Titanium Recoil Lug

[Dave Hoback]

Touched on this in my barrel thread but thought I’d do a new thread with some pics, while I’m waiting the many weeks for my barrel, LOL! I’m making a new Recoil Lug from 6AL4V Titanium. I can absolutely tell you why you won’t find a single other Titanium Recoil Lug besides the bottom style for the Tikka T3 on the market. Because machining Titanium is one thing; but Drilling big large holes through thick portions of Titanium? Whole new ball game! Even going super slow, (maybe 200rpm, I still overheated & broke one of the Tungsten teeth on an Annular Cutter. Just no way a company can make them for Savage 110/Rem 700, sell it even double normal cost and make money. There’s no way. I’m only doing it because I can.

Started with an 8mm x 4” square flat bar of Titanium.


Cut a 1.375” x 2” rectangle & machined the sides square. Centered and machined with 1–1/16” Annular Cutter. Lots of oil!


Here’s the finished hole with all the lively Ti curls. And that’s just the circumference! Imagine the discarded material from boring the entire 1-1/16” hole!


Here’s the part in the jig I spoke of making in the other thread. This is a steel backed jig plate to hold on the magnetic chuck for my Surface Grinder Attachment. I already was using the grinder earlier today to face the steel plate in the jig. So I can get the Recoil Jig very flat & Square.

[Hdskip]

I feel your pain . I've done some machining on Titanium.

[Robinhood]

i have been waiting for this to come up. I think it is really a good idea. Have you thought about lazer or water jet cutting. Sell enough to pay for material and machine time and to keep a few. Plus, do you still need a .250" thick lug if it it Ti. maybe .187"

[Dave Hoback]

Nah.. that’s just more money. I’m not looking to make & sell these. Just wanted to make one to see how it goes. Depending on that, I may do 2 or 3 more in the the future & sell them just to recoup material cost. But for this one, it’s all hand grinding on my 2x72 belt grinder. And boring with Annular cutters on my mill. Yes, I’m still doing .250”. My Chassis is already set up so the pocket is fit exactly for .250”.

[BobT]

i have been waiting for this to come up. I think it is really a good idea. Have you thought about lazer or water jet cutting. Sell enough to pay for material and machine time and to keep a few. Plus, do you still need a .250" thick lug if it it Ti. maybe .187"

If water jet cutting you would still need to finish machine the hole, reaming or boring would probably be easier than the way Dave did it though. I don't know about laser cutting, Titanium is pretty flammable and once it gets going it's a bear to extinguish (don't ask how I know).

It's looking good Dave!

[charlie b]

Laser cutting you'd probably still need to finish the hole as well. I don't remember any issues with laser cutting titanium other than it is really difficult. It has a really high melt point. The lasers we used at work had a bit more power than most :) Titanium powder is an issue, but, I don't know where the dividing line is between flammable and not.

[Dave Hoback]

Oh Bob’s right Charlie. Titanium is a reactive metal. Not just the powder being flammable. Hell.. Aluminum POWDER is flammable! With Titanium, even the largest chips & curls catch fire as you are machining it! Just from the friction heat! In the picture I have above with the rat nest of Ti coil chips. An open flame would set that off like Wild Fire! This is a big problem with machining Ti. I’ve been machining it for several years now, and done quite a few projects, so I’m well versed. Everything must be done super slow. Use plenty of cutting oil, and best if a water supply can be run. I don’t have that, but I always use a spray bottle of water to wet it down & cool ever pass or two. Even in the water, being sprayed, you can hear & see the Titanium popping & cracking with sparks flying… just trying to go up in flame! When I first started machining it, I did have a very minor fire. Nothing in my shop room caught blaze. Just a localized to the Titanium chips. But it was under the milling vice bolted down, LOL! Never again.

I’ll say this though guys.. I’m doing this “just because”. I’m not. Trying to prove anything or revolutionize any market. I don’t send anything out to be water/laser jet cut. To me, that defeats the purpose. I’ve been a custom Knifemaker for many years now & have Saw/Grinder cut & machine ground every blade by hand on my 2x72 belt grinder(which I also built from scratch!) I enjoy making things. I really enjoy making things that look & more importantly, WORK like the best parts that can be purchased. Again, I’m not doing this to get in business. Shoot, I’m not even in business selling knives! I make them here and there when I get the itch. But I haven’t made a knife in over a year now because any pain free time I’ve had has been focused on Gun projects. Anyway… this is just all for fun.