Titanium Firewall

I decided to make a titanium firewall for my experimental 14 project. I first made a plywood form to the outline I wanted. I then made a 2X8 forming block with a groove cut into it to accept one side of the angle aluminum which was the shape of the corners of the firewall pattern. I then formed the predrilled aluminum angle and removed any small wrinkles with a shrinking tool. I then welded the ends together. I next drilled the titanium sheet, cut the outline, deburred, and riveted the sheet to the formed edge. The lessons I learned were: to use hardwood for the forming block, keep the groove narrow to prevent wrinkles, that titanium is a funny metal, titanium is hard to drill with anything other than very low speed, coolant and heavy pressure, titanium sheet has a grain structure and can crack when a roller die is used to form it, and titanium makes cool sparks when ground on. Finished weight was 3#6oz.

There it is with complete directions and photo's. Seven sentences, concise, and useful.

Looking good. I found Ti easier to drill over stainless steel using Boelube. I ended up using my Whitney punch to make flange holes.

Nice job on the aluminum flange.

I bought my flange from The CubDoctor. 2 pieces riveted together.
I also found 016'' Titanium 6AL-4V easy to work with. I did try to do some beads on scrap piece, but it cracked...

Did the big holes with a fly cutter, smaller one with a stepdrill, and small one with a good regular drill bit. Cuts where made with a 3 jaws electric snip, then sanded.

A cheap weight reduction.

jimboflying said:

...made a 2X8 forming block with a groove cut into it to accept one side of the angle aluminum which was the shape of the corners of the firewall pattern. I then formed the predrilled aluminum angle and removed any small wrinkles with a shrinking tool....

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skip the form block, just use the shrinker only... the key to using it is you only put 1/3 of the lip you are trying to shrink in it, not the full depth of the side... (don't ask how I know... but sure glad someone showed me, long ago..)

I just chucked up Steve Pierce and mine came out perfect!

OLDCROWE said:

I just chucked up Steve Pierce and mine came out perfect!

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We make a copy off the old stock firewall, and used clyde's flange, nut plates to make it removable in three pieces

I got 2 pieces of Ti sheet from Steve at Atlee's and ran through my brake to put stiffening channels, one at 4" and the other at 5". Then cheated by taking them back to Atlee's where they stamped the flanges on so one piece firewalls. I liked the 4" spacing better for looks.