tungsten sharpener

[Ram48]

Ok
I am about to build my own dedicated tungsten sharpener. using a trim router as a power supply. The router holds a 1/4 arbor and like the online idea I am following. I plan to use a 2 1/2" ro-lok system. what is the best grit and type of abrasive to use for tungsten?

[dirtyfarmer]

Zirconium should work, I've read that you should stay away from anything with the word Aluminum in it. How are you planning to rotate the electrode?

[DiabolicZ]

I have a 10" disk sander. I put aluminum oxide pads on it and I grind my tungsten by hand. Takes me all of 10 seconds. I have never noticed any contamination from using that type of abrasive.

[dirtyfarmer]

I personally use a 1" aluminum oxide bench-top belt sander. Also have a 6"x48" belt sander w/zirconium belt for course work. I'm just stating what I've heard. For my work, I haven't had any contamination problems either. But I'm not usually too picky.

[Ram48]

Zirconium should work, I've read that you should stay away from anything with the word Aluminum in it. How are you planning to rotate the electrode?

If I canot get it don by hand rotasting I will chuck it in my 18v drill motor. I may make a stand off to hold the electrodes at a fixed angle like the unit I am using as a model

[DiabolicZ]

If I canot get it don by hand rotasting I will chuck it in my 18v drill motor. I may make a stand off to hold the electrodes at a fixed angle like the unit I am using as a model

I guess you can't go overboard getting the perfec tungsten point... But in my eyes, it there is no point in getting too intricate on your tungsten sharpening. It most likely is just going to get dipped, or melt away after a little while anyways. That and getting a decent point is easy to do just by hand and the results are more than adequate.

[worntorn]

Try chucking the tungsten in a cordless drill then run it at slow rotation and appropriate angle against a fine grindstone used only for sharpening your tungstens . Takes a few seconds and does a perfect job. Point the tungsten up, not across the wheel. This way the grinding striations are in the correct orientation, lengthwise not circular.

I have a sort of pen affair that is made for sharpening tungtens. I think it was made in Sweden. It allows the tungsten to rotate as it gets sharpened. I used it for awhile, but the cordless drill method is much better.

Ideally the grinder should be turned around backwards so the tungsten dust gets flung away from you, otherwise it would be a good idea to wear a face mask. The Thoriated tungstens are radioactive.

[Ram48]

Try chucking the tungsten in a cordless drill then run it at slow rotation and appropriate angle against a fine grindstone used only for sharpening your tungstens . Takes a few seconds and does a perfect job. Point the tungsten up, not across the wheel. This way the grinding striations are in the correct orientation, lengthwise not circular.

I have a sort of pen affair that is made for sharpening tungtens. I think it was made in Sweden. It allows the tungsten to rotate as it gets sharpened. I used it for awhile, but the cordless drill method is much better.

Ideally the grinder should be turned around backwards so the carbide dust gets flung away from you, otherwise it would be a good idea to wear a face mask. The Thoriated tungstens are radioactive.

I will try to use my shop vac to catch the grinding dust

[worntorn]

Well it depends on what you are welding. If you are welding 1/4 thick aluminum, the point isn't needed nor is it going to last long. Once the ball forms, away you go.

At low heat on thin wall stainless I learned that a needle point tungsten that will draw blood makes the weld turn out much nicer than a crudely sharpened one. For this kind of welding, there is even considerable difference between two tungstens sharpened at different angles, both sharpened to a point. I have found that a long angle of sharpening really pinpoints the arc and makes the puddle form at a lower heat, so you do not cook the surrounding material.

Jody talks about all of this in one of his videos, can't remember which one. For the al. beer can welds he even lapped the tungstens to get rid of grinding striations, something I haven't gotten into (and don't intend to)
And yes, you will dip, but that is why it is good to have a quick and easy method to sharpen. If I have a fair bit of welding to do I sharpen about ten tungstens up, that is when the cordless drill beats the heck out of the hand held method.
I'm using shorty tungsten for my little torch, so it's tough to do these by hand without burning the fingers.

I find that if I have ten sharp tungstens laying beside the work at the start of the job, I am much more inclined to change out a contaminated tungsten than if I have to get up and go over to the grinder each time I screw up.

[DiabolicZ]

Well it depends on what you are welding. If you are welding 1/4 thick aluminum, the point isn't needed nor is it going to last long. Once the ball forms, away you go.

At low heat on thin wall stainless I learned that a needle point tungsten that will draw blood makes the weld turn out much nicer than a crudely sharpened one. For this kind of welding, there is even considerable difference between two tungstens sharpened at different angles, both sharpened to a point. I have found that a long angle of sharpening really pinpoints the arc and makes the puddle form at a lower heat, so you do not cook the surrounding material.

Jody talks about all of this in one of his videos, can't remember which one. For the al. beer can welds he even lapped the tungstens to get rid of grinding striations, something I haven't gotten into (and don't intend to)
And yes, you will dip, but that is why it is good to have a quick and easy method to sharpen. If I have a fair bit of welding to do I sharpen about ten tungstens up, that is when the cordless drill beats the heck out of the hand held method.
I'm using shorty tungsten for my little torch, so it's tough to do these by hand without burning the fingers.

I find that if I have ten sharp tungstens laying beside the work at the start of the job, I am much more inclined to change out a contaminated tungsten than if I have to get up and go over to the grinder each time I screw up.

I agree with EVERYTHING you just said. My point is that you don't have to make up a jig to hold your tungsten at the perfect angle. You can do everything you just stated by hand without having fancy contraptions.

Like I said though, there is nothing wrong with going to that extent. Just seems a little overkill TO ME. Maybe not to others though.

[worntorn]

Sorry, I misunderstood.

I don't use a jig either, just chuck it up and eyeball it.

Glen

[dirtyfarmer]

Just twist it, pointed downward, until it's shinny. No rocket science. Practice welding.

[ducksface]

I'm building the jig, just for the fun of it. Three angles for each size of tungsten, and a blunter to kill a point if I need to. It fits over a HF grinder with a diamond blade. I had to enlarge the hole in the blade on the lathe. I'll post pics when I'm done. I'm $9.99 into the grinder and another $9 for the blade.

[Ram48]

I'm building the jig, just for the fun of it. Three angles for each size of tungsten, and a blunter to kill a point if I need to. It fits over a HF grinder with a diamond blade. I had to enlarge the hole in the blade on the lathe. I'll post pics when I'm done. I'm $9.99 into the grinder and another $9 for the blade.

People like to knock HF (I love the place) but you gotta admit HF lets us buy stuff that is cheap enough to be able to tinker with to meet our needs I have torn apart many of their products and made or tried to make things to suit my needs.

[worntorn]

RAM 48 said " People like to knock HF (I love the place) but you gotta admit HF lets us buy stuff that is cheap enough to be able to tinker with to meet our needs I have torn apart many of their products and made or tried to make things to suit my needs."

In the past I've been a bit of a snob when it comes to Chinese, Taiwanese or Korean made tools. I did buy some Taiwanese made mechanics tools about 25 years ago. By the end of the first year of use not much of it was still useable. Some of the items weren't useable the day they were bought! So all of the equipment bought for our shop over the next 25 years was American,Canadian, Italian, Japanese or German built.

The Everlast welder is the first major Chinese built shop item I've bought in about 20 years. I'm beginning to realize that things have changed! There is some very good stuff coming from China now and, to be accurate, still some pretty low quality stuff.
In general tho, I think the quality is vastly improved from where it was even 5 years ago.

We bought a Baldor bench grinder for the shop a couple of years ago, nearly $300 with tax. Last month I picked up a bunch of Harbor freight return items (new but with some minor problem) for $19 off Ebay. I mainly wanted the bench grinder that was in the pile, but also got a variable speed 7" polisher. an 18volt cordless drill and a 1/2" 110volt drill. The bench grinder had a bent work support, took about a minute to fix. I couldn't see anything wrong with the other items, I'm using them all with no problem.

I mounted the bench grinder beside the Baldor. This way I can have clean wheels dedicated to each type of metal. The Baldor is an OK grinder, but it does vibrate a bit. The nearly free Harbour Freight grinder has more honk, has a light and runs smooth as glass!

Glen

[WILD BILL]

I'm building the jig, just for the fun of it. Three angles for each size of tungsten, and a blunter to kill a point if I need to. It fits over a HF grinder with a diamond blade. I had to enlarge the hole in the blade on the lathe. I'll post pics when I'm done. I'm $9.99 into the grinder and another $9 for the blade.

Can you post all the details of this build?

[eide]

I've found some cheap diamond wheels at harbor freight and such. I've had good luck with 180 grit diamond.

On thin metal, I really find a sharp, smooth tip to work better. So if using sandpaper, I use two grits, or a grinder and then 220 sandpaper

[jerky]

so im bringing back this old thread, casue well, its exactly what i was gonna ask. SO after all that, what are you guys using right now to sharpen tungsten? ive got a nice little bench grinder getting setup that i will most likely use. has anyone tried the chemical dip method? ive always wondered how that works.

[Tritium]

Flat plate Diamond Lapidary (Rock) grinder with water drip.

Thurmond

[hooda]

Flat plate Diamond Lapidary (Rock) grinder with water drip.

Thurmond

Thurmond, I just wish I knew you well enough to thoroughly razz you on this post, but it's late, I've had a trying day, and I'm lacking the wit to even come up with a new nickname for you. But, If I stock up and send you 30 or 40 tungstens to put that mirror finish on, (for free, of course) would you? Pretty please?