How to CUT WITH PROPANE?

TBone · Aug 29, 2003

I don't use a cutting torch a lot so I set mine up on propane rather than acetylene. I'm using a harris torch with a propane tip.

Though not a pro by any means, I can do a pretty good job with an acetylene torch. But with propane I always have some slag on the back side of the cut, even though the cut itself is pretty clean.

Can anybody tell me the proper settings for the propane and oxygen regulators? Also how to set the torch, cause it sure is different than setting it for acetylene.

Thanks in advance for the help.

TBone

gerard · Aug 29, 2003

I'm sure not an "expert" but I know propane isn't as hot as acetylene so maybe your results are normal?? Seems like a cooler flame would naturally leave more slag than a hotter one which would do a better job of totally oxidizing the kerf.? (This is just educated guessing though....... /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif

Taylortractornut · Aug 29, 2003

Travis you may need to turn your oxygen pressure up a little more. An clean the tip out a bit more frequently. I use a sharp Oring hook to scrape them out. I work part time for a friend repairing fithwheel plates on log trailers. He uses a propane setup and its good for cutting double plate but it uses up alot of oxygen. It cuts lean and sometimes leaves a bit more slag. as it gets more crud in the tip. When i work for him iI use propane to trim the double plate out and then change to Acetylene when i cut new parts out because im more comfortable with it. I saw in your profile that you are from Mississippi, what part are you from Im in Iuka in th north eastern part.

JimC · Aug 29, 2003

Taylor, Did you have any luck getting some photos of the cement mixer project?
jimc

Taylortractornut · Aug 30, 2003

Not yet, i went to get them but the 3 rolls i took only had a fuzzy shot of the drum insides. Hopefully in a day or teo ill have them back. Sorry for the long delay

TBone · Sep 2, 2003

Hi, Taylor. Yeah, I've discovered that you use more oxygen with the propane and it doesn't get nearly as hot when you are trying to heat something up. I may just get me an acetylene bottle if I don't get a little better with it. 99% of the time it does fine for my use. I do keep my tip clean. To me it's easier to clean one of these than the standard acetylene tip.

I'm in the east central part of the state between Meridian and Laurel. (Out in the middle of nowhere /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif) I haven't been to Iuka in about 30 years. I imagine it's changed a little since then.

Thanks to all for the help.

TBone

Taylortractornut · Sep 2, 2003

I have a long handle Demo torch i i may set up on propane to cut double plated stuff, it seems to work well on it. On log trailers they can be the only thing to cut a patched up 5th wheel plate out.
I pointed out to my friend how huch oxygen he used to to burn out new parts and with heating, hes considering the switch to. In the photos section you can see a picture of my automatic pattern burner its on Acetylene and oxygen and it will burn up to 10 inches thick plate. Ive cut out alot of 2 inch stuff and some 4 inch plate.
Iuka hasnt changed a whole lot other than half the industry has left. I orked abunch in Meridian and Laurel fro a few Mobile home sales companies that sold Belmont Homes products. I cant remember the 2 lots we did down there. My older brother used to run a construction company and we would build or refurbish their lots. I wished i had had the time to drive in the country lots of neat stuff on the road sides there.

Soundguy · Sep 3, 2003

All the local scrap iron / recycler guys around here use propane setups... All that I've talked to left a slightly larger / uglier cut than with act'lene.... though can't be any worse than cutting with a stick welder!

Soundguy

TBone · Sep 4, 2003

<font color="red"> "though can't be any worse than cutting with a stick welder!" </font>

And for years that's all I had to cut with. If it was something that was to be welded it wasn't too /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif bad but if not you sure had a lot of grinding to do /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif.

The more I think about all those rods I burned up cutting with my cracker box, the better the cut looks behind my propane torch. /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif.

TBone

slowzuki · Sep 19, 2003

I switched to propane due to acetylene tank rental cost and I find it longer to preheat. Because of this more metal is near melt temp when the cutting starts and I get a lot of reweld in the first half inch or so.

My soln was to buy a plasma cutter and use the torch for cutting big stuff and heating.