Ballast Tractor Weights - How do you cut them

[BobRip]

I was trying to trim some 55 pound Kubota tractor weights with my Sawsall tonight and it was slow going. I gave up after about cutting a 1/16 inch slot across it. I thought they were lead, but they cut like steel and sound like steel when hit with a hammer. They are also attracted by a magnet. I wonder if they might be lead with a steel coating. Maybe they are solid steel or iron.

Bob Rip

 

[MossRoad]

They are probably iron.

 

[J_J]

I was trying to trim some 55 pound Kubota tractor weights with my Sawsall tonight and it was slow going. I gave up after about cutting a 1/16 inch slot across it. I thought they were lead, but they cut like steel and sound like steel when hit with a hammer. They are also attracted by a magnet. I wonder if they might be lead with a steel coating. Maybe they are solid steel or iron.

Bob Rip

Bob, What are you trying to do, cut a slot, or just cut them in half. A cutting torch would do the job if you have one, and much faster. They could be cast iron.

 

[BobRip]

Bob, What are you trying to do, cut a slot, or just cut them in half. A cutting torch would do the job if you have one, and much faster. They could be cast iron.

I am trying to cut off a big section. The weight hangs out over the back of the bumper, and interferes with using the 2 inch receiver. I have a torch, but have no experience using it except for heating up metal so I can bend it. It might be a good time to learn, or I could use some chain as weight.

J_J and Moss, Thanks for the help.

Bob Rip

 

[MossRoad]

Do you have a cutting head for your torch?

 

[BobRip]

Do you have a cutting head for your torch?

I believe so. What do they look like.

Bob Rip

 

[MossRoad]

The cutting head screws onto the handle. It has its own oxygen knob. So, when attached, you have three knobs. One acetylene and oxygen next to each other and another oxygen up high near the tip. The actual tip will have one hole in the center and 5 or 6 holes in a circle around it. There will also be a lever for adding pure oxygen to the cut once it starts.

Here's a link to a picture of one...
http://store.weldingdepot.com/cgi/weldingdepot/62-3Ex.html


You turn off all three knobs and turn on your tanks. The gas should be 5-10 pounds and the oxy should be 20-30 pounds. It all depends on your setup and torches, etc.... ( READ A GOOD BOOK ON OXY/ACETYLENE WELDING AND CUTTING!! I suggest The Oxy-Acetylene Handbook. It is in most libraries.)

Then you turn on the acetylene knob a crack, and light it. Then you adjust it just until the smoke goes away. then you open the oxygen knob that is next to the acetylene knob all the way. Nothing should happen to the flame. Next, you open the oxygen knob near the tip slowly to adjust the flame. the six little circles are controlled by that knob. Adjust it until you see the six individual blue flames very distinctively. These six flames are for pre-heating the metal to be cut. Pre heat the area to be cut. This is important for a good cut. When the metal turns cherry red, you push the thumb lever on the cutting head. What this does is let the full 20-30 pounds of OXY into the cherry red metal. The oxygen burns the metal very fast. Depending on the tip size and PSI of your setup, you can cut some very thick metal very fast. I frequently cut 1/2 inch plate steel at about an inch avery 3-4 seconds.

 

[Piedmont3]

MossRoad,
Are you a Teacher?
I haven't used a cutting torch in 25 or 30 years since I was in high School FFA. An I can remember my Ag teacher (Mr. Goodsen) Telling us almost exactly the same thing when he was trying to teach us how to cut steel the right way.
If you are not a teacher you might consider it...

 

[MossRoad]

Thanks for the kind words. The only reason I am familiar with it is because I have recently been cutting stuff for my backhoe project. Until this year, I hadn't cut with a torch since around 1985. I dug out my Oxy-Acetylene Handbook from school and re-read it a few times. That book is timeless.

 

[BobRip]

Thanks for the kind words. The only reason I am familiar with it is because I have recently been cutting stuff for my backhoe project. Until this year, I hadn't cut with a torch since around 1985. I dug out my Oxy-Acetylene Handbook from school and re-read it a few times. That book is timeless.

Moss, thanks for the instructions. I don't know what I am going to do yet, but it would probably be a good thing to learn this anyway.

Bob Rip

 

[J_J]

Moss, thanks for the instructions. I don't know what I am going to do yet, but it would probably be a good thing to learn this anyway.

Bob Rip

Bob, Including all the things David said, let me add a few words here. You can learn rather quickly in a short time if you have the equipment, tanks, goggles, proper clothes, and a good friend that can give you a [ show and tell ] about the things you need to know about the cutting system. I could tell you some funny stories about cutting and welding. It is rather difficult to just jump in and light it off, with out knowing what to expect. You need to know about the regulators, how to turn them on and off. How much pressure for each gage for the tip you are using. The tips usually have a number on the tip which represents the cutting distance. The tip to work piece space is important. You can mess up a tip real quick by the spatter, and the cutting angle is important also. I would suggest a good friend show you, or get a video showing the whole process

 

[BobRip]

Bob, Including all the things David said, let me add a few words here. You can learn rather quickly in a short time if you have the equipment, tanks, goggles, proper clothes, and a good friend that can give you a [ show and tell ] about the things you need to know about the cutting system. I could tell you some funny stories about cutting and welding. It is rather difficult to just jump in and light it off, with out knowing what to expect. You need to know about the regulators, how to turn them on and off. How much pressure for each gage for the tip you are using. The tips usually have a number on the tip which represents the cutting distance. The tip to work piece space is important. You can mess up a tip real quick by the spatter, and the cutting angle is important also. I would suggest a good friend show you, or get a video showing the whole process

OK, Thanks.

Bob Rip

 

[MossRoad]

Very good advice, J_J.

Welding and cutting are skills that will last you a lifetime, even if you use them infrequently. It is sooo handy to have a decent set of torches and tanks at your disposal. I bought my tanks back in 1980 or so and I have only had them filled about 4 times. But when I need them, they are there.

I also have an old Sears AC/DC stick welder that I purchased back then, too. I've only used about 15 pounds (3 boxes) of sticks in 25 years, but, again, it is there when I need it.

I'm using them more on this backhoe project in the last two months than I have probably used them all together in the last 20 years.

I took some welding classes at the local vocational college around 1982 or 83. First I took a gas welding/cutting class, then an arc welding class, then a MIG class. Very handy stuff to know. I recommend classes or, as J_J said, some quality time with a friend that can show you how it's done. I'm still a hack at it, but I have fun.

 

[TimOb]

When I cut, I only turn the acy tank on 1/4 to 1/2 turn, while I turn the oxy tank almost full on. I set my regs for 40 lbs oxy and 4-5 lbs acy. I guess it depends on you're torch/tip setup. From there, I use David's instructions, almost to the letter. You'll be making lots of sparks, so be careful! Proper clothing is a must. I make sure never to have nylon sweats/jacket, etc. Always leather gloves and some type of head/face protection. There are ways of holding the flame to control where the sparks are going, I suppose it depends upon the type of mat'l you're cutting.

 

[wrenchturner]

BobRip,

The actlyene cutting will work but there are alternatives. Once I needed to cut a 6 inch I beam for a weight on the front of my compact tractor. In stead of using my torch, I used a circular saw with a fine tooth carbide blade. Cut each end at an angle in just a few minutes. If you do this you have to have a face shield because the chips fly fast. Also, you can use an abraeive metal cutoff blade in a skill saw. I used this method today cutting sheet metal, angle iron and 1" bar stock as I was patching up my POS (pretty old stuff) bushhog.