torch question

[sandman76]

has anyone ever used a propane & oxygen setup for a torch. i have seen guys use just a gas grill tank and a oxygen tank for there torch. it just be a old style tank. let me know

[Brad]

works fine, you just need a different tip for the torch.

[Urban Wheeler]

I'm sure you could do that too. At work we run our torches on natural gas and oxy.

[HeyZeus]

I have oxy/propane setup. It doesn't burn quite as hot, but it is most likely going to be fine for most anything that you are going to need a torch for.

[d.d.machine]

I run both and the only down side is the preheat sucks with propane. but I use it for cutting cars and stuff in that its cheap, but get over 1/2" plate and You spend all your time trying to get a puddle so you can start the cut. I have a 7 gallon propane bottle and it lasts for "YEARS"

P.S. propane takes a two part torch tip and there easy to fooker up and about 3 times the $$

[Benny]

I run both and the only down side is the preheat sucks with propane. but I use it for cutting cars and stuff in that its cheap, but get over 1/2" plate and You spend all your time trying to get a puddle so you can start the cut. I have a 7 gallon propane bottle and it lasts for "YEARS"

P.S. propane takes a two part torch tip and there easy to fooker up and about 3 times the $$


Thats funny. I run a medium size torch/tip and have no problem cutting 3/4+. When my buddy used it he has a hard time simply because he isnt use to it. I actually like the propane tip better than an acet tip. itcomes apart and you can use a small pick to clean it out.

[D60]

Start at reply #7 and keep going, there's more

http://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/showthread.php?t=315345&page=1

[flatbelly7]

We have been using for years and it works awesome. Another added bonus is that it is a whole lot cheaper that acetelene or how ever you spell it. Have no complaints.
jim

[sandman76]

thanks for the feedback guys. i will get me a different tip and be done.

[Goat]

I have oxy/propane setup. It doesn't burn quite as hot, but it is most likely going to be fine for most anything that you are going to need a torch for.

That's bullshit...pane burns hotter than acet. The reason it seams cooler is that propane releases most of it's heat in the secondary cone on the primary like acet. That is the reason you can't weld with it.

Propane is the prefered fuel for cutting and heating...the reason that most guys say that it is slow to preheat is because they are used to running acet and are not holding the torch in a position to get the most heat.

[braxton357]

That's bullshit...pane burns hotter than acet. The reason it seams cooler is that propane releases most of it's heat in the secondary cone on the primary like acet. That is the reason you can't weld with it.

Propane is the prefered fuel for cutting and heating...the reason that most guys say that it is slow to preheat is because they are used to running acet and are not holding the torch in a position to get the most heat.


Or better yet, why not use some *real* numbers...

With a neutral flame, acetylene burns at 6300*f. While both mapp gas and Propane burn at just over 5300*. 6300>5300. Propane has it's uses, but it's not a wonder gas...there are reasons why not everyone uses it.

[Goat]

Ok, you want some real numbers, here they go...

-Max neutral flame temperature of acetlyene in oxy is 5720F
-Max neutral flame temperature of propane in oxy is 5112F

5720 > 5112 is greater but that really doesn't matter as the real concern is thermal output (BTU).

-BTU of acetlyene is approx 1470 btu/ cubic ft.
-BTU of propane is approx 2500 btu/ cubic ft.

So when people say that propane gives off less heat that is not entirely correct (plain wrong). In the industry majority of preheating is done with propane...and they don't do it just because it is cheaper.

-Propane releases a small portion of heat in the inner flame (10%), most of the heat is in the outer cone. Acetylene releases 40% of it's heat in the inner cone.

Just about every industrial cutting operation, that doesn't use plasma, uses propane/oxygen or a derivative. If you watch one of these tables you will be amazed how quickly they start cut on 1" plate given how slow propane is...

If you take a look at any torch manufacturers catalog you will see propane, propylene and mapp tips in the range of 250,000-1,000,000btu/hr. Acetylene on the otherhand is 240,000btu/hr of harris, 200,000but/hr for smith and Victor has the biggest at 300,000btu/hr.

People often say that acetylene is better for cutting than propane. While temperature wise acetylene is hotter than propane the fact is that people use propane for cutting incorrectly. The mistake they make is they are cutting with propane like it is acetylene. It turns out where the heat is in propane is not where it is with acetylene.

[System-f]

The combustion of acetylene produces a large amount of heat, and, in a properly designed torch, the oxyacetylene flame attains the highest flame temperature (about 6,000° F, or 3,300° C) of

edit: just read your note on Acteylene being hotter

http://www.c-f-c.com/specgas_products/acetylene.htm


2 C2H2 + 5 O2 = 2 H20 + 4 CO2