titatium

The best way to join titanium is TIG welding in an enclosed space that is filled with argon or some other inert gas. You can use a large plastic bag and just flow the argon through it to keep positive pressure on it and prevent the oxygen from entering it.

Aircraft parts are usually welded in chambers that have gloves mounted in the sides, kind of like a sand blast cabinet only the gloves are sealed. You have your hands in the rubber gloves and you look through a port hole in the side of the chamber. It looks like a labratory operation at first glance. Large parts are done in vacuum chambers to save on the cost of the argon.

You are probably sorry that you asked by now but for a jewelry application you may want to call around and see is you can find a jeweler that has a laser welder. This will give you high heat at minimum time exposure. It would be nice if they have experience with titanium.

The alloy sticks to almost anything that it comes in contact with at elevated temperatures and it may be possible to silver solder it but the joint will be brittle.

Welding and joining methods appropriate to titanium include:
Arc Welding Processes, Tungsten Inert Gas (TIG), Metal Inert Gas (MIG), Plasma Arc (PAW).
Power Beam Processes, Laser and Electron Beam (EB)welding.
Resistance Welding, Spot, Seam and the Resista-CladTM cladding process.
Friction Welding, Rotary, Radial, Linear, Orbital, Stir, Stud and other specific jointing techniques.
Diffusion Bonding
Forge Welding
Explosive Bonding
Brazing
Soldering
Adhesive Bonding

I suppose the question on everybody's mind is:
But can it do submerged arc welding? If so, would submerged arc or explosion welding be the better choice for making a small crucifix out of two titanium tubes?

What does MX stand for, Mexico?

Stan

The only thing I know about titanium tube welding was an article on a guy who makes racing bicycle frames and he had Lexan (I think) boxes that he jigged the tubes inside and pumped it with argon or helium, then used a wire feed welder. Boxes had those gloves mounted like bead blast cabinets. For this project, notching the tubes and using a structural adhesive may be the easiest way.