track burner use question

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Cutting 1.5" mild steel today. Using a number 3 oxyacetylene tip, about 50 psi oxygen and about 6 psi acetylene. Cut speed was about 13 ipm. The material cut fine, but some of the cuts showed a strange pattern I'm not familiar with. See:http://www.tinyisland.com/images/tem...kBurnerCut.jpgIt doesn't look to me like the preheat was too high. Can anyone tell me what to change?metalmagpie
Reply:Either slow the travel speed or up the oxygen pressure. It depends somewhat on how the tip acts at higher oxygen pressure but with a good tip I run 80-100 psi on my oxygen when cutting thick stuff like that. But I'm also running a smaller tip as well.   What's happening is that the oxygen stream isn't keeping up with the cut and gets bent around.Millermatic 252XMT 304'sDynasty 280DXHypertherm PowerMax 1250Miller Trailblazer 302 EFIOptima PulserXR feeder and XR Edge gun and more athttp://members.dslextreme.com/users/waynecook/index.htm
Reply:Use your tip cleaners, raise your tip up from the plate a small amount and slow down your travel speed.Thanks,HoboLincoln SA200's... at least 15 - 20. They come and go. Growing partial to the "Short Hoods" in my old age. Last count on Short Hoods was 13 in possession.
Reply:http://www.esabna.com/EUWeb/OXY_handbook/589oxy1_1.htmYou may need to zoom these views:http://www.esabna.com/EUWeb/OXY_hand...89oxy22_33.htm
Reply:Step up to a #5 tip, up the acetylene, & slow the tractor down.
Reply:Hello metalmagpie, I do believe that your tip size choice is adequate for your purpose. If you have the tip chart for your particular brand/make of torch tips double check for the size suggestions/gas pressure settings. Also, be sure that you are providing an appropriate amount of acetylene flow to the tip before adjusting it to it's "neutral" setting. With many cutting tips the general rule is to increase acetylene flow until you have very little black soot with just the acetylene turned on, then adjust oxygen flow to the neutral flame condition, and finally re-adjust oxygen flow so that it is neutral with the cutting oxygen turned on. If you are already aware of this information please just disregard my statements. Good luck and best regards, Allanaevald
Reply:metalmagpieIn cutting, pressure above what the steel can burn results in any number of ill side-affects.  Your Ox pressure is to high.  Dial in the pressure first.  With the high pressure valve on, your cutting flame should be 18 to 24 inches+, and sound like crackling cellophane.  The easiest way to adjust the travel speed is to look underneath at cut stream.  It should stream just forward of vertical.  Compare the speed setting with the verticality of the kerf profile, and adjust accordingly.Per the book:#3 tipOx - 42 at the gage, 40 at the torch.Acet - 5+ Travel - 12 inches per minute.The most common mistakes in cutting is too much Oxygen pressure, and too slow a travel speed.Opus
Reply:I do believe that your tip size choice is adequate for your purpose.