Oxygen-propane equipment?

[jo1010]

I changed out my cutting nozzle for correct propane nozzle and had no problems - the propane flame can be a bit sooty but nowhere near as bad as ace. Needs slow warming up before introducing oxy on a cold day....

 

[Bornfree]

The one I used,it all went very easy and cut just as clean.View attachment 466336View attachment 466337

That's an acetylene nozzle

 

[Erie Fred]

It's easier if you rest the nozzle against a piece of scrap steel, with the flame playing across the plate somewhat parallel, before you open the oxygen.

I don't know why it is, but it is in my experience.

Yup ^^^ or hot start it.

 

[Jelly_Sheffield]

I'm aware of that.

In that case, can I also interest your grandmother in taking an egg-sucking class?

 

[Seadog]

Only if you can reassemble her ashes

 

[nickk]

That's an acetylene nozzle

Exactly.cuts perfectly.

 

[Memmeddu]

It depends a lot upon the torch.
In my case an Harris 43-2 handle+ 49 cutting attachment, I've had to replace the injector and cap.
It's hard to say but in my experience propane need a recess on the tip otherwise flame would not stay light.
It's prone to do a lot of pops till it completely extinguishes, especially while you open the oxygen for cutting

 

[jonclancy]

Daft question - would oxy-propane be suitable for welding ally panels, please? Something for down the line, but I’d rather look at OP rather than OA. Not going to use it for cutting or gas-welding steel.

 

[Memmeddu]

Daft question - would oxy-propane be suitable for welding ally panels, please? Something for down the line, but I’d rather look at OP rather than OA. Not going to use it for cutting or gas-welding steel.

Oxy Propane doesn't make a shielding gas cover while burning as oxy acetylene does instead.
You're surely able to melt even steel but you'll be not able to weld parts together because of that.
Plus we have to say that oxy propane works at higher oxygen pressure than oxy acetylene that makes harder to get a controllable puddle because you'll wash it away

 

[nickk]

Another query,do the O rings in the equipment have to be changed aswell as the hoses?

 

[Erie Fred]

Daft question - would oxy-propane be suitable for welding ally panels, please? Something for down the line, but I’d rather look at OP rather than OA. Not going to use it for cutting or gas-welding steel.

Did you check out tinmantech ?
The owner IIRC has passed, but the information may still be up.

 

[jonclancy]

Thanks Folks.

I’ll check out the info.

 

[nickk]

So after 39 years it’s goodbye to acetylene,it’s now off hire,£12.50/month better off.

 

[premmington]

So after 39 years it’s goodbye to acetylene,it’s now off hire,£12.50/month better off.View attachment 467440

I dumped it about 15yrs ago.

Still got Oxy/Propane for heating.

Use AC/DC TIG for DC brazing. Plus welding I would have done with gas torch.

MIG and multiple MMA sets for everything else

Be honest - I done a lot of spot heating bolts with HF TIG torch of late.

 

[nickk]

Having done some more cutting on mainly 12mm plates,it’s slower progress than acetylene,maybe that’s where a dedicated propane nozzle is now necessary?

 

[Bornfree]

Having done some more cutting on mainly 12mm plates,it’s slower progress than acetylene,maybe that’s where a dedicated propane nozzle is now necessary?

I find propane cuts as fast as acetylene but it's slower to preheat before cutting. You do need higher pressure oxygen though.

 

[minimutly]

Scrappies have allways used oxy propane for cutting.

 

[Memmeddu]

Having done some more cutting on mainly 12mm plates,it’s slower progress than acetylene,maybe that’s where a dedicated propane nozzle is now necessary?

You need for sure a dedicated oxy propane tip.
But you'll get the better results with a dedicated torch.
I have as said up above an injected Harris torch, those torches are fuel specific.
They use an injector which is nothing more than a Venturi in head mixer, with specific diameters and volume for said gas.
They make a stronger, faster and hotter flame than a regular torch using the same gas pressures

I find propane cuts as fast as acetylene but it's slower to preheat before cutting. You do need higher pressure oxygen though.

That's true but it spreads the heat on a bigger area.
You don't really need a lot of pressure.
Let's say 0.5 propane and 2.5 oxygen for 10mm plate it will work fine.
What you really need is to adjust the flame properly.
You ideally need enough fuel and oxygen to spread the flame in a nice 3 or 4" star pattern.
Standing at about 8mm from the plate.

Scrappies have allways used oxy propane for cutting.

Cheaper, safer, and it cuts just as well.
Bigger torches or for bigger thicknesses anyways I've discovered a tendency to propane over acetylene.
I don't know if it's mainly for safety reasons, or because it's cheaper.
Or because the caloric power of propane over acetylene.
As propane reaches lower temperature but it heats bigger areas than acetylene

 

[Jelly_Sheffield]

You need for sure a dedicated oxy propane tip.
But you'll get the better results with a dedicated torch.
I have as said up above an injected Harris torch, those torches are fuel specific.
They use an injector which is nothing more than a Venturi in head mixer, with specific diameters and volume for said gas.

I agree for sure about the tips.

It's probably more important in this case because the defacto standard cutting torch in the UK is an "NM type"...

They have 3 tubes running all the way to the head of the torch, and the gas mixer is actually designed into the nozzle assembly.

Side by side, you can see it's a different beast to the Harris:

 

[Erie Fred]

Scrappies have allways used oxy propane for cutting.

Yup, ^^^ and my scrappie friend also says "If your not running liquid, your not making money"