Oxy/Propane Cutting - How Thick A Cut !

[Mick - Ford Focus]

Read So Many Posts On Here My Little Brain Is Frazzled.

Looking At Oxy/Propane Gear To Ahemm Assist Me With Heating Of Stubborn Bolts And Cutting Of Car Metal.

Question Is What Thickness Of Material Will I Be Able To Cut !

I Assume Bodywork Not A Problem But Say A Track Rod Or Drive Shaft !

Mick

 

[gavuk]

No problem Mick ,think inchs,not mm........possibly 5-6 but someone with more knowledge than me will confirm a max cutting thickness

 

[Mick - Ford Focus]

Wow - If Its 5-6 Inches I Could Cut Anything I Will Ever Come Up Against.



Mick

 

[brightspark]

up to 12 inch hope u have a bank of oxy bottles though a good electric welder set at 180 amps and a thick rod soon burns car shells up cheap and fast along with a stihlsaw

 

[pedrobedro]

Get the right pepperpot and gun and the world is your lobster. We used to cut heads and risers a foot thick off castings at the foundry.

 

[Mick - Ford Focus]

Ive Fallen Off Me Chair - Let Me Read That Again - Up To 12 Inches Thats Some Real Cutting Power.

A Ford Focus Is Not Going To Cause That Flame A Problem Then.



Will Mostly Be A Heating Aid But Ability To Cut Very Much Wanted As A Get Out Clause When Big Hammers And Bars Fail Me


Mick

 

[Mick - Ford Focus]

Just An Additional Thought - Would I Be Able To Burn A Bolt Out And Leave A Casting Undamaged Or Put Another Way How Accurate A "Hole" Can Be Cut Diameter Wise Say In A 2 Inch Casting (Front Hub Removal Was The Recent Problem - Ended Up Cutting Off With Grinder ARRGGGHHH)


Mick

 

[madkayaker]

The heat would probily crack the casting

 

[Mick - Ford Focus]

Thanks madkayaker Never Thought Of That Doh.

Now Wheres Me Bottle Of Pennies

Its Around Here Somewhere.

Mick

 

[snowcat]

Just An Additional Thought - Would I Be Able To Burn A Bolt Out And Leave A Casting Undamaged Or Put Another Way How Accurate A "Hole" Can Be Cut Diameter Wise Say In A 2 Inch Casting (Front Hub Removal Was The Recent Problem - Ended Up Cutting Off With Grinder ARRGGGHHH)


Mick

once you get practiced removing bolts isn't too much of an issue, Iv in the past taken 450Lmm 120dia+ pins out length ways and kept the outer bushes perfectly intact.....

horrible job mind, aspetoes underpants and expect to kill at least one nozzle.

 

[Hitch]

Don't get too excited expecting a brilliant job on bodywork type material.... never use gas on anything thinner than about 3mm myself, unless its scrap.
There is specific nozzles for cutting sheet, not sure if they do them for propane. I know they do for acetylene
Bolts and things isn't a problem though....

 

[Lawnmowerboy]

ive cut 40mmx 300mm plate with a gas torch quite happily i did 4 280mm circles in 45mins

 

[wyn]

This bar is around 5" in the thickest part...cuts pretty easily with a 1/16th nozzle and propane. Not too pretty though.

 

[Mick - Ford Focus]

Thanks For ALL The Info From All Who Have Responded.

Cool Stuff - Been To Pub So Bit Wobbly At The Moment But Brilliant And Informative Answers As Ever.

Best To Buy £30 Fleabay Torch Or Victor Etc (Will Not Scrimp At All On Arrestors Resettable Only) Occasional Use Only 2-3 Times A Year.

Sucking Up This Info At This End.

Love It.

Mick

 

[Mick - Ford Focus]

Hitch

I Have Realised The The Cut Would Be "Ragged" But Not An Issue As Last Resort On Must Cases With The Car.

Or I Would Be Cutting At Scrappy For Bits. Will Have To Check That One.


Mick

 

[brightspark]

Hitch

I Have Realised The The Cut Would Be "Ragged" But Not An Issue As Last Resort On Must Cases With The Car.

Or I Would Be Cutting At Scrappy For Bits. Will Have To Check That One.


Mick

they wont let u in with bottles at scrappys ive tried. insurance safety ect ect

 

[Mick - Ford Focus]

Sort Of Guessed That Would Be The Case - No Harm In Asking All The Same As Used The Same Place For Donkeys Years.

Mick

 

[gordon stephenson]

Like everything, the more you practice the better you get, When I was serving my time many moons ago at the steel works. Some people were just employed as burners,doing nothing except metal cutting, They could blow you a sheared off 5/8" bolt out of a tapped hole without touching the sides,Leaving the thread ready to virtually take a new bolt,In these days of multi-tasking and multi-tradesmen There are not many folks can achieve the results that the single trade worker could on a daily basis,When you see the old films showing the scale of engineering and precision achieved,this was partly due to the fact tradesmen worked their whole lives doing just one job, and they knew it upside down and inside out.

 

[awemawson]

The basic idea is to use the propane or acetylene to heat the metal hot enough that it starts to burn in the excess oxygen. With a thick cut, once cutting has started theoretically you no longer need the fuel gas as it's own combustion heats up the next bit.

However with thin material you have the problem that you cannot keep the metal hot enough easily for the process to carry itself forwards. Down to about 2mm you can get away with slanting the nozzle forwards, so that the length of cut is effectively longer, but under 2mm you are just melting and blowing away and make a very messy cut.