Adventurtes in titanium!

I've been working with titanium for the last couple of years in my small basement shop. A while ago, I decided to take some of those cheap knurled factory knobs off one of my guitars and replace them with something of my own design.

Here's a couple of pics:

While I was at it, I decided to do a little something to the whammy bar, too:

This was my first "custom made guitar parts" project. (I have a couple of other ones in mind if I can just find some extra time.)

Whatcha think? Keep going or give up while I'm ahead?

Absolutely keep going--those designs are very sharp.

Pardon my ignorance, but isn't titanium pretty hard to work with.

Good job

Those look great.

you would make a killing:eek:

keep going, and maybe venture into other guitar parts:thu:

tuners, etc. and make a mini one of those for the switch tip (or would that be overkill?)

Thank you!

Originally posted by dan-o-guitar Pardon my ignorance, but isn't titanium pretty hard to work with. Good job

These parts were made from what's commonly known as "Grade 5" titanium which is alloyed with 6% aluminum and 4% vanadium. This alloy eats up a lot of cutting tools and abrasives, but it's incredibly strong for its weight and it never rusts.

I think tuner knobs might require some broaching machinery I don't have.

does it take long to make those knobs?

and is it expensive to make em?

I smell a business in the making

Beautiful stuff

With my small manual lathe and bench mill, it took the better part of a day to machine these.

Compared to the more common metals, titanium bar stock is rather expensive.

Very nice work - not stylistically my bag, but on a black/chrome V-style guitar they must look fantastic.

Watch out, might make a guitar neck heavy, so you better do Ti tuners, perfect for those SGs that are too neck heavy.

Beautiful work.

man!! those knobs are freakin killer! and the trem bar looks great too.

Id definatley buy some off you.

I really wasn't planning on selling these. (There's too much of a backlog in my shop, anyhow. )

Just wanted to show off some stuff I made for my own guitar.

I do appreciate the compliments, though! Thanks!

I can imagine... the better part of a day for four knobs and a trem handle... you'd have to charge $30 bucks a knob!!

they look sci-fi, gnarley dude!

Originally posted by AndersonTech I really wasn't planning on selling these. (There's too much of a backlog in my shop, anyhow. )

looking at your handy work gives me a tingly feeling inside

Damn beautiful machine work there!

holy crap those are cool

probably an idiotic suggestion (i have many) but would titanium fret wire work? i don't know the ins and outs but it would seem a good thing if do-able being harder and more durable than steel and all..

It would be extremely difficult to cut the wire.

Dressing the frets would be nearly impossible.

That's some rad work, man.

But like stainless steel frets, I imagine once they are leveled and dressed they will stay that way. I'm not sure if titanium frets would cost allot more but $20 extra for ss frets is worth it to me. Its better then spending $100+125 every year or two on relevel/crown/polish and after no more of those can be done, $200-300 on refret.

I'd like to see ns frets available in more durable alloys. From what I understand, 18% nickel is the best widely available ns wire at present but the quality can vary among those.

Its a shame that sometimes people find out about the low quality of the frets on a particular guitar only after they own a particular guitar a little while and notice premature fretwear. The quality and particular alloy of fretwire is rarely advertised in guitars specs like it should be. ITs important for people to know what they are getting before they buy.

Very nice. Are you doing all this entirely on a machine lathe?

It does look like a great sales item if you could streamline production. They probably wouldn't have to be that ornate to sell. Probably you're typical cylinder knob would sell quite well.