What if I'd like to make a thermal lance?

[Memmeddu]

Hi everyone, hope you are doing well.
So we are going through many jobs at machine shop, and those belonging from the drilling companies are a little a PITA.
Especially because you can't really go through carbide...
The use hallen screws, drilled through and then covered with carbide.
The main problem is when those get stubborn and we can really do anything to free hem up loose.
We practically just pierce a 100mm steel plate with a combination torch and we ( me cause I'm the torch guy) get all sorts burns everywhere on the body.
Since those customer are supposed to work around for about 4 years, I'm thinking about making my own thermal lance cause my boss isn't going to even think to buy one.
I can't find an used one myself and I'll never buy a valve and a collet chuck for more than 1000 euro if lucky.
So here it comes my project in my mind.
An ER type collet chuck from AliExpress with suitable collets so 6 and 8mm.
Machine a flat surface to put a rubber or silicone gasket.
Drilled through, tapped at M8 to fit a terminal for electric connection.
Then a perpendicular hole tapped at 3/8 BSPT to fit a flashback arrestor.
Till here should be an easy task.
Problem comes now cause I don't know where to find a push button valve suitable for the application.
Oxygen compatibility is a concern but honestly I work in a machine shop everything is covered by oil and grease cutting torches included.
A potable water valve should be able to get the job done.
I've seen people (arcair included) using pressure washers valves, or even blow guns for homemade solutions.
The next option would be machine my own or switch from the "Broko BR22" design to a more simple ball valve straight oxygen lance handle.
Being a small lance 6Bar of pressure would be just fine 8 at the most.
We run our torches at about the same pressure or even more and again they are very dirty

 

[northwest]

You really don't want one. And I quote (courtesy of @Pete. ):

What's normally referred to as a thermic lance is a loud noisy dirty hot fire-breathing beast of a tool that will melt through steel and concrete. You need a oxy cutting torch just to get it going. You need a full protection suit, exclusion zone, fire precautions and a way to get rid of the large clouds of noxious orange and brown smoke produced. It's like comparing a cigarette lighter to a roofer's felting torch.

I had a go of one way back in the 70's and although the memory is distant I do clearly recall it was not a pleasant experience. If I remember they had trouble shutting it off.

 

[Agroshield]

An ER type collet chuck from AliExpress with suitable collets so 6 and 8mm. Machine a flat surface to put a rubber or silicone gasket.

If you go this route, sealed ER collets, designed for through-spindle coolant use, are available. How hot would that part of the torch become?

I hesitate to mention YT, but please look at ICWeld, who uses something similar to this:

Miniature Thermic Lance uses Arc Air lances 10mm Dia.

Miniature thermic lancing kit which uses the Arc Air thermic lances 10mm Dia. Ideal for pin removal and cutting many different materials. Includes striker plate

www.weldingdirect.co.uk

 

[500e]

Don't they eat oxygen like it's going out of fashion?
Have seen one working cutting a bank vault out, not something I would willingly undertake
What about arc gouging

 

[Robotstar5]

You really don't want one. And I quote (courtesy of @Pete. ):



I had a go of one way back in the 70's and although the memory is distant I do clearly recall it was not a pleasant experience. If I remember they had trouble shutting it off.

I saw one in use in the 70's when the metal froze in one of the cupolas at the foundry and they had to get a specialist company in to lance it out. It was a balancing act, they had to cut through the plug from underneath, just enough to weaken it so it could be dislodged by dropping castings on it from above, but not enough that it lets go and you get a few tons of metal on the lance operators head!.

 

[pedrobedro]

We used one to cut a skull out of a furnace that had shut down. It was back in the 70s and from what I can remember it was like a piece of conduit full of iron filings with oxygen passed through it. It was lit with an oxy propane torch, took two men to hold it and pretty much destroyed anything it touched. Video of a smaller version than the one at the foundry.

 

[dobbslc]

Since those customer are supposed to work around for about 4 years, I'm thinking about making my own thermal lance cause my boss isn't going to even think to buy one.

If he won't buy the right equipment don't do it.
You have already said you are getting burnt!
I think he is taking advantage of you.

 

[Memmeddu]

You really don't want one. And I quote (courtesy of @Pete. ):



I had a go of one way back in the 70's and although the memory is distant I do clearly recall it was not a pleasant experience. If I remember they had trouble shutting it off.

I'd need a smaller one, big ones uses bottle packs and over 20 Bar oxygen.
Firefighters type size, PPE are surely a must have but you need to weld guide plate that provides protection against backsplash too cause those tools are pretty messy

If you go this route, sealed ER collets, designed for through-spindle coolant use, are available. How hot would that part of the torch become?

There shouldn't be any combustion in the handle area, and oxygen flow and expansion should make the handle freeze or at least make it cool down pretty quickly.

I hesitate to mention YT, but please look at ICWeld, who uses something similar to this:

Miniature Thermic Lance uses Arc Air lances 10mm Dia.

Miniature thermic lancing kit which uses the Arc Air thermic lances 10mm Dia. Ideal for pin removal and cutting many different materials. Includes striker plate

www.weldingdirect.co.uk

I think he actually uses an arcair if my mind serves well

pretty much this thing

Don't they eat oxygen like it's going out of fashion?

It's only a mith
Anyways yes they go through everything but they obliterate oxygen bottles

Have seen one working cutting a bank vault out, not something I would willingly undertake
What about arc gouging

Carbon Arc Gouging can't go through its own oxyde or slag if used backwards, widia is the reason of the need of such drastic violent and dangerous tool.
Cause it would take nothing to go through the bolt and eventually use the jig borer to complete the job as the carbide has been burnt through .
We are essentially cutting all around the bolt using OXY propane, and stucking a threaded bushing inside, reweld everything.

If he won't buy the right equipment don't do it.
You have already said you are getting burnt!
I think he is taking advantage of you.

He surely does but he's not aware about those kind of equipments and he's cheap extremely cheap, if he can save money by avoiding to eat for a week he will do that.
Problem is that I'm tired of doing things this way (described above) cause it take ages just to go through the plates, some have stellite ( I don't know how it's called) hard facing too and it's a continuous blowback flying metal, and you might say that's exactly what you would expect when using a thermal lance but the difference is that at least it's quick and you're actually doing something