Can't light my Rose Bud

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I have an older Smith SC209 torch handle with the cutting nozzle.  I have an ST603 rose bud, pretty small.  I can't get a neutral flame on it.  Back fires and goes out.  the cutting torch works fine.  My bottles are the largest that can be personally owned from Air Gas/National Welders.  I'm thinking 125 oxygen and 95 act.  Not sure exactly.  I have a Victor torch that works well also.  So, any ideas as where to start?  I'm not really sure where to set the regulators either.Tack It!!
Reply:Usually when a tip backfires and gors out it is insufficent acetylene pressure. Try increasing your pressure a little at a time and see if you can find a spot where it quits popping out. Then you can increase the pressure a little more until you get the right size flame. Do not excede 15 pounds on acetylene. If your bottle is small or low on acetylene you could over drive it and pull acetone as the gas can't come out of suspension fast enough to supply your tip. I'm not familiar with Smith torches so I couldn't recommend a pressure even if I knew your tip size. That is why I told you you try small increases. Someone that uses Smith should chime in and give you some info on pressure for tip sizes.
Reply:For Victor the settings are#4 MFA 6-10 PSI Acy  6-12 PSI Ox#6 MFA 8-12 PSI Acy  10-15 PSI Ox#8 MFA 10-15 PSI Acy 20-30 PSI OxAny size larger $$$$ Acy $$ OxClean the tips, and look to make sure there is not any damage to it. Also chect to make sure it is getting a good connection to the torch.
Reply:I have several smith torches, and I have never been able to run much of a neutral flame on my smith rosebuds.  Leave a slight feather to it and it will run fine.  One problem is that after the tip heats up the flame will start turning to an oxidizing flame on it's on.  Next time you light it leave a slight feather and after a minute or two you will see the flame turn to neutral.  I assume that when the tip heats up it makes the burn more efficient.  What happens is you set it to a neutral flame to begin with, and as it heats up it turns to an oxidizing flame, and eventually backfires and cuts out.I'm a Lover, Fighter, Wild horse Rider, and a pretty good welding man......
Reply:Originally Posted by bigcountry1009I'm not really sure where to set the regulators either.
Reply:From what i understand, talking to smith rep, their torches are actually designed to run with a slight feather...its hard to tell you the exact pressures to be using without the tip size but here is how i set all my stuff at work, being that most of our regulators dont function correctly.i set my acetylene pressure by the look of the flame coming out of the tipstart with a small amount of pressure (just enough to light up) then open the gas valve 2 or 3 turns (fully on) then turn the regulator screw in until the flame just starts to jump away from the tip.  DONT EXCEED 15 psi, acetylene is unstable over 15 psi.Now for the oxygen i open the valve on the torch all the way, then turn in the regulator screw till until you get a neutral flame.some stuff to keep in mind:rosebuds are dangerous and have the highest flashback potential, be careful.rosebuds tend to clog internally with soot buildup, due to low acetylene pressures.  Make sure you have enough pressure so that when you open up the gas valve the smoke coming off the end of the flame disappears.  Also keep in mind that an acetylene cylinder can only have 1/7th of its capacity withdrawn per hour, so with small bottles it is almost impossible to run large rosebuds correctly.When i light up a rosebud, i open up the gas vavle, and just barely crack the oxygen, this will help reduce the amount of soot that will buildup inside the rosebud.  One more thing, a rosebud is a heating tip, not a cutting torch.  Keep the inner cones away from your work.  Use the outer flame to heat your work, if the cones get too close they tend to pop and extinguish due to the tip overheating and the gas pressure not being able to diffuse properly.hope that helped some
Reply:Check the O rings where the tip screws into the handle. I was having all kinds of problems with my rosebud because they were damaged. Replaced them and it worked great again.JimCut an MGB and widened 11" C4 Corvette suspension and LT1 Chevrolet power & 6 spd. Pictures here:Part 1http://forum.britishv8.org/read.php?13,7581Part 2http://forum.britishv8.org/read.php?13,22422
Reply:Drivethruboy and Oldtimer hit the nail on the head, you are starving your tip with that small cylinder. The ST603 requires 50 cfh per hour, since you can't safely withdraw more then 1/7th of the cylinders capacity, you are starving it with that small cylinder, you need a 350 cubic foot cylinder for that rosebud.
Reply:Originally Posted by Jim StabeCheck the O rings where the tip screws into the handle. I was having all kinds of problems with my rosebud because they were damaged. Replaced them and it worked great again.
Reply:Thanks guys, the torch does need some tlc done to it.  New seals all around, and the oxy valve won't close all the way.  Anyone know how much the lease is on a set of cylinders from Air Gas/National now?  They won't sell the big ones to me.Tack It!!
Reply:Originally Posted by ss42768 ...you can't safely withdraw more then 1/7th of the cylinders capacity, you are starving it with that small cylinder, you need a 350 cubic foot cylinder for that rosebud.
Reply:Originally Posted by bigcountry1009Thanks guys, the torch does need some tlc done to it.  New seals all around, and the oxy valve won't close all the way.  Anyone know how much the lease is on a set of cylinders from Air Gas/National now?  They won't sell the big ones to me.
Reply:Originally Posted by ss42768What a bunch of BS! Ask em how you are supposed to safely feed an acetylene rosebud with a small cylinder.
Reply:Originally Posted by Sandy...By the way, to show you how these rules go, the CGA has changed their 1/7th guidelines from 1/7th to 1/10th. Nobody died the day after their rule change.
Reply:I had similar problem with a purox cutting torch, turns out, the housing was cracked but you could not see it with the naked eye.Guy_48Welding is an art......Millermatic 252Lincoln SP175PlusLincoln 225 AC/DC
Reply:Originally Posted by ss42768What a bunch of BS! Ask em how you are supposed to safely feed an acetylene rosebud with a small cylinder.
Reply:try a different local welding supply store...
Reply:Propane is the way to go with a rosebud..Just make sure you have enough oxygen also.....zap!I am not completely insane..Some parts are missing Professional Driver on a closed course....Do not attempt.Just because I'm a  dumbass don't mean that you can be too.So DON'T try any of this **** l do at home.