I need to heat and bend some steel

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Nothing in particular.Occasionally I need to do something and wish I could heat it up. Sometimes it's some 10mm rod that I want to curve. Or some 40 x 5mm flat bar. A corner of my welding table is bent, so I want to fix that. It's just that sort of thing.I'm just a hobbyist and will only need heat once a month or so. What would you blokes recommend.Scott
Reply:Short of an O/A outfit, I wonder if a MAPP gas outfit would work for that small dia.??  I think Bernzomatic makes them pretty cheap.Like I say, I don't have experience with them.  Somebody might know"Any day above ground is a good day"

http://www.farmersamm.com/
Reply:I've always been wary of O/A. Not that I've used it. I imagine blowing myself up.But if I head down that path - not the blowing up path, but the O/A path - I'm assuming I can get small cylinders?What's MAPP?
Reply:

Originally Posted by scott brunsdon

I've always been wary of O/A. Not that I've used it. I imagine blowing myself up.But if I head down that path - not the blowing up path, but the O/A path - I'm assuming I can get small cylinders?What's MAPP?
Reply:

Originally Posted by scott brunsdon

I've always been wary of O/A. Not that I've used it. I imagine blowing myself up.But if I head down that path - not the blowing up path, but the O/A path - I'm assuming I can get small cylinders?What's MAPP?
Reply:oxy/a been doing it for years before i got my forge.Annamel TW9Y Georgia
Reply:O/A would be my #1 choice. You can get those small sets cheap at times. I just saw one set with tanks for $100 on CL. Torch and regs usually go used between $75-150 depending on what quality they are. Acet tanks from $65-80 (40cf) for small ones, small O2 (20cf) $120 or so.I also have a small air acet torch. Mostly use it for soldering, but I have heated with it on occasion.

You would need to use big tips, and O/A is much better. I picked that tank and torch for $50 used off CL.As far as hazards of O/A... Acet needs to stay upright all the time. If you lay the tank down for say transport, you need to let it sit upright for at least 2 hrs+ to allow the acetone in the tank to settle to the bottom again. O2 is like any other comp gas with one exception. Don't get oil or grease near the O2. With some general safety precautions you will never have an issue.You could also use oxy/propane if acet. bothers you or you need to save a few bucks and already have a propane cyl. It's not as hot as O/A and you need to get propane rated hose and a propane reg, but other than that it's a good option.
Reply:

Originally Posted by farmersamm

I don't know what it stands for either.  Should be able to Google it
Reply:Posted by Scott:What's MAPP?
Reply:All sorts of ways to heat things up Scott.Make a big charcoal pile in the barbie, let it get going nice and hot, stick metal into fire and blow air into charcoal.  Aka a forge.  Metal gets hot in the fire, you take it out and bend it, it cools down and you put it back into the fire and repeat as needed.Standard '20 pound' (what's that in metric, an 8 kilo tank

) BBQ propane tank and a 'weedburner' like this http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/cta...emnumber=91033 .  It will get metal pretty hot.  

  

  That's because the burner puts out around 500,000 Btu/hr (that's 146 kilowatts) at 'full' output!  It's not a finesse tool, but just blasts heat.The little propane or MAPP torches that use the disposable gas cylinders really don't put out enough heat to get a chunk of steel hot enough (red hot) to bend.You can move up to an oxy-fuel torch (oxy-propane, oxy-acetylene, oxy-MAPP, oxy-etc).  They all look and work pretty much the same, but you have to make sure you have the right torch/orifices/regulators/etc for the type of fuel gas you are using.  There are some slight differences in the operating characteristics of the different fuel gases (oxy-acet has the highest flame temperature, so it is good for welding, oxy-propane puts out more heat but not as high a temperature so it is a decent choice for heating or flame cutting, etc).See http://www.harrisproductsgroup.com/e...t/products.asp or http://www.thermadyne.com/victor/ for some more info about gas torches.Download the Victor Cut-Weld-Heat guide http://www.thermadyne.com/IM_Uploads...20guide_lo.pdfand read about the different gases and such.And there is a pretty big practical difference between heating up a 10mm bar to red hot to be able to bend it (relatively easy) to heating a 40mm x 5mm bar red hot (more difficult because the size is bigger) to heating a big piece of plate (your welding table) to red hot (takes much-much-much more heat because of the size and surface area that is losing heat fast and spreading the heat out as you try to put the heat into that bent corner).You have to choose what you want to do and how you want to go about it.  The best laid schemes ... Gang oft agley ...
Reply:Moonrise,The Little Mapp torches actually work pretty good- it will heat 3/8" Red Hot-Ed Conleyhttp://www.screamingbroccoli.com/MM252MM211 (Sold)Passport Plus & Spool gunLincoln SP135 Plus- (Gone to a good home)Klutch 120v Plasma cutterSO 2020 benderBeer in the fridge
Reply:

Originally Posted by MoonRise

Standard '20 pound' (what's that in metric, an 8 kilo tank

) BBQ propane tank and a 'weedburner' like this http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/cta...emnumber=91033 .  It will get metal pretty hot.  

  

  That's because the burner puts out around 500,000 Btu/hr (that's 146 kilowatts) at 'full' output!  It's not a finesse tool, but just blasts heat.
Reply:I should point out that these weed burners shoot heat a lot further than the flame. You could easily kill a fruit tree that's a meter or 2 away

Wife wasn't too happy about that one."We live in an age when unnecessary things are our only necessities. "   - Oscar WildeMaxstar STL150Eagle CPM30 Bender
Reply:Broccoli,Oh, I've heated many things with the MAPP torch.  

But the propane weedburner puts out HEAT.  That thing is just fun/sick/scary all at the same timeI wouldn't pick the little MAPP torch to try and heat a section of 2 inch wide x 1/4 inch thick steel bar to red hot in order to bend it.  The weedburner will do it though.  Different choices Scott, you have to pick what you want.  The best laid schemes ... Gang oft agley ...
Reply:

Originally Posted by scott brunsdon

Nothing in particular. . . .I'm just a hobbyist and will only need heat once a month or so. What would you blokes recommend.
Reply:Thanks all. Those propane torches would be perfect for me I'd say.Denrep:This bloke suggests you have a blimey look at this bloody thread:
Reply:

Originally Posted by scott brunsdon

...You're mixing your countries up. . . .
Reply:

Originally Posted by scott brunsdon

Thanks all. Those propane torches would be perfect for me I'd say.Denrep:You're mixing your countries up. 'Blokes' is Aussie slang. 'Blimey' is English slang - it's an expression of surprise.
Reply:Ah, see Denrep, 'ruddy' is English slang, too.Weren't most of the Aussies originally from England? Except the aborigines of course...
Reply:I know this thread is old. But I need to straighten out a bent light duty subsoiler.   Does anyone know if a propane fish cooker burner will heat it enough? It's about 1 and1/2 in   1/4 angle iron.
Reply:Old BBQ and old vacuum. Dave

Originally Posted by scott brunsdon

Nothing in particular.Occasionally I need to do something and wish I could heat it up. Sometimes it's some 10mm rod that I want to curve. Or some 40 x 5mm flat bar. A corner of my welding table is bent, so I want to fix that. It's just that sort of thing.I'm just a hobbyist and will only need heat once a month or so. What would you blokes recommend.Scott
Reply:

Originally Posted by Chiefcook

I know this thread is old. But I need to straighten out a bent light duty subsoiler.   Does anyone know if a propane fish cooker burner will heat it enough? It's about 1 and1/2 in   1/4 angle iron.
Reply:

Originally Posted by shortfuse

Using the fish cooker burner spreads the heat over a large area and wastes gas.  Use the propane weed burner and 20# tank.  I have bent a lot of that size rod and bar with one.  The heat is more concentrated on the area needing bending.  Then go burn your weeds.
Reply:I have used a home made forge burner for tractor repair in the field .  Set up fire brick and heat.
Reply:If you dont have a real torch get one, get the biggest bottles you can and you can use LP if you want to cheapen this a bit.  Torch equipment new is rather modestly priced, the med duty stuff is absolutely fine.  I bought that at a sale for 150 as I recall with bottle about 1/2 full, I wanted another set.  I reg was good, a ranger class, a 100 torch came with it I think.  I have 3 or 4 gas and 4 or 5 oxy  I am going to toss the reg that went south, its a Cman of some kind and I already have some Vics to fix. I might have stole the gauges already.

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Last edited by Sberry; 3 Weeks Ago at 05:11 PM.www.urkafarms.com

Originally Posted by scott brunsdon

Nothing in particular.Occasionally I need to do something and wish I could heat it up. Sometimes it's some 10mm rod that I want to curve. Or some 40 x 5mm flat bar. A corner of my welding table is bent, so I want to fix that. It's just that sort of thing.I'm just a hobbyist and will only need heat once a month or so. What would you blokes recommend.Scott
Reply:Oxygen & acetylene was my first welder at age 13. I used a lot of fuel in those days. I did everything with those. Must have been something wrong with them, cutting was messy.Second set a few years later worked very well.Extraction rate of acetylene is reduced by very small tanks. I'd favor bigger tanks. They don't need to be filled as often, cost less per BTU, & do more.For purposes like preheating before welding, or weed control, propane with a weed burner torch work better. I use 30 LB cylinders. Works like a charm to break up boulders, bestAn optimist is usually wrong, and when the unexpected happens is unprepared. A pessimist is usually right, when wrong, is delighted, and well prepared.
Reply:

Originally Posted by dzickii

I've gotten by with MAPP gas for many small projects requiring bending as you describe (and silver soldering/brazing too) but found a B tank of acetylene not only to be more economical but hotter and quicker.  Add a Harris Inferno Torch and you've got the 'hot' setup!  It was a little more of an investment but worth it, especially since MAPP gas has become somewhat less available and pricy in the past few years.
Reply:I agree 👍 It what I use today. But that is $1,000 investment. A simple home made forge using a a old old BBQ and a old Vacuum for air supply is low cost way the heat the metal.Dave

Originally Posted by Sberry

If you dont have a real torch get one, get the biggest bottles you can and you can use LP if you want to cheapen this a bit.  Torch equipment new is rather modestly priced, the med duty stuff is absolutely fine.  I bought that at a sale for 150 as I recall with bottle about 1/2 full, I wanted another set.  I reg was good, a ranger class, a 100 torch came with it I think.  I have 3 or 4 gas and 4 or 5 oxy  I am going to toss the reg that went south, its a Cman of some kind and I already have some Vics to fix. I might have stole the gauges already.
Reply:Edit for pic
Reply:Bended this Ti but can’t remember hoh I forgotTo include pics If. I can get it to gether.  I have pics of CP Ti. Gmmy

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Reply:Time to lay down Its just art thoLast edited by Insaneride; 3 Weeks Ago at 06:27 PM.
Reply:If you want to heat some steel CHEAP,,,,,,, look on YouTube, and Google for "Forge Burner"Some of them are fueled by used engine oil, you can not get much cheaper,, and you get CRAZY high numbers of BTU's.An Oxy-acetylene rose bud with owner size tanks could not come close to some of those forge burner DIYs,,Some of them (most of them,,,) can be fueled with propane,, and an air compressor.They make a weed burner look like a spark ignitor in comparison.These forge burners are what many people use when melting metal for casting.They even sell completed forge burners on eBay for as little as $35,, with free shipping,, not the biggest, but, not $1,000 either.Another common use is to heat a BIG drafty shop,, CHEAP!!Direct the flame into a big drum, and connect a chimney.
Reply:The heating here that has been described is simple and rudimentary.  A decent shop has a torch, it's on the short list. All the rest of this crap is distracting and gets away from a fundamental tool I would be lost without while not having any of the rest of that stuff.  Torch, welder, grinder, drill.Torch cuts, can weld and braze but it's a tool you havnt even come up with uses for yet, heat nuts and bolts. Not that the other stuff doesn't have a place but geez,,, but while not really brain facts they are poor substitutes for this basic essential tool.  This is someting we want fast, want to cut, not foing to fire a forge to heat a nut, often want it localized.Last edited by Sberry; 3 Weeks Ago at 09:41 PM.www.urkafarms.com
Reply:I agree a proper oxy/acetylene torch is an absolute must have for anyone even it you don’t weld! In fact I’d say I’d get a torch long before I bought any other tool. If your not going to use it much buy the cylinders and then there won’t be any rental bill coming every year, but personally I’d recommend renting the cylinders as the customer owned ones are just way to small and the rental fee around here is only $75 a year for per cylinder. You get a much better price on the gas if you get the biggest cylinders and the rental fee is the same. If you seriously don’t need the torches just return the cylinders until you do, but be aware most welding supply places aren’t open on the weekends and generally that’s when you will desperately need the torches! Maybe you live in the desert or something but up here in New England we have salt on our roads, salt in the ocean and I can’t imagine how one could get by without torches, seems every other bolt has to be heated or cut with a torch, on everything from your car to your boat! Hell I have a set of torches on my boat also!