Rosebud Tip--Issues When Using--Need Help Please

[Tractor Seabee]

I have no problem using propane with standard heating tips. I asked at the welding store one time (they handle victor) about special tips for propane. There were none they could find and consensus in the store was the only ones special are cutting tips due to the cooler flame of propane. I always use propane for everything except O/A welding of steel. As mentioned above; that #6 heating tip takes a lot of gas. Small B tanks don't make it. Also you need medium or heavy duty gauges to get the necessary flow. We always used the big (some larger than #6) heater for sil-brazing large copper tube and pipe to maximize the flow of alloy. over a larger area. This is 6" tube and larger. Huge flame, great for warming the shop but expensive.

Ron

 

[npalen]

Thanks for all the feedback, everyone. I'll admit that I've used welding torches off and on (that must be a pun, right?) for the last sixty years or so but have never been trained or instructed in proper use and maintenance. It's all been the school of hard knocks. Sounds like I really need to clean up my act.
Thanks again.

 

[BukitCase]

No problem - I didn't mean to come off harsh, but my "wake-up call" came when I was 19; and if I'd been standing an inch or two to the left I'd have missed out on the 53 years that followed - a guy who thought he knew what he was doing (he didn't) put a fresh Oxy bottle on his acetylene torches, opened the valve, and the T handle missed my head by maybe a couple inches on its way thru both sides of 2 plywood sheathed walls and bounced off a car in the parking lot

After I cleaned out my shorts, I had my helper watch the gas pumps and drove down to the LWS, asked 'em if they had any safety pamphlets on the subject - they did, and I found out our "welder" guy did EVERYTHING wrong - he didn't back off the regulator when done, didn't crack the valve SLOWLY, didn't make sure NO ONE was in front of the regulator when opening the valve.

I've really enjoyed (most of) the 53 years I wouldn't have had (not to mention some really cool grand kids) so this particular subject tends to get me on my soapbox - anyway, I'm glad you took it the way it was intended... Steve

 

[dragoneggs]

No problem - I didn't mean to come off harsh, but my "wake-up call" came when I was 19; and if I'd been standing an inch or two to the left I'd have missed out on the 53 years that followed - a guy who thought he knew what he was doing (he didn't) put a fresh Oxy bottle on his acetylene torches, opened the valve, and the T handle missed my head by maybe a couple inches on its way thru both sides of 2 plywood sheathed walls and bounced off a car in the parking lot

After I cleaned out my shorts, I had my helper watch the gas pumps and drove down to the LWS, asked 'em if they had any safety pamphlets on the subject - they did, and I found out our "welder" guy did EVERYTHING wrong - he didn't back off the regulator when done, didn't crack the valve SLOWLY, didn't make sure NO ONE was in front of the regulator when opening the valve.

I've really enjoyed (most of) the 53 years I wouldn't have had (not to mention some really cool grand kids) so this particular subject tends to get me on my soapbox - anyway, I'm glad you took it the way it was intended... Steve

Yikes! But these stories are the ones that need to be told to us 'think we can do it all' DIYers.

 

[Tractor Seabee]

My first safety encounter with O/A was in high school welding class. We had a bank of 6 Ox cylinders on a manifold and a large acetylene generator that took 100# of carbide at a time. We had to learn all the nuances of both systems and the safety precautions before we lit a torch or struck an arc. Kids were changing out the Ox cylinders. Took the safety cap off one before wrestling it into the rack. Needless to say he dropped the cylinder on the floor, broke off the valve. It went through a concrete block wall like a torpedo and landed in the front seat of the instructor's pickup. Kid stated: "it is easier to wrestle the cylinder if you can grab the valve. No one injured but a great object lesson. That acetylene generator maintenance is another whole story I will tell sometime. It was scary for us kids. I doubt HS students would ever get to encounter such today. Have to be over 18 to touch such stuff not hands on like we did. Oh for the good ole days.

Ron

 

[Oldoak]

Oh the good ole days is right! Today the millennial snowflakes would melt away at the thought of such experiences.

 

[BukitCase]

Oh the good ole days is right! Today the millennial snowflakes would melt away at the thought of such experiences.

Nah, no problem; NUTHIN' can hurt ya when ALL your "experiences" are on an iPad ...Steve

 

[Arc weld]

An MFA series heating tip is for acetylene. MFN is for propane. As rosebuds go, a #6 is on the smaller side but still needs sufficient gas flow to operate properly. 9 times out of 10 when you are getting backfiring with a rosebud it because of too low of gas pressures. I'd guess a #6 should use around 10 PSI acetylene. A #10 and larger need the max. 15 PSI acetylene. Oxygen should be around 30 with a #6. The higher gas pressure helps cool the torch and having it a little higher than needed doesn't hurt anything. A rosebud doesn't need to be balanced like a welding tip. A rosebud also shouldn't be throttled back too much. If it's too hot, get a smaller tip. Other reasons for backfiring are a dirty tip and holding the torch too close to the work over heating the tip. Check the O-rings and then check your pressures. You also need a large enough cylinder so you don't draw out acetone. A tell tale sign of acetone is the head of the rosebud has a kind of black goop on it.

 

[cqaigy2]

There it is, short and sweet, all in what Arc weld said.

 

[Oldoak]

There it is, short and sweet, all in what Arc weld said.

Yes. Definitely someone with extensive experience and knows what they are talking about. :thumbsup: