"IXION" is this a German tool company?

rivett608 · Jan 31, 2006

I just bought a tap and die set by IXION.... I think I once saw that they were German? Anyone know anything about them? When were or are they from? How long were or have they been around? What else did they make? etc.... Thanks

The set looks to be of pretty good quality..... and maybe 40 to 80 years old....

wilbilt · Jan 31, 2006

I found this in a quick search.

I found it on this site, and supposedly the sign says" Made in Germany".

Milacron · Jan 31, 2006

Ixion is mostly known for their nice drilling and tapping machines, which are close to Alzmetall and Fehlmann quality but at less price. They do make CNC machining centers as well these days.

I visited with Ixion at EMO shows in Paris and Hannover back in the early 90's and was tempted to try and import some of their machines for resale, but gradually came to realize it would have been difficult in a shrinking manual drilling machine market and abandoned the idea.

As to your tap/die set...might be a different Ixion, but perhaps they made such things many decades ago.

wilbilt · Jan 31, 2006

This pdf has a couple of sentences about the origins of the company, and goes on to show some of their current products.

edit: What kind of process would be used to produce that attractive variegated finish on the tap handles?

rivett608 · Jan 31, 2006

Thanks.... I think you got it.... Damn your good..... about 20 minutes...

.... anyone got a old catalog of theirs?

wilbilt · Jan 31, 2006

Here's a drill like the one on the sign.

edit: I wish my German was better, but it looks like a listing of museums with German tool catalogs here.

J. Randall · Jan 31, 2006

Wilbilt, it's hard to tell from the pics, but my guess would be color resulting from casehardening. James

wilbilt · Jan 31, 2006

Thanks, James.
I know I've seen similar finishes on knives, but I don't know much about hardening/tempering.

northernsinger · Jan 31, 2006

Ixion, had a troubled life. And, according to Ovid, this life never ended, as he was tied tightly to a burning wheel that spun for all time, with Ixion--appropriately--crying out in constant pain for all his transgressions.

I've just looked up 'Ixion' to check my memory of this and have found that the name is popular on video games.In the video games Final Fantasy X and Final Fantasy X-2, Ixion is the name of the Aeon of lightning. He appears as a large jet-black unicorn with a curved horn. In the video game Soul Calibur III, it is Tira's second unlockable weapon. It fits, as Tira's weapons are giant chakrams (metal bladed rings), which refers to Ixion's fate.

Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ixion"

Northernsinger

SouthBendModel34 · Jan 31, 2006

I don't know what the rest of you think, but I think that "oil colors" casehardening looks GREAT on just about anything.

That has got to be the most handsome tap & die set I've ever seen, both the design and the finish.

Split dies, too. Just the thing if you want to "fit" the screw a little bit tight in the hole, just back off the die a hair.

I wonder where that level of quality fits in with 20th century German history?

John Ruth

JIm Geib · Jan 31, 2006

"I don't know what the rest of you think, but I think that "oil colors" casehardening looks GREAT on just about anything."

How is the "oil colors" casehardening done. I would love to achive this on some of the tooling I've made.

Lambert · Jan 31, 2006

I just know them for their drilling machines , use one daily myself and bought a brand new one for a customer half a year ago.
Excellent machines , ergonimical and high quality.

Ixion german home page

eKretz · Feb 1, 2006

I believe that is a cyaniding process, to get those colors, but I'm not positive.

Milacron · Feb 1, 2006

rivett, just out of curiosity, do the machines Ixion manufactures now interest you at all, or are you totally focused on that little tap and die set ?

rivett608 · Feb 1, 2006

Don... my interest in Ixion is more in their history and other small products rather than their machines. While their machines look great most of my work I do by hand and my tapping of holes is almost always less than an 1/8"... and sizes like 000-120 and .6 mm are common for me... just can't see doing those on a big machine....... but I do keeping thinking I screwed up and didn't buy your Wahli..... just bad timing for me so I guess it was not meant to be....

Milacron · Feb 1, 2006

but I do keeping thinking I screwed up and didn't buy your Wahli..... just bad timing for me so I guess it was not meant to be....

OK, just wondering about my "posted info for nothing" factor

Re Wahli, even though long paid for I still have the little bugger and haven't heard a peep out of the buyer in many months...maybe you could buy it from him as he doesn't seem super enthused about actually getting it over the pond.

rivett608 · Feb 1, 2006

Don... information is never for nothing...... but sometimes it just sits in the back of our heads for years until needed.....

Wahli.... Hummmmm

Search

Largest Manufacturing Technology Community on the Web

Search

"IXION" is this a German tool company?

rivett608

Diamond

wilbilt

Hot Rolled

Milacron

Administrator

wilbilt

Hot Rolled

rivett608

Diamond

wilbilt

Hot Rolled

J. Randall

Stainless

wilbilt

Hot Rolled

northernsinger

Titanium

SouthBendModel34

Diamond

JIm Geib

Plastic

Lambert

Hot Rolled

eKretz

Diamond; Mod Squad

Milacron

Administrator

rivett608

Diamond

Milacron

Administrator

rivett608

Diamond

Similar threads