Propane Torch ?

[PSweeney]

I have the occasional need to heat things, frozen bolts, shrinking sheet, bending bar, annealing ally etc.

I can't justify a an oxy acet rig but I do have a big cylinder of propane which I thought I could maybe use with a roofers torch or similar ? Will propane get mils steel metal cherry red ? I don't need the cutting power of oxy ?

 

[BrokenBiker]

yes it will, i use it for similar things to you plus hardening knives. It isn't the quickest way of doing it though. You can add oxy to propane and get a very hot flame

 

[PSweeney]

cool thanks, what about sand mandrel bending some 1"/ 3mm wall tube ? Would it get it hot enough, not fussed at how long it takes ?

 

[BrokenBiker]

in not sure about that, ive never used sand when bending pipe so don't know how much it will affect the heat retention but i reckon it should do the job eventually

 

[Parm]

Go for a bullfinch or sievert torch, plenty of torch heads available to give you flames sizes from pencil thin to big boy roofer type jet flame.

I've got a bullfinch that's was my dads, 35 years old and still going strong!

Before any one says, that's the torch and not the old man

 

[Bill Edwards]

Yes they will heat steel to red, provided the part is small, enclosed and you have plenty of time.
I can't help on the pipe bending, I've never tried bending pipe with sand and propane.

For freeing stuff off be aware that the flame tends to be big and will send heat to everything in the area, as well as the part you're trying to heat. You can't concentrate it in one area very well.

 

[BrokenBiker]

Yes they will heat steel to red, provided the part is small, enclosed and you have plenty of time.
I can't help on the pipe bending, I've never tried bending pipe with sand and propane.

For freeing stuff off be aware that the flame tends to be big and will send heat to everything in the area, as well as the part you're trying to heat. You can't concentrate it in one area very well.

I use a propane butane mix with a precision torch head for fine flames

 

[Bill Edwards]

But what about when you want to heat up a decent sized bolt?

 

[doubleboost]

For fast local heat you need oxy fuel
The induction heating coils also work

 

[BrokenBiker]

But what about when you want to heat up a decent sized bolt?

then I use the next size up head for the torch, I have 4 for the go systems torh and then move onto the propane tank and the bullfinch style torch, have about 5 heads for that I think from fairly small right up to the ones used for burning off weeds