Cutting Torch Question

Just to say thanks, recently bought a ace/oxy torch set up (cutting is one thing, I'm trying to get the hang of welding with it ! ??), I'm learning from all the post you guys are nice enough to write-up - now I just need mor time to practice!

Common steel will rust in layers thus creating a void between the layers. As you try and cut thru the layers the metal will pop spit and sputter so a guy will tend to turn the preheat up and that seams to help but doesn't. What happens is the voids creates a cold spot and your cutting flame dies out thus creating the poping action. The best method is too let up on the oxygen blow and stop forward movement let the preheat catch up too the cold spots then adding cutting oxygen and continuing on.

On cutting sound soild angle iron I found it best to turn the angle iron over to where both legs are resting on the support table with the center web up or 1/2 of diamond facing up. Start cutting from the edge of one leg towards the center of the angle iron 90 and just blow thru the heavy rib(web) 90 and stop, then start cutting again from the opposite leg toward the center rib 90 until cut. If you don't blow thru that heavy part of the web 90 before stopping then the cut will be ragged and with alot of slag. Just as you get to that web part of the 90, slow the forward speed just alittle to let your preheat flame catch up but do not let up on the oxygen.

Setting a oxy/acet torch flame for cutting. Clean the tip preheat orifices(the outside holes) then clean the center cutting orifice(center hole), then clean the tip face, then reclean the preheat and cutting orifices. If you clean the tip this way it won't plug up the orifices.

Next turn on the acetylene and set the flame just where the gas starts to feather then add oxygen to where the preheat cones are sharp and pointed, this is an oxidizing preheat flame. If the preheat cone flames are not all the same height from the tip face and or ragged the they need to be recleaned. If the acetylene flame leaves the tip face then you have too much acetylene. You want the acetylene flame long and tapered and just feathering at the end before adding oxygen.

Next depress the oxygen lever to add cutting oxygen and observe the center flame cone. It should be very long and very uniform to the end of the flame cone. If not reclean the oxygen orifice. A dirty cutting orifice will have the end of the flame cone belled and or ragged. This one is very important as it makes the cut very smooth and slag free, well almost! The speed at which forward movement of the cutting also has to do with slag and slightly with cut smoothness. But if you ever seen the guys that can cut smooth as paper, they have the center hole very clean and uniform. This is the seceret to making a very smooth cut. Proper speed and steadyness will come with experience.

Metal warp while cutting solid material comes from too much preheat flame. Most of the over heat starts with a dirty tip and the troch flame not set correctly. A clean cutting tip takes less heat to make the same cut thus no warpage.

T_Bone

I use two settings for all my cutting and brazing.
Cutting 40oxy/5acetylene
Brazing 20oxy/5acetylene

Acetylene is set with gas flow on at the mixing chamber and gives about 7psi at the regulator when shut off.

I control all final pressures with the mixing chamber. The reason for the above pressure settings is on the job with a 100ft of hose stretched out I never had to readjust my regulators.

You might want to do a search on this forum as cutting/brazing has been talked about alot this past couple months.

Glad we could help.

T_Bone

I must have been too tired to get my point accross as you said it really easy....lol legs facing down

good point about tipping the cutting head.

T_Bone