Oxy/propane torches

[Scratch]

I have a set of oxy/acetylene torches and tanks. I've been out of acetylene for a while now and because I don't get out much, my brother (who does) took my tank and keeps stopping at random Home Depots to switch it out with another tank. Very nice of him, but it's a little bit of an odd size so he's hasn't found one yet. I have a plasma cutter and welders so I have no need to cut or weld with my O/A torches but every once in a while I would like to use them to bend some steel or get a bolt red hot or something.

I don't need them much and haven't needed them for a while so I'm not in a hurry to get a full tank back, but yesterday, I did have a pipe I needed to bend and I was really wishing I had a full tank of acetylene.

I was talking to an old friend and he said "Just use propane. Your acetylene regulator will thread right into your BBQ grill tank." I'm like "yeah right."
But he was insistent on it so I tried it and sure enough, it did!

It looks like a lot of people like using LP instead of acetylene because it's cheaper and easier to fill. I'm liking that idea too!

I used propane in my same torch to heat up my pipe and while it took a bit longer than acetylene, it got it plenty red hot enough to make my bend!

It sounds like it works even better with a propane tip so I'll be ordering a replacement tip for my torch. If anyone has one they suggest, I'd love to hear it, otherwise I'll do some googling.

I had no idea that my BBQ grill tank would thread right into my acetylene regulator, and I could use that instead of acetylene. Maybe someone else here didn't know that as well.

[Whitetrash]

Gerry is a fan and uses it I use it no real complaints about the only thing you can't do versus acetylene is gas weld.

[camdigger]

Kurtis from CEE on YouTube uses oxy- propane for cutting and heating too..

My Dad had both propane and acetylene torches. The propane was cheaper to run and easier to get refilled. The propane was only a tad slower to preheat prior to cutting, but barely noticeably.

Raising a burr with a chisel speeds up the initiation of a cut with either system. The thin metal of the burr gets hot enough to start cutting far faster than the edge of the work. Only worth the extra step on thicker material IMHO.

YMMV

[Scotts]

The hose is different for propane. I believe it is a T ( model number) hose.

Don't know why, I have just seen use Grade T hose for propane. However, I have seen a piece of garden hose used in a natural gas water heater connection.

Scott

[Shade Tree Welder]

Propylene is a good option.

[JBFab]

I use propane as well. I personally have no reason to go back to acetylene. However, I must caution you - If you do use acetylene again MAKE SURE YOU SWITCH BACK TO AN ACETYLENE TIP. You can use propane in an acetylene tip (albeit poorly) but you cannot use acetylene in a propane tip. DAMHIK.

I have been told you need to use the proper hose for propane, but In 20 years I can't say I have had an issue.

[Ironman]

Originally Posted by JBFab

I use propane as well. I personally have no reason to go back to acetylene. However, I must caution you - If you do use acetylene again MAKE SURE YOU SWITCH BACK TO AN ACETYLENE TIP. You can use propane in an acetylene tip (albeit poorly) but you cannot use acetylene in a propane tip. DAMHIK.

I have been told you need to use the proper hose for propane, but In 20 years I can't say I have had an issue.

I agree, not going back. And I always use normal Oxy/acet twin hose from the welding supply

[camdigger]

Originally Posted by Shade Tree Welder

Propylene is a good option.

Not all LWS stock propylene. Depots Local to me do not.

[Ironman]

Well, today I decided to find out if I have any welding tips and torture them if I did. I found two that I had not given away or used as a base for a rosebud pipe.

They are Victor #3 and #5 tips. So I gave it the evil eye and decided to drill out the tips. I drilled #3 with a #45 drill bit to approximately the depth of the bit width and tried it out. Well, it worked and I had a stable flame with propane. I did not want to go too deep as then the flame would be into the recess, so I quit at that point. Then while putting it away, I found the #5 tip and decided to drill it to a #31 drill size and went in about a bit less than 1/8".
It's very scientific but it works, the #5 tip is very smooth and hot without blowing out if you wind up the oxygen. Easy to light too.

I don't know why this works, I'm gonna guess that the recess allows the laminar flow to remain shielded so the flame gets to it before turbulence starts, and outside air gets into the mixture.

[Ironman]

Originally Posted by Whitetrash

Gerry is a fan and uses it I use it no real complaints about the only thing you can't do versus acetylene is gas weld.

I suspect you could weld with it, but my only complaint with pane is that the gas welding tips are almost impossible to keep lit. Yesterday I had a dent in a hood that was inaccessible from the back so I wanted to take the dent out with heat. I used a Benzo torch and was able to pull the dent out about a 1/4" but then I needed a real small flame to upset the metal in specific areas and it would have been great to have a small hot flame to heat a 1/2 circle red and quench.

I've been tempted to try drilling a recess in the tip to see if that would stabilize the flame.