How to grind tungsten rods?

[John Stuckey]

I heard that you should grind tungsten rods "with" , in the same direction as your grinder wheel is turning versus holding the rod perpendicular to the wheel - reasoning being that you want the grooves in the rod running in the same direction as the current and that very small grooves running the other way disrupts the flow of current resulting in a less stable arc. I want to get the best results but grinding rods "with" the wheel can be really tough on the knuckles! What are you folks doing?
John

[Guest]

Re: How to grind tungsten rods?

Originally posted by John Stuckey
I heard that you should grind tungsten rods "with" , in the same direction as your grinder wheel is turning versus holding the rod perpendicular to the wheel - reasoning being that you want the grooves in the rod running in the same direction as the current and that very small grooves running the other way disrupts the flow of current resulting in a less stable arc. I want to get the best results but grinding rods "with" the wheel can be really tough on the knuckles! What are you folks doing?
John

John, for years I ground tungsten by using a 12'" disk sander. It put the scratch marks prependicular to the rod. The work I do ranges the whole spectrum in material, and thickness to X-Ray. So it will work to do it that way. However...(The "howevers")...I found that by grinding the tungsten on a tungsten grinder, with a diamond wheel, the arc starts easier and quicker, and it's easier to maintain an arc on small stuff, and the arc is more defined. Some of my material is .020" and you really notice the difference there. So it is better to have the grooves run with the electrode. You don't HAVE to use a diamond wheel but it helps for Xray stuff.

[Main]

Found this info while surfing around.

Grinding tungsten

Cool Tool

[Roger]

Use pin vice to hold tungsten while grinding will keep knuckles away from grinding wheel and heat away from fingers.

[Dano]

How to grind tungsten rods?

I put them in a cordless drill and then take over to the grinder. Keeps you knuckles safe and you can sharpen them like a pencil

dano

[Guest]

Originally posted by russell
this may not make sense ,but would polishing the tip with a buffing wheel after sharpening it help ?




russell

Yes, I have done that, too, and it does seem to help. I used a Scotchbrite fiber wheel. However you risk contaminates from the wheel. Diamond wheels are preferred because they are contaminate free. That said, I would think if you're not doing Xray stuff, any way you can get a nice fine point, is good. IMHO

[Will]

What kind of rod is everyone using for steel? Pure tunsten? 2% thorium? or something else? I know there are advantages (and disadvantages) to each. I have been using 2% thorium on steel, but only because that is what the books say to use. Thoughts? Recommendations?

[John Stuckey]

Roger:
I ordered a set of pin vices from www.micromark.com item # 81497, a good deal for $11. Thanks for the tip.
John

[Guest]

Originally posted by Will
What kind of rod is everyone using for steel? Pure tunsten? 2% thorium? or something else? I know there are advantages (and disadvantages) to each. I have been using 2% thorium on steel, but only because that is what the books say to use. Thoughts? Recommendations?

I've used 2% Thoriated for years, but now they tell me they are harmfull The tungsten I now use is called a Tri-Mix. It starts easier and is not radioactive, and does good all around, on steel, stainless and aluminum. Pure tungsten has been only for aluminum, but I'm told that the tri-mix is better. The reason for so many types of tungsten is, that some do better at low heat, and some better at high heat. Lanthanated or the tri-mix are the preferred tungstens to use in the industry today. You can do a search on the internet and find out more that you ever wanted to know about tungsten, if you want.

[Slagman]

Yes, be mindfull of those knuckles!! I cut right through my knuckle while sharpening on a make shift tungstem grinder. I new I shouldn't have been sharpening the tungstens the way I was, but I had no other choice at that present time available. Anyway, I sliced my extensor tendon right in half and knicked another, and cut a vein in half as well. It was a mess.

A year and a half later, I am still reminded by it because of the pain I sometimes get in that area during cold weather. That is really strange. Sometimes it just gets a "pinchy" feeling in the knuckle.

Be careful guys.

Slagman

[Guest]

Originally posted by Slagman
Yes, be mindfull of those knuckles!! I cut right through my knuckle while sharpening on a make shift tungstem grinder. I new I shouldn't have been sharpening the tungstens the way I was, but I had no other choice at that present time available. Anyway, I sliced my extensor tendon right in half and knicked another, and cut a vein in half as well. It was a mess.

A year and a half later, I am still reminded by it because of the pain I sometimes get in that area during cold weather. That is really strange. Sometimes it just gets a "pinchy" feeling in the knuckle.

Be careful guys.

Slagman

Been there, done that...it takes about three years to get back to normal.

[John Stuckey]

ditto on the three year thing. I cut a knuckle on some sheet metal and it took every bit of three years for the pinchy feeling to subside.
Good luck,
John