heat coloring Ti

butcher_block

butcher_block

Joined
Dec 6, 2004
Messages
6,212
i have not found much on heat coloring Ti am i to belive that its close to the same temps and colors as steel
wasnt planning on firing up the kiln but might have to to get nice even colors
thanks
butch
 
I think consistent heat coloring would be difficult. I heat colored some Ti last night and it tends to develop as it cools, even. I'd heat, stop, let it cool, and the colors would change as it cooled. Then heat a little more, etc. I guess if you could slowly bring the temp up to the desired temp and leave it there it should work in theory, but it's really tough with open air torching to get a consistent color, for me, at least.
 
well it looks like im going to have to fire up the kiln and post some numbers when i get the chance
i want to get a nice dark blue and im having truble getting it with a torch i have taken notice that Ti has sets of color also goin to cut a test piece to see anyone know the upper limit on Ti temp before i do any damage to the Ti
butch
 
I've never been able to get a consitent color.

I use a propane torch to get the deep blue colors.


Clean it with acetone,wipe with WD40 and bring it to an even red hot.

The reder it gets the darker the color.It will reach a point when it starts to turn a rust color.Thats when you have gotten it to hot.

The only time i've damaged it is when i've melted it with an oxy/cet torch.

I have not tried the kiln or funace approuch.


Warren Thomas anodizes his and gets the even blue colors.That might be the way you want to go.


Hope this helps.

James Coogler
 
well I might be able to help a little bit. Using .050 ti I cleaned good removing all oils and finger prints, placed in my oven at 1000 for 10 minutes, ti came out a real pretty and consistant gold. The next piece I did I placed in the oven at 1250 for 10 minutes and checked it was a beautiful blue/purple. I was wanting a blue through the entire piece so I left it for 10 more minutes, it still had a blue/purple transition so I removed and used as was. I don't know for sure but probably another 50-100 degrees might have given me the consistant blue I was wanting, but I won't know for sure until I try it again. Maybe this will help give you a place to start. good luck.

Bill
 
ok guys and girls im going to be posting some pix i just did a 800-1400 test of the Ti in 50 degree increments and i think i can help out wiith a scale
also i think i found a green
light as it is somewhere in tihe the 1380-1420 range got more to try
now i have to find out about how much soak time works
butch
 
here there are im going to play with soak times next to see what can happen
and to hunt down green better
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Green seems like the toughest color to get, in my experience. Gold seems to be the easiest (seems to have the greatest range of temperature before it changes to the next color).
 
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