I wish i could add something to this, but alas, all i can do is start the topic.
Ive seen some pretty cool ti torch jobs.
What are some pointers?
How do you get the different colors? Id assume its based on how hot it gets?
What gas do you use? Has oxy/propane been tried?
Can it be removed?
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Hahahahah @dizzo I just did this 1 hour ago!!
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Hey there,
So I use a Propan torch for all my metal fades like SS and Ti. It takes a moment to get hot but then the colors start to transition the longer you torch. Be careful itās just a short phase where it has nice colors. Do not over do it else you end up with some ugly fade. Starts (depending on the thickness/heat) with the lighter colors like yellow and fades to darker blue in the end.
- To test maybe get a SS rode or some other piece of SS to test with.
- Clean very well before starting else you get strange spots.
- Also be aware that the heat takes a bit to cool out so it will change till itās complete cooled out.
- there are technics with electricity which give the craziest results but I am not an expert when it comes to this (I think the hummingbird ti is done this way)
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A polish beforehand helps it come out nice. Surface should be super clean and no touching with skin oils before torching. I used very long screws held in a drill which was clamped in a vise with nothing behind or around it that was remotely flammable. I used map gas (yellow cylinder) and extreme caution, since if anything goes wrong, like spinning the yoyo the wrong way and having a red hot half go rolling across the floor, it could burn you or the garage/house down.
The color change is determined by the temperature of different areas of the yoyo. I wanted yellow in the inner gap transitioning out to darker blue or purple at the rim, so I just focused on the rim only so as not to heat up the rest too much. The spinning took care of making it even around the circumstance, which is what I wanted.
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Did this guy next, after speaking to @Ajolivarez who gave me a much better set of instructions! I made a video of this and put it on my YouTube. Any questions fell free to hmu.
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Some of the ones that I have done
Ti Shutter
Ti Hawk Proto
Ti-888
To add to all the invaluable information already providedā¦ one thing that I do since Iām impatient as heck, is add a cool water rinse. @Kray mentioned that the metal will continue to retain heat after you lifted the torch away and it will continue to change as it cools which can affect the end result or color.
What I usually do is run it under tap water or dunk it in a bucket. If you have it mounted, maybe pouring water over it might do the trick. This will stop the heat. Now Iām not a metallurgist or even close to it, but I have done this too my last 3 yoyos and it hasnāt affected them at all- didnāt introduce vibe or crack the metal. Donāt think the metal gets hot enough or the yoyo is used in a rough enough application to warrant worry. That being said, āall the info on this thread is at your own risk!!!ā
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It will not mess with the metalā¦we call it āquench-ingā in Plumbing @Ajolivarez.
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Hey, @dizzo if you wanna see me do some of these I made a few ācrappyā vids. https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC6OWoVQ0_7hpQYyJEkgQUSg
Has anyone found out if this can be removed or if the color goes too deep?
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I have never tried
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Pretty sure itās permanentā¦if there is a way Iād imagine it being so expensive it wouldnāt even be worth itā¦like compressing water.
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So Iāve been researching how to ano Ti and found some useful stuff. I just ordered all the stuff and will be hopefully trying it this weekend.
At least for electric ano, you can remove the color buy dipping it in acid. I would Assume the same is said for torching.
Iām going to be using āwink rust/ stain removerā as it is a diluted Hydrofluoric acid.
This maybe good advice or bad adviceā¦ I havenāt tried it myselfā¦ Iāll update once I ano my yoyo this weekend!
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Someone ask @jasonwongzero, he did this one
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I dont think Jason does torches. Pretty sure his is electrical.
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Yup! All my titanium is electrical, never used a torch. You can get a lot better colors out of Ti with the right power supply.
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I suppose I am an electrical engineerā¦
Perhaps I should do this properly lol
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Grade 5 titanium has a CTE (coefficient of thermal expansion) of 9.7 Āµm/m-Ā°C, at 500Ā°C. And while a butane torch can reach temps of 1500Ā°C, youāre still looking at a very small amount of expansion. Though I would still suspect this does (or at least CAN) introduce a small amount of vibe.
I would be more concerned about the quenching. Now, Iām much more knowledgeable about heat-treating steels, and in general if you get a piece of steel hot and then cool it very fast (quenching), it gets harder and more brittle. Apparently this isnāt the same case for titanium, as quenching it makes it SOFTER, and requires further age-hardening to achieve the desired properties.
Iād love to test this some day (someone send me a piece of grade 5 titanium stock and I will), but torching a Ti yoyo followed by water quenching will leave it softer than when it arrived. Ideally youād heat it after quenching for an hour at ~500Ā°C to harden it again.
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Better stick to glass.
I can attest to this! Here is my @jasonwongzero anodized Sovereign!!! I like to take it out in the sunlight and behold itās beauty before I throw it! Still very honored and grateful you did this for me!!!
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I wonder if my torch could do anything cool
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