Plasma Cutting Tungsten

[Scotty1]

Hi and welcome aboard the good ship Everlast! If you're talking about tungsten carbide, then I think you're in for a letdown. Tungsten carbide, as a prepared raw material, I've never heard of it being available in plate form of .125"-.250" If such a material were available, my guess is the cost would be prohibitive to do what you aim to do. Tungsten and tungsten CARBIDE are 2 entirely different materials, and the carbide is some expensive stuff! Whet is the actual size of each insert, and how many are on each bit? If it's even in the REALM of normal, I can find you a good, cheap source for replacement inserts that you could sweat in and grind to shape, but to my knowledge, plasma would just make a mess, if it would cut at all.
Most, if not all tungsten carbide is actually powdered tungsten carbide blended in a cobalt binder, then pressed together at tremendous heat and pressure. With the temperatures associated with plasma cutting, you would most likely destroy the structural integrity of the binder, rendering it useless. IF you got it cut, the edges would crumble, and by the time you got to the good part, thermal shock would have made it so weak, it would be useless.
The only way to practically cut the way you intend to would be with wire EDM, which is expensive in it's own right. Or score a flat piece with a diamond wheel, then snap it on the score.
I have a bunch of old carbide end mills and a pp70. I'll try cutting one tomorrow. Let me know what size you need, and some closeup pics would be nice.

Hi hooda,
I can buy the Material ex China, Cheap enuff But the Import Duties Kills the Idea!
With the price of everything going up(fuel,wages,road tax etc.) Might just can the whole idea and close Shop!

Ps= How did you go cutting Tungsten with your Plasma?

PPs= Might Build a New Rig using Laser to Drill a hole 200mm Dia to at least 500m Depth

[JBnID]

Scotty-- What are you 'drilling'?
Trepanning or plunge milling or open die forging would be normal for those sized holes in steel. If it's a through hole in thick material, wire EDM is the way to go.
Hooda got it right. It's sintered tungsten carbide that is formed, not melted or forged. Sheets are available for certain bearings but it can't be cut with a plasma.
Normally, carbide tools are solid carbide or brazed carbide 'tipped' or inserts of carbide in tools forged and machined from high strength steel. Indexable tooling is the cheapest for big shops because it remains on size by simply changing the cutting corner or entire insert. Resharpened brazed tools are undersized as are solid carbide tools.
BUT, machines have to be designed and built for the milling stresses involved to get the benefit of carbide tooling. Old machines won't cut like new ones when using new tooling. Speed and volume is the king money maker and carbide is up to 250 times more efficient than HSS.

[Scotty1]

Scotty-- What are you 'drilling'?
Trepanning or plunge milling or open die forging would be normal for those sized holes in steel. If it's a through hole in thick material, wire EDM is the way to go.
Hooda got it right. It's sintered tungsten carbide that is formed, not melted or forged. Sheets are available for certain bearings but it can't be cut with a plasma.
Normally, carbide tools are solid carbide or brazed carbide 'tipped' or inserts of carbide in tools forged and machined from high strength steel. Indexable tooling is the cheapest for big shops because it remains on size by simply changing the cutting corner or entire insert. Resharpened brazed tools are undersized as are solid carbide tools.
BUT, machines have to be designed and built for the milling stresses involved to get the benefit of carbide tooling. Old machines won't cut like new ones when using new tooling. Speed and volume is the king money maker and carbide is up to 250 times more efficient than HSS.

G'Day JBnID Man o man i wish it was Steel! Be softer than some of the rocks i Drill thru.
I Am a Water Bore and Mineral Exploration Driller
I was Looking at Repairing some of the Drillbits That we use

But cutting the Tungsten is the Problem!