Modeled Falle pick in 3D

[devildog]

hmm...I checked into to it again once you mentioned that, and it seems that there are MANY different grades and alloys of TI, but I finally found a definitive answer from Los Alamos National Laboratories' article on Titanium (http://periodic.lanl.gov/elements/22.html):

" Costs
The price of titanium metal powder (99.95%) is about $100/lb. "

That's really not that bad considering how much a pick weighs (just checked w/ my electronic postal scale and got 0.2 ounces for my DIY Falle copy), and that a whole set might not even come in at a one pound.

Someone who knows a lot more about this please weigh in here (seems to me that Mad Mick is a bit of a grease monkey and knows a good bit about tools and metal working...).

[Chrispy]

How do you turn the powder into sheet metal once you've bought it?

[cracksman]

Hey, try this stuff, imagine having picks
that were clear Now that is even
cooler than titanium

http://dsc.discovery.com/news/briefs/20050822/nanotubes.html

[devildog]

I'm not sure why they specifically mentioned powdered titanium, probably because it would be easier to get precisely one pound of it, but anyway the price-per-pound won't be much off from that whether it's sheet, pipe, plate or whatever.

[n2oah]

I just don't think Ti is cost effective.

[wsbpress]

I read somewhere that Falle's use a chemical etching process to manufacture their picks. From what I have read this is a process very similar to the way printed circuit boards are manufactured with a mask, resist, and etchant.

[stick]

Off the top of my head, I recall it as nickel electroplated steel.

[vector40]

Titanium.

Why?

[Mad Mick]

^^ Bragging rights.

Assuming you got the Titanium (the link by wsbpress appears to be the most attractive ATM), without a good hookup with someone who is able to cut out the picks, the regular DIY guy would probably have a better chance of braiding sawdust.

Titanium Nitride coated, or Cobalt cutting tools may eventually do the job, but expect the tools to dull quite quickly. Factor in the price of the tools you will ruin, and it may well end up being very cost-prohibitive.

Years ago (many) I used to race 1/10 scale & 1/12 scale electric RC cars. I got a sheet of carbon fibre from a mate, and proceeded to duplicate the chassis of a 1/12 scale Schumacher circuit car. I won't embarrass myself by listing the number of drills/blades that were ruined during the process, but I'll admit to having quite a few blisters from about 4 hrs work and many tool changes. The original chassis cost about a third of the price of the ruined tools. If I'd had to buy the carbon fibre sheet, the cost would have been much higher.

Having said that, this was the first time it had been done (to my knowledge) and the Oooh-factor was kinda cool.

[n2oah]

Titanium Nitride coated, or Cobalt cutting tools may eventually do the job, but expect the tools to dull quite quickly. Factor in the price of the tools you will ruin, and it may well end up being very cost-prohibitive.

They make pure titanium (not pure--but close) cutting tools? My set of drill bits are Titanium Nitride coated, I haven't had a problem drilling out locks with them, either. (I rarely drill out locks)
As far as drill bits go, what material is the best to make drill bits out of? (for drilling metals) I have heard cobalt is one of the best, but then you mentioned titanium.

[devildog]

When I mentioned titanium this was with the understanding that SOMEONE ELSE would be machining the bloody stuff ! I really don't think that a CO2 cutting laser or water jet cutter would have much trouble with TI--anyone know what they use to machine it? Could a laser/water jet do it without a lot of trouble?

[Mad Mick]

They make pure titanium (not pure--but close) cutting tools? My set of drill bits are Titanium Nitride coated, I haven't had a problem drilling out locks with them, either. (I rarely drill out locks)

I don't know if pure Titanium cutting tools are made, or whether they would be more durable than the nitride coated ones. Mine are also Titanium Nitride coated, which is much more hard-wearing than normal HSS bits. For drilling normal locks, unless you are likely to be encountering anti-drilling measures, HSS should suffice since you are predominantly working with brass.

As far as drill bits go, what material is the best to make drill bits out of? (for drilling metals) I have heard cobalt is one of the best, but then you mentioned titanium.

Sometimes, I have to drill broken bolts to accept a screw extractor. In the past, HSS bits have broken during the process. This is mainly due to using semi-dull bits, and/or sideways pressure upon the shank, which results in a grabbing effect. Titanium Nitride coated bits are less likely to break in this situation, due to the coating extending up the whole of the shank and giving a nice sharp edge on the flutes. However, since getting the superior Cobalt bits, they are the current first choice. Should a Cobalt bit break, the next/only option would be to MIG weld something to the broken bolt, then use Vise-Grips.

HTH.

[vector40]

To take a small tangent, can anyone tell me a good place to buy HSS, cobalt, or other specialty locksmith bits?

[n2oah]

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/Displayitem.taf?itemnumber=47653
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/Displayitem.taf?itemnumber=36891
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/Displayitem.taf?itemnumber=1611
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/Displayitem.taf?itemnumber=32928

There's a lot more where that came from.

[Mad Mick]

To take a small tangent, can anyone tell me a good place to buy HSS, cobalt, or other specialty locksmith bits?

TBH, you can buy HSS bits practically anywhere that drills are sold. Titanium Nitride coated bits can be purchased at most of the same stores....look for bits that appear to be of a golden colour.

Cobalt bits are a different story...they appear pretty similar looking to masonry bits if you're not really sure of what you are looking for, but the tips are very different. The Cobalt drills actually look pretty much the same as a HSS, or Titanium drill bit, in profile. Pay particular attention to the packaging and you can't really go wrong.