oxy/propane cutting/heating

[blacksmithstris]

hello all,

I'm interested in finding more about oxy/propane cutting and heating. I've only used oxy/acetylene before. I wanted to perhaps save on renting an acetylene bottle as I only use it occasionally and have never bothered with oxy/ace welding. I use propane with my gas forge, so it's always at hand.

What kind of torch is recommended- can I use a oxy/ace type cutting torch with propane nozzle and hoses. (i've done a bit of research and understand you can't use acet hoses)

i've had a look at the bullfinch type torches on the calor website and could do with someone who's actually used them to say whether one is better than the other etc.

Look forward to your responses. Thanks

 

[Welderpaul]

You can use a normal oxy/acet torch, but as you say you need the two-part propane nozzle. Should be used with orange/blue hoses rather than red/blue hoses - then again, lots dont bother with the orange hoses. If your doing a lot of heating a pepperpot nozzle is better than a normal cutting nozzle.
I would go with a boc/murex saffire model - I have never had a minutes bother with them and seem fairly standard in industry - there are other non-branded makes about which tend to be just the cutting-only types.

 

[Archie]

I second all that Paul said. Worth bearing in mind though that the pepperpot nozzles are very oxygen hungry. They're also very effective but probably best suited to heating a few things a lot rather than a lot of things a bit, if that makes any sense!

 

[blacksmithstris]

Thanks, I would be doing more cutting than heating with the torch- just the odd fine adjustment (read whacking with a hammer while hot!) to bits I've stuck together and can't get back into the forge. and then just the occasional cutting...

Now, the best deals are? What about this set up?

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&item=320216011154

seems to say parweld on the sticker
advice please!?

 

[gavuk]

Do a search for cutting torch ,,,from £20 up .that link looks expensive....Gav


oops didn't read the bottom saying regs and hoses ,

 

[blacksmithstris]

so a good deal then, with hoses and regs?

 

[irondarren]

Murex saffire 5 set, can beat it. Mixer, cutting head and saffire 5 shank. expensive but good. A word of advice dont buy cheap cutting nozzles they are not as good as the murex ones, certainly dont give as good a flame. Speak to weldequip, im sure he is murex agent

 

[irondarren]

A good set up is multi stage regs £80 each (slum it and have single stage £40 each), Manual flash back arresters £70 each. I think the saffire 5 shank is around £70, the mixer head around £20 and the cutting head about £70. I could be wrong on prices

 

[blacksmithstris]

Ok, thanks for clearing that up.