Made Some Titanium 440 Crankshaft Damper Bolts & Washers Today

-

PROSTOCKTOM

FABO Gold Member
FABO Gold Member
Joined
Oct 8, 2013
Messages
1,763
Reaction score
1,814
Location
West Central Indiana
The heat has been pretty oppressive the last two weeks in Indiana, so I figured it was time to get this project done and spend some time in the AC.

I took a couple 7/8" diameter 12-point titanium aircraft bolts I bought off eBay years ago and made them into crankshaft damper bolts.

Titanium is not like a hardened steel bolt in that you can remachine it and it doesn't change any of the mechanical properties.

Drilled a 5/16" hole up the middle to save some weight and then went back in with a ball nose end mill to finish out the bottom of the hole, so no sharp edges inside.

These will go along with the 7075-T7 aluminum and 6AL4V titanium washers I made to go with them.

Fun project for the evening and I should have washed the coolant off of them before I shot the photos. The surfaces are a lot nicer than the photos show.

Tom

1718938110404.png


20240620_170409.jpg


20240620_170417.jpg


20240620_171340.jpg


20240620_171333.jpg


20240620_171318.jpg
 
Last edited:
Attachment is working now, nicely made.

That’ll work for 383?
 
I might be making some titanium washers to sell in the future, but the bolts won't be offered because I only had three of them to start with.

I'll let you know if I make a run of washers.

Tom
 
Last edited:
Nice!!!!! I sent a link to someone who would have been interested in one before I realized.
 
The heat has been pretty oppressive the last two weeks in Indiana, so I figured it was time to get this project done and spend some time in the AC.

I took a couple 7/8" diameter 12-point titanium aircraft bolts I bought off eBay years ago and made them into crankshaft damper bolts.

Titanium is not like a hardened steel bolt in that you can remachine it and it doesn't change any of the mechanical properties.

Drilled a 5/16" hole up the middle to save some weight and then went back in with a ball nose end mill to finish out the bottom of the hole, so no sharp edges inside.

These will go along with the 7075-T7 aluminum and 6AL4V titanium washers I made to go with them.

Fun project for the evening and I should have washed the coolant off of them before I shot the photos. The surfaces are a lot nicer than the photos show.

Tom

View attachment 1716265275

View attachment 1716265278

View attachment 1716265282

View attachment 1716265284

View attachment 1716265285

View attachment 1716265286


Pretty effin nice. I guess my lazy *** needs to start looking for Ti bolts on flea bag and such.

Did you single point cut your threads??
 
Pretty effin nice. I guess my lazy *** needs to start looking for Ti bolts on flea bag and such.

Did you single point cut your threads??

I probably bought those bolts 15-years ago when eBay was still a great site and there were lots of sellers. You don't see the treasures that were once there anymore.

Yes, they were single point cut. I wasn't worried about thread rolling them for two bolts.

Tom

20240620_165449.jpg
 
ATI steel the company that I was a Millwright with for 33 years was involved in a joint venture with a Russian company dealing with titanium. We would get railroad cars in of titanium golf club heads. You could hand me a 10 pound chunk of it and with my machining capabilities I could make one heck on a nice door stop with it.

ATI ends joint venture in Russia
 
The heat has been pretty oppressive the last two weeks in Indiana, so I figured it was time to get this project done and spend some time in the AC.

I took a couple 7/8" diameter 12-point titanium aircraft bolts I bought off eBay years ago and made them into crankshaft damper bolts.

Titanium is not like a hardened steel bolt in that you can remachine it and it doesn't change any of the mechanical properties.

Drilled a 5/16" hole up the middle to save some weight and then went back in with a ball nose end mill to finish out the bottom of the hole, so no sharp edges inside.

These will go along with the 7075-T7 aluminum and 6AL4V titanium washers I made to go with them.

Fun project for the evening and I should have washed the coolant off of them before I shot the photos. The surfaces are a lot nicer than the photos show.

Tom

View attachment 1716265275

View attachment 1716265278

View attachment 1716265282

View attachment 1716265284

View attachment 1716265285

View attachment 1716265286

interesting , how does titanium machine ?
 
interesting , how does titanium machine ?

It machines just fine so long as you have quality carbide inserts, coolant flow, and a constant spindle speed lathe. Titanium holds heat like crazy so you can't machine it at ferrous alloy speeds and feeds or you'll burn up the inserts. However if done correctly it is no issue to deal with and makes beautiful shinny finishes that stay like that forever. I've been making parts with it for 25- years and really enjoy using it.

Tom
 
-
Back
Top