:So Far Great. I can Use a DC only Machine.  The local weldingsupply recommends for this specific project a MILLER Maxstar 150Tig machine...A portable Unit...This Maxstar 150 Has two models...The STL  provides Basic features for most DC TIG or Stick welding, andthe Model STH which provides HF start for Non-contact TIG arc starts andbuilt in pulsing allowing four fixed pulse frequencies...Hmmm  whilewondering which unit I should buy I decide to re-read all these posts andI see that KBNIT says to be sure to set the post flow at about20 to 30 seconds....I then Change to the Manufacturer Productforums and READ Under MILLER and then read the postthat is titled  Maxstar 150 pre/post flow adjustment....One answerto that question states the Maxstar 150 Post flow is NON-ADJUSTABLE.Now I am thinking I should not buy the The Maxstar 150 in anyversion at all......
Reply:And I should also say...That ONE of the main reasons the localwelding supply recommended the Maxstar 150 is because of a lowwelding amperage range of 5-150.... They said I would need that.
Reply:If the Maxstar 150 meets your requirements in terms of price and capability, but lacks postflow adjustment, remember that you can set a trailing cup that flows independently of the torch and use that for post flow.  Either that, or the Maxstar 200, I believe, has adjustable post flow.I r 2 a perfessional