Cutting torch

[Oldpath05]

I have a bunch of victor 101 torches they are small enough and can cut through 1/8"- 12" of steel with the right regular and tips.

I had a HF ripoff for a few years before some one decided to steal it from me, the finish was poor but it worked as good if you used victor tips.

The smith we have has issues with the style seal they use. The handyauto torches are very nice if you have a job that suits them. The other ones I use are more "wreaking" torches to me.

This is an untouched cut in 1" plate steel with the 101 torch with correct tip and pressure.

That is a real nice cut, I never seen a smoother cut. Are you saying you did that cut with a O-A Victor torch, what was the pressure settings and how long is the torch?
1" is probably as thick as I will ever cut, most of my cuts will be 1/8>1/2" and/also for heating/straightening/cutting 1/2>1-1/2" round stock, but I want to stay around 16>18" long for getting in and around motor compartments.

 

[LD1]

Thats nicer than most free-hand plasma cuts I have seen.

Was that with a CNC machine?

 

[Oldpath05]

I have a small Victor set and when I got it I made sure that it had the multi fuel regulator and hose so all I had to do was get a tip to change to pro. I have used a torch a lot in the past and the only difference I see is how you light pro. I like it and for my limited use it makes sense. I like my little victor too. Ed

If I get a Victor torch, for oxygen propane and oxygen acetylene, will the set say it can be used for OP And OA on the gauges, or does it come 2 sets of gauges and 2 sets of hoses?

 

[Scooby074]

If I get a Victor torch, for oxygen propane and oxygen acetylene, will the set say it can be used for OP And OA on the gauges, or does it come 2 sets of gauges and 2 sets of hoses?

You can use Propane with an Acetylene reg (you may need to change the nut/stem, but most gas companies use the same nut on their Acetylene tanks as used on a propane tank CGA510, Air Liquide uses a different Ace nut)
Youre supposed to change the standard R grade (Acetylene) hose to T grade (Ace/Prop) because propane can degrade R hose, however I havent seen this happen with quality hoses, but YMMV.

All you really need to change is the torch tip from an Ace tip to a propane tip.

 

[Ed of all trades]

You can use Propane with an Acetylene reg (you may need to change the nut/stem, but most gas companies use the same nut on their Acetylene tanks as used on a propane tank CGA510, Air Liquide uses a different Ace nut)
Youre supposed to change the standard R grade (Acetylene) hose to T grade (Ace/Prop) because propane can degrade R hose, however I havent seen this happen with quality hoses, but YMMV.

All you really need to change is the torch tip from an Ace tip to a propane tip.

Yep the reg will work fine but you need to make sure you get the hoses you can use for both. Some will say they used the hoses not suppoesd to be used for propane and have had no problems but why if you are buying new anyway. Not worth the worry. The sweet thing is I can change the tip and hook up to an accitiline bottle with the same setup. Ed

 

[muddstopper]

I have two o/a sets in my shop. One set up with a victor torch and the other with a Harris. The small set sets in the corner of the shop just waiting for a need to load on the truck. I paid $100 for that setup tanks and cart, bottles almost full so I couldnt pass it up. My other set is all Victor. I have had the regulators for 35years or more. Had both rebuilt once and one twice. the big set sets in the corner most of the time until I need to heat something up. My main cutting tool is the miller 40amp plasma. I used to go thru gas bottles several times a year, seemed like I was always running out of gas just about the time I need to cut something. With the plasma, as long as the shop has power and the air compressor makes air, I can cut pretty much anything I want to. The bigg stuff is what the O/A is for and I might have to refilonce or twice a year now. I bought 2 of those 30lb camper propane bottles a couple of years ago with plans to switch from acet to Propane. My LWS doesnt have any tips to fit my torch, can order them for me, but didnt keep them in stock. I think since they dont sell propane, they dont want anybody switching to anything other than Acet. May be just my thinking, but I didnt like the ideal of having to order a new tip everytime I might need one so for now I am just sticking to acet. Which I think might be their whole point of not carrying the propane tips.

 

[CharlieKtractor]

wondering why no one has mentioned airco torches

 

[Oldpath05]

I don't think Airco make's cutting torches anymore.

 

[Oldpath05]

Doesn't plasma cutting require an air compressor drying attachment or something?

 

[yomax4]

Victor has several alternate fuel torch kits. ( Propane, Propylene, Mapp, Chemolene etc). The only difference is the delivery gauge on the fuel reg. You can use Acetylene regs for propane. The CGA is almost always the same. It's just that the gauge only reads 15 psi and then it's redline until 30 psi. sometimes with heating tips you need up to 30psi but close enough is always close enough. just make sure you install the proper fuel gas tip. You can even use oxygen natural gas with an acetylene tip if you want to save some coin. Just don't go over 4psi. Most of the large cutting tables out there that cut 8-20" plate are running Oxy / Nat Gas.

 

[yomax4]

wondering why no one has mentioned airco torches

Yeah. No more Airco torches as far as I know although some copies have popped up here and there since the 80's. The Craftsman torches over the years were normally Dockson or Marquette. The Marquette were the 1st I saw that used some Aluminum. It looked like it was aluminum. Had red and green knobs and the 1st flip handle. After those 2 went away the craftsman sets were Harris. Harris torches were developed after the owner was looking for a better way to cut gemstones., mainly rubies way back when.

 

[Arc weld]

I have a bunch of victor 101 torches they are small enough and can cut through 1/8"- 12" of steel with the right regular and tips.

I had a HF ripoff for a few years before some one decided to steal it from me, the finish was poor but it worked as good if you used victor tips.

The smith we have has issues with the style seal they use. The handyauto torches are very nice if you have a job that suits them. The other ones I use are more "wreaking" torches to me.

This is an untouched cut in 1" plate steel with the 101 torch with correct tip and pressure.

Do you mean 101 series tips? Actually a cut like that isn't all that difficult but you have to have everything set up right and good clean tip. I like to clamp the straight edge guide for torch so it can't move. I have a Contour marker aluminum magnetic straight edge that lets the tip guide along it with less drag than a piece of steel. A little preheat and then a nice steady even travel speed and you're set. A lot of people have jumped on the plasma bandwagon but I find it much easier to do nice cuts with a cutting torch.

 

[yomax4]

I'm a plasma guy but on this thicker material, I like oxy/fuel too. Not that the plasma wont do it but the torch seems more natural. I use a tangent type attachment for circles and straights.

 

[jwmorris]

The torch in my previous post was a victor 100, about 16" OAL. The tip used for 1" was a 1-101 #2 size with 40-45 psi oxy and 4-8 act.

I use different tips, pressures and speeds depending on what the book/results are (note the copied chart taped to the top by the speed control).

That cut was made on my homemade pantograph machine, that by the way uses either a hand torch or plasma cutter (note the bolts that remove the torch holders and cup/hose clamp for plasma torch) depending on what I am cutting.

Pattern in post #30 in this thread.
http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/build-yourself/273086-show-what-tool-you-made-3.html

 

[jwmorris]

Made the above template to cut out 50 BMG hits on 1" plate.

The soft tape is just so it didn't scratch the desk top once I milled a slot to hold business cards in the top of it.

 

[Ed of all trades]

The torch in my previous post was a victor 100, about 16" OAL. The tip used for 1" was a 1-101 #2 size with 40-45 psi oxy and 4-8 act.

I use different tips, pressures and speeds depending on what the book/results are (note the copied chart taped to the top by the speed control).

That cut was made on my homemade pantograph machine, that by the way uses either a hand torch or plasma cutter (note the bolts that remove the torch holders and cup/hose clamp for plasma torch) depending on what I am cutting.

Pattern in post #30 in this thread.
http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/build-yourself/273086-show-what-tool-you-made-3.html

Tell me more about the pantograph machine! How does the magnet and the drive work? Ed

 

[Oldpath05]

Thought I could spend 2-3 weeks looking at/for torches, my son couldn't wait, had to do a repair on his pulp loader, so we went out to the welding store bought a Uniweld 30SA-16", totally different from the Victor style we had, the trigger is on the bottom and there's only 2 knobs to adjust. Hopefully I can use to the trigger being on the bottom, but does seem to be a nice short torch, one funny thing though, it makes a purring sound when lit, it's different for sure.

 

[Oldpath05]

That is a real good home made pantograph machine, they say a picture is worth a thousand words, but I say a short video is worth a million, I'd like to see it cut that piece you have on it. That victor torch is the size I had, but it was cheap Chinese junk bought off ebay, $90.00, worked 2 hrs. got what I paid for.

 

[jwmorris]

Here you go.

 

[Oldpath05]

Here you go.

That was just amazing, I watched it several times.