ALLENR:
Nothing to do with coordination just after you lite one about a thousand times, it is just a natural thing, like riding a bicycle. You know how you do it, but it might be hard to tell someone how without hands on demo and practice.
Another tip on using a cutting torch, keep the tip CLEAN. Use the tip cleaner anytime the preheat holes are not all perfectly cone shaped. Clean the high pressure (middle hole) each time you use it if it has been setting for a while. When properly cleaned the tip will sound like meat hitting a hot skillet when you hit the trigger. When all is properly adjusted and the blue carburizing feather has just disappeared ( you open the front valve on the cutting head just till the blue feather disappears for proper cutting setting. Then when you hit the cutting oxygen, there flame should extend out at least 18 inches. If it doesnt the tip is dirty and will leave slag on the cut. A properly cleaned tip will have very little slag and what is on it will easily come off.
Another tip on slag free cutting is to every so slightly angle your cut away from the saved piece edge. I mean like 1 degree, it doesnt take much and you wont even notice the angle on your cut. This is for when you are cutting thicker material 3/8" and above. If you are cutting thin gauge metal, slant your tip forward as much as 45 degrees and the slag will blow off better. Also travel as fast as you can and still maintain accuracy on your cutting line. IF you go slow and overheat the metal, you're going to have slag, regardless of your torch setting and angle. Only use enough gas to preheat the metal to make the cut. Most people use much too large a tip and much too high of a flame. I use nothing but tip sizes 00 for 1/2" to 1" thick and 000 for anything below 1/2" thick. It is a little slow getting the preheat going, but it cuts just as fast as a #1 or #2 after it gets hot and uses lots let O2 and gas. I have actually made cuts on 1/2 plate with a 000 tip that was center punched and left the centerpunch mark on both sides of the cut, that is how fine you can cut with on of those and a steady hand. OF course that was many years ago when I had nerves of steel.
