- Thread starter DennisCA
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lots of bike builders still use it , where frames are brazed , I tend to think of it as a gentle tig.
DennisCA
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Well I've had a 20 liter bottle of oxygen since last summer but not gotten much farther on much else. I was going to refurbish my fathers X11 torches and cutting attachment, but I have since discovered the X-11 line is very acetyelene focused. They have discontinued most accessories using propane and only sell a few cutting nozzles, and those cutting nozzles are a problem. They are demanding between 80-100 euros for a pair........ That's just insane. Acetylene cutting nozzles are by comparison only 5-10 euros or so, and I already have a bunch of them.
So where do I go from here. I wanted to use my fathers equipment, I was looking forward to putting it into action. I had all the stuff I needed except the propane cutting tips. Naively I thought they'd cost no more than the acetylene ones.
But now they are so expensive that if I wanted to buy four of them, I could just buy a new Harris cutting torch, like the 142 for the same price. And that has cheap propane cutting nozzles by comparison.
So I am not sure where to go.. Go with acetylene so I can use the equipment I got, or buy new one and use propane.
It's cheaper to buy a new torch than an acetylene bottle so I am leaning towards that, and likely a Harris torch. But I am not sure if I should get a torch handle and cutting attachement, so I can also fit brazing attachments and not just a dedicated cutting torch like a 142 is. I suppose one can braze with those however, might be clumsy though.
EDIT:
Having looked around, I can find oxy-propane heating attachments still for the X11 range that are not too expensive. So I think I will refurbish the handle and get a brazing tip for oxy-propane. And a dedicated cutting torch instead like the Harris 142. And get quick connectors on them so I can swap around.
So where do I go from here. I wanted to use my fathers equipment, I was looking forward to putting it into action. I had all the stuff I needed except the propane cutting tips. Naively I thought they'd cost no more than the acetylene ones.
But now they are so expensive that if I wanted to buy four of them, I could just buy a new Harris cutting torch, like the 142 for the same price. And that has cheap propane cutting nozzles by comparison.
So I am not sure where to go.. Go with acetylene so I can use the equipment I got, or buy new one and use propane.
It's cheaper to buy a new torch than an acetylene bottle so I am leaning towards that, and likely a Harris torch. But I am not sure if I should get a torch handle and cutting attachement, so I can also fit brazing attachments and not just a dedicated cutting torch like a 142 is. I suppose one can braze with those however, might be clumsy though.
EDIT:
Having looked around, I can find oxy-propane heating attachments still for the X11 range that are not too expensive. So I think I will refurbish the handle and get a brazing tip for oxy-propane. And a dedicated cutting torch instead like the Harris 142. And get quick connectors on them so I can swap around.
Last edited:
outofthefire
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Personally I'd ignore what you've heard and just give it a go and draw your own conclusions. I've lost count of the times i've been told I can't do something or it won't work only to try and find out I can. At the end of the day all gas torches are blowing gas through a hole choose what the design is. My torch at work is the type with tapering tubes and the one I have at home is the type with a screw on tip both work fine.
DennisCA
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Gotta say I feel real stupid because I don't understand your answer, what do yo mean with give it a go? You mean just hook up some propane and see how it works with the acetylene equipment? Or ignore what I heard here abot propane and acetylene and get an acetylene bottle for my acetylene equipment?
brightspark
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ive tried my oxy acet torch ob propane and it works ok its just a bit finiky to set the flame so if u allready have the gear give it a go if your ok with it you could change the gas pipe to orange propane as its suposed to rot the red stuff but after how many years 
it isnt going to blow up on you
it isnt going to blow up on you
Munkul
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Will propane work on an acetylene nozzle? Yes... it will produce a flame.
Will it work well? NO
Propane needs over twice as much oxygen in the pre-heat flame, you'll be there forever trying to get enough heat in the steel to be able to cut it!
"ignore what you've heard" is the most ridiculous answer sometimes
Will it work well? NO
Propane needs over twice as much oxygen in the pre-heat flame, you'll be there forever trying to get enough heat in the steel to be able to cut it!
"ignore what you've heard" is the most ridiculous answer sometimes
DennisCA
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Lately I started wondering if it wouldn't be easier to go with acetylene. Since all my gas equipment I already got is for acetylene anyway. I figured I'd save money on propane and it's safer to boot, but if I have to buy all new equipment or spend equivalent money to that, then I'm starting to wonder what's really cheaper after all.
backpurge
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“Safer to boot” don’t know where this comes from but it is wrong and mis leading
backpurge
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Correct
Munkul
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It's all flammable "safer" is relative... I'd class acetylene as "less safe" than propane due to it's wider flammable range, its far far lower minimum ignition energy, and its thermal decomposition risks.
You handle those risks in much the same way for both gasses, but there's a reason some insurance companies put higher premiums on acetylene users...
"safer" is relative... I'd class acetylene as "less safe" than propane due to it's wider flammable range, its far far lower minimum ignition energy, and its thermal decomposition risks.You handle those risks in much the same way for both gasses, but there's a reason some insurance companies put higher premiums on acetylene users...
backpurge
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To be honest most insurance companies are using urban myths as their basis for decision making. Was in a company a couple of months back where the insurers had said they had to use LPG instead of Acetylene, most of the use was in pits so that indicates the level of in depth knowledge most insurers have. It is a fact I come across far more incidents involving nitrogen than any other gasIt's all flammable
You handle those risks in much the same way for both gasses, but there's a reason some insurance companies put higher premiums on acetylene users...
brightspark
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it will work well using propane and oxy on a welding torch for heating and brazing . i didnt mention cutting as i havent done it so i couldnt say or even advise on itWill propane work on an acetylene nozzle? Yes... it will produce a flame.
Will it work well? NO
Propane needs over twice as much oxygen in the pre-heat flame, you'll be there forever trying to get enough heat in the steel to be able to cut it!
"ignore what you've heard" is the most ridiculous answer sometimes
Munkul
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Not quite... the way fire and rescue service deal with fires involving acetylene is the biggest headache in theory to insurance...
up til recently, some fire services approach to a fire involving acetylene bottles was to cordon off an area of 200 metres (still standard practice now) but completely evacuate the area for 24 hours or more... this simply isn't realistic for some operating production plants and could cost millions in compensation for 3rd parties in some areas. Think crowded residential areas or city centres etc.
I'm not disagreeing with you about the risks being overblown, but it's more the way people have to deal with the incidents.
We got rid of all acetylene on our site precisely because of this 24h rule we were informed of from our local fire service. We couldn't afford to evacuate an entire plant just because someone had a small accident in the fitting shop!
backpurge
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The fire and rescue service changed their advice for dealing with cylinders in fires in 2012, consequently the vast majority of incidents are closed within 2 hours
Munkul
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Tell that to ours!
I don't know why you are arguing with me? It's not the risks, it's the uncertainty of how people will deal with them.
Either way, doesn't it make sense to switch to a slightly more stable and safe-to-deal-with gas like propane, if all you're doing is heating, brazing and cutting? It's common sense... It's also cheaper on fuel!
backpurge
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I know what you mean, it’s all available to download from BCGA
James1979
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After this in another thread I spoke with the trainer and a couple of guys I know who are retained firemen. They are all insistent it’s 500m
I found a source for what you’d put and you’re right, showed them and they couldn’t believe it. SFRS training is still the 500
