Welding Titanium...Anyone Out there got info?

[Les Davis]

Hey guys, looking for some help. I've got a titanium header pipe on my 450R. It broke over the weekend and now I'm having one h*ll of a time trying to find someone that can fix it. Apparently this stuff is so thin and brittle that you can't even TIG weld it. Does anyone have any ideas who or where I could go to get this repaired. Thanks!

[parkers30]

Tig welding is the only way to weld it, but as you have found its hard to find anyone to weld titanium... You might be better off just buying a new one or calling the manufacturer about repairing it.

[Les Davis]

Thanks Parkers30. I emailed White Brothers Friday and they were bought by Vance and Hines last week and I got an automated email response so not sure how much help I'm going to get from them??

[Crashmore 22]

I'm 90% sure that the only way to properly weld titanium is in an oxygen free enviroment. Lonestar says that you can fill the pipe with argon and get away with it. Thats what they did when they built this titanium framed hybrid.

[parkers30]

looks like I was a little off, but still right on thin Ti.

http://www.key-to-metals.com/Article28.htm

What about contacting any high end machine shops in the area? possibly aircraft repair locally and asking about a local welder capable? Just some thoughts.

[trxwannbe]

find a company involved in the aerospace industry in your area. they should have more than a few people capable of welding that for you and they should have the equipment to create an oxygen free environment. i know where i work when they weld it (very rarely) they put it inside of a box like a sandblaster with the gloves and all and all the tools needed are run inside and they flood the box with argon and go to work.

[chevy]

u r probaly better off getting a new pipe. if u get it fixed a professional would have to do it. do not try and weld it urself welding titanium gives off very toxic fumes

[witech]

Its all a load of crap. I have fixed over a dozen ti headpipes with a cheapo tig welder. The trick is cleanliness and purging the pipe on the inside. I find Ti is actually very easy to do the welding as even on the the very thin stuff it wont melt through like stainless or regular steel. The only bummer is the cost of the filler material and argon. I have fixed some of the nastiest most mangled pipes .

[Les Davis]

Thanks for all the feedback guys! Looks like it might just be simpler to buy a new head pipe. Something tells me what I thought would be an inexpensive and simple repair is going to get complicated and expensive.

[BranMan]

Welding Ti is realy very simple as stated above. The only extras you need is the argon on the inside. If someone does it just put tape over 1 end and ur hose with argon in the other. And many times u need to use a bigger weld cup on ur torch. And depending on how big (length) the crack is u have 2 b careful on the heat input. Many times you can only weld for prob 10 secs or so then u have to stop and let it cool. The oxygen free enviorment is somewhat true but doesnt require as much preperation as it sounds.. Depending on the size of ur headpipe you can ship it 2 me and i can prob weld it at work. We weld Ti quit often.. Hope this kinda gives u some help. Let me no on the size if interested. The only other info to know on the material is the type of Ti. if i remember right it is prob Grade 2. but it def makes a difference.