A titanium boat?

Empire · 12-17-2002, 03:05 PM

I was at a mall store yesterday looking at some watches. I picked up a watch made out of titanium (the band and case). I was astonished how lightweight it was. It looks like steel, is rigid like steel, but lighter than aluminum.

They make aircraft out of titanium, why not a boat?

I understand that titanium is impervious to everything, including saltwater and fish blood. It would trailer real well, because it is real light.

I suppose that when aluminum first came out, it was rare and frightfully expensive. Now look at the aluminum everywhere.

I wonder who would be the first to cough up enough dough for the first titanium boat, and what company would do it? Of course, you would want a matching trailer!

Bankbound · 12-17-2002, 03:09 PM

It would be outrageously expensive, but a REALLY cool boat!

DanS · 12-17-2002, 03:11 PM

*** POOF ***

That was your wallet. :grin:

Kilgore · 12-17-2002, 03:12 PM

A titanium boat! What a concept!

However, whereas aircrafts are extremely weight-conscious, boats are not. Also aluminium is one of the most abundant metals around, but titanium is more precious. So if there is a titanium boat for sale, it would cost you an arm and a leg.

I'm thinking about a house made out of titanium...fire-proof, waterproof, rot-proof, termite proof, and even falling-tree-proof! :grin:

rebell · 12-17-2002, 03:12 PM

As soon as I win the lottery, I will have it made and give you a call. Problem is that I have never bought a lottery ticket.

outdoor.spec.ops · 12-17-2002, 03:24 PM

I'm waiting for the Platinum Boat!

Uglygreen · 12-17-2002, 03:26 PM

I understand titanium is extremly hard to cut / tool / weld. When they used titanium for the SR-171 Blackbird, they had to first design the specialized tools to shape the metal. (History Channel), I think it is also really brittle as well? might break when hitting a rock vs bending?

Instead how about graphite composits? There are now some kit planes using this technology, its not hugely expensive. Similar construction properties to fiberglass, lighter than aluminum or titanium, 8 times as strong as steel? That might work.... I would bet we will see that in the future.

UG

12-17-2002, 05:21 PM

Titanium also burns like you wouldn't believe.

Miss B Haven · 12-17-2002, 05:36 PM

I believe it's already been done. Ask the russians how much for one of their used fast attack subs! You might get a deal! :grin:

Herring Impaired · 12-17-2002, 05:51 PM

Quote:

As soon as I win the lottery, I will have it made and give you a call. Problem is that I have never bought a lottery ticket.

<font size="2" face="verdana,arial,helv">The way I understand it, your odds of winning go up only sightly when you buy a ticket.... :grin:

Rock Stick or Fish · 12-17-2002, 05:54 PM

No your odds go up substantially when you buy one ticket, after that they go up little.

RSF

TheTexan · 12-17-2002, 06:12 PM

"Titanium also burns like you wouldn't believe."
???????????????????????????????????
Keta,

I believe you are thinking of Magnesium!

Ex

12-17-2002, 06:37 PM

Tex,
No, both burn about the same. Aluminum burns too but not as good.

http://www.tms.org/pubs/journals/JOM...lsen-0005.html

[ 12-17-2002, 07:49 PM: Message edited by: Keta ]

fish_on · 12-17-2002, 06:38 PM

Titanium once you get it going makes magnesium look like nothing. When they cast titanium they have to do it in a vaccuum because the rate of oxidation is so high.

Point-of-Sale Clerk · 12-17-2002, 06:39 PM

From:
http://www.webelements.com/webelemen...xt/Ti/key.html

"Titanium minerals are quite common. The metal has a low density, good strength, is easily fabricated, and has excellent corrosion resistance. The metal burns in air and is the only element that burns in nitrogen. It is marvellous in fireworks"

every time you use white paint you are using titanium dioxide...

***

ZaQ · 12-17-2002, 09:57 PM

How about a boat made of adamantium? Not sure that is how you spell it, but I aint hooked on phonics yet.................

crabbait · 12-17-2002, 10:02 PM

Unattainium?

[ 12-17-2002, 11:03 PM: Message edited by: crabbait ]

TideRunner · 12-17-2002, 10:05 PM

Titanium is actually heavier than aluminum given two equal shares of each.

I wonder how a Ti boat would ride?

sinker · 12-18-2002, 02:18 AM

We machine Ti all the time at work. At any given time it's running in 3-4 machines.

Ti as a solid isn't flammable but once it's in powder form watch out. When they blend our parts (using die-grinders) they have to turn off the downdraft tables or it can mix with all the aluminum dust and then things get interesting when a spark gets sucked up into the mix.

Not sure what they pay for it but it's about the most expensive material out there until you get into really exotic alloys.

Stuff machines just fine, Just have to go slow. Not sure how it is to bend or weld. I've got a feeling it won't bend very well at all without developing cracks.

Seefood Man · 12-18-2002, 07:04 AM

Ti for a boat [img]graemlins/idea.gif[/img]
What's in your wallet? ( My Friend )

12-18-2002, 07:06 AM

You have to weld it in an inert gas enviroment with zero oxygen. Otherwise it oxidizes (burns) rapidly.

Tanner · 12-18-2002, 07:19 AM

My ALUMINUM Willie boat works just great for me. :smile:

Salmonator · 12-18-2002, 07:39 AM

The stuff will not bend like aluminum so I would imagine that if you had a high speed collision with a rock it would either throw everybody out of the boat on impact or split a major weld seam. I see the stuff mig welded open air all the time. They're not pretty welds but strong enough. I've open air tig welded ti before but with an argon shield. I suppose you could weld up a boat this way but after seeing this on ebay don't think anybody's going to run out and do it soon...
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...tem=1925110761

12-18-2002, 07:49 AM

Never seen it welded this way.

Salmonator · 12-18-2002, 07:58 AM

Keta, all aerospace castings are (or at least should be) welded in an argon filled chamber due to it's reactions with oxygen like you mentioned.

12-18-2002, 08:05 AM

We did pipe that way too.

Red · 12-18-2002, 08:33 AM

A boat, maybe, after tons of dough spent. :shocked: However, a trailer would have to be weighted, lest it float away when empty.

Big Willie · 12-18-2002, 09:07 AM

Empire...way to expensive. My Dad is a metalurgist and worked for an outfit in Portland that made Ti castings for the aircraft industry...very high dollar stuff. Some of these castings that came out of the mold were in the hundreds of thousands of dollars range...before they were machined. I can't even talk about the stuff they built for our bombers...if I did, I'd have to kill ya. :grin:
Titanium is mostly cast, you don't see alot of sheet stock because aluminum, stainless and some other alloy steels would do just as good of job given the application.
Kinda funny...those 'titanium' golf clubs you see have such a low percantage of Ti it's ridiculous. Just a gimmick to sell them, as with everything else with Titanium on the label.
Btw...planes are made from aluminum with titanium parts.

Gary

sinker · 12-19-2002, 01:53 AM

It's amazing what parts are made from aluminum. We don't get to many forgings in any more. Get the Ti in in big sheets about 1.75" thick and then it heads to the water jet to get the rough profile jetted out and then we hog the rest out.
Don't think I'd want to weld on it without one huge vaccum chamber. When Bill Gates buys your boat and then dies due to an inferior weld Mrs. Gates is gonna be coming after you!! :grin: :grin:

cannonball · 12-19-2002, 06:07 AM

What about reactive Armor, you know Plastic explosive sandwiched between two layers of Aluminium. All your neighbors would know when you hit that rock.

[img]graemlins/idea.gif[/img] It would suck to find your favorite hole Blown out, for real.

TundraIII · 12-19-2002, 07:14 AM

They are now making Titanium bicycles for road racing. These bikes are awesome and
the frame alone will cost you $1000.00. Were talking about a bike frame that weighs
about 3lbs. Titanium is very stiff and will not flex like steel or aluminum. The result is a
much faster bike but you feel every bump in the road. With all metals there is a trade off. I wonder what a boat hull made of Titanium would ride like. If it doesnt absorb any
force against it I would think your nether regions would take a beating in rough conditions. Titanium hull = Air ride seats for everybody?

Fishen Fool · 12-19-2002, 07:29 AM

Pure TI is not that strong and will bend. Just about all bike frames, airplane parts etc. are made from TI alloys. Some alloys are pretty damm tought and are almost impossible to bend, but they then get real hard to work with. By the way I worked around the stuff for almost 40 years.

id. painter · 12-19-2002, 07:32 AM

I am the proud owner of a Titanium plate that holds my neck together. Dont know what the plate cost, but the instilation was 16000$. id. painter

ssteelheadsteve · 12-19-2002, 09:23 PM

Uglygreeen
Were you refering to Carbon Fiber ? Similar to what is used in many roadracing cars ? F-1. CART,AMLS,IRL ?
The big problem is that to get the strength you want in a thin light boat you need a heated vacum chamber. I know where there is one. I have experience with carbon fiber and fiberglass techniques. You interested in financing the worlds first indestructable drift boat ? This boat could be willed to your great grand children.