oxy acly not cutting worth crap

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hey, i was using my oxy acly torch today. and it seemed like it wasnt cutting worth crap.would that be because its running low?gauges look low not to the bottom line though,, or just thinker metal im cutting. im cutting 3/4 metalbottle sizes areacly 40 b tankoxy 80 with a haris torch.i bought a very nice victor setup but im waiting until i get my tanks filled and buy a new cart.FSAE CAR 1000cc Engine )))lincoln 125+argon conversion kit40cf acly 80 oxy= 97 jeep wrangler lifted 33" tires88 dodge dakota project truck
Reply:What pressures are your gauges reading?   You might as well report both the tank pressure and the torch pressure, although the torch pressure is what is most important.You could download the manual and see what the recommended pressures are for that tip.RichardSculptures in copper and other metalshttp://www.fergusonsculpture.comSyncrowave 200 Millermatic 211Readywelder spoolgunHypertherm 600 plasma cutterThermal Arc GMS300 Victor OA torchHomemade Blacksmith propane forge
Reply:are you using the right tip? is it clean? i would use a 12 or 15 tip, acetylene at 100 and oxy at about 300.
Reply:Originally Posted by stampare you using the right tip? is it clean? i would use a 12 or 15 tip, acetylene at 100 and oxy at about 300.
Reply:Originally Posted by mla2ofusI hope you aren't serious about those pressures!! Maybe you need to read your owner's manual.
Reply:thanks tensaiteki: yep, i was talking kPa. sorry for the confusion. also a #12 is a tip with 1.2mm sender hole, a #15 is a 1.5mm, a #8 is .8mm etc.....also worth mentioing to the OP- don't "saw" at the tip with the tip cleaners, you will only distort the holes. a single push and pull is enough
Reply:OK, my bad!! Thanks for straightening me out. As you can tell, I'm an old American.                                         MikeOl' Stonebreaker  "Experience is the name everyone gives to their mistakes"Hobart G-213 portableMiller 175 migMiller thunderbolt ac/dc stick Victor O/A setupMakita chop saw
Reply:moneymaker17 a "B" sized cyl is undersized for doing cutting usually. Unless it's just a few quick cuts, you will hit the withdrawl rate on the acetylene. Even my 75 cf cyl is limited. That 80 of O2 will go fast as well. I got a 100cf with my 75cf acet, but almost never use it. I go thru a 282cf cyl of O2 in about the same amount of time it takes to go thru that little 75cf of acet.Here's a chart that shows sizes and flow rates.http://www.hoopersupply.com/tipchart.htmlIf you use the old 1/7th rule on acet you would want to go no more than 5-6 scfh on the acet. If you use the newer 1/10th rule thats suggested now, you can't even run any of the tips on the list.  You can run a bit higher for short term, but I wouldn't push it too much..No government ever voluntarily reduces itself in size. Government programs, once launched, never disappear. Actually, a government bureau is the nearest thing to eternal life we'll ever see on this earth! Ronald Reagan
Reply:so would you reconmend me getting a 75 acly and keep my 80 oxygen?FSAE CAR 1000cc Engine )))lincoln 125+argon conversion kit40cf acly 80 oxy= 97 jeep wrangler lifted 33" tires88 dodge dakota project truck
Reply:Unless you're cutting battleship armor plate those pressures are way too high in any case.Download the cutting guide from Victor, Harris, or Smith.  I've cut 1/2-1" thick plate with 3-5 PSI of acetylene and 15-25 PSI of oxygen.  The high pressure stated by the OP will give way too much pre-heat.  This will make for a very ragged cut and lots of dross/slag on both sides of the joint. Originally Posted by TensaitekiStamp didn't say what unit of pressure he was referring to, but considering his location is listed as Australia its likely that he was using metric units for pressure; the kilo-pascal (kPa). 100 kPa and 300 kPa convert to 14.5 psi and 43.5 psi respectively.
Reply:Gotta agree with the previous post.I never exceed 5psi on Acetylene, and usually run a Harris old style "0" tip at around 30-35psi Oxygen.Once the tank pressure guage drops near 0, the tank is empty"Any day above ground is a good day"http://www.farmersamm.com/
Reply:Those little knobs on the torch will regulate how much preheat you have.
Reply:Originally Posted by A_DAB_will_doUnless you're cutting battleship armor plate those pressures are way too high in any case.Download the cutting guide from Victor, Harris, or Smith.  I've cut 1/2-1" thick plate with 3-5 PSI of acetylene and 15-25 PSI of oxygen.  The high pressure stated by the OP will give way too much pre-heat.  This will make for a very ragged cut and lots of dross/slag on both sides of the joint.
Reply:American Acetylene runs hotterCheck your static pressure, as set, against the actual pressure when the torch is being used.  A static setting of 7-8psi gives me 5psi when the torch is actually running."Any day above ground is a good day"http://www.farmersamm.com/
Reply:Samm is right, I was talking about operating pressure.  I've seen acetylene gauges that'll drop 5-8 psi when you crack the valve on the torch handle.As far as gear is concerned, those values apply to my own victor torch, which is about 5 years old, and every other piece of gear I've ever used.  Most of the other torches I've used are Smith gear.  But the pressure settings are the same.Pressures for MAPP or Propylene are different, and for cutting/welding/heating tips.  I'm not sure what to say Stamp.  Any chance you have a leak somewhere between the regulator and torch?  Are you using extremely long hoses?  Usually I'm working with less than 50' (14m) of hose.  I do remember having to crank up the pressures higher than normal on one job.  But we had, oh, 300'(100m) of hose on the torches. Originally Posted by stampthere must be some sort of difference in the gear we use. the lowest pressure i would ever use for acetylene is 75kPa (11psi) and 200kPa (30psi) for the oxy, and that would be to cut 3mm (1/8") sheet. at 5psi acetylene and 20psi oxy i could not even get a flame to hold with a cutting tip. in fact 5psi acet is lower than what i use for a small welding tip
Reply:i don't think its leaks or hose lengths- i've used a few different setups over the last 17 years i have been doing this for a living, and the parameters are always similar. its what every other boilermaker and welder i've worked with does as well, and what i was taught as an apprentice..some regs have a recommended operating pressure marked on the dial for cutting, welding and heating. the ones i have state minimum acetylene pressure for cutting of 70kPa, maximum 120, and oxy minimum 180 kPa maximum 600.i don't know what to say either fellas, other than the gear must be configured differently between 2 countries...
Reply:i just dug out my old trade school notes to double check, and they give a guide of acet at 100kPa and oxy from 200 to 450, to cut plate from 6mm (1/4") up to 100mm (4").go figure
Reply:Originally Posted by moneymaker17so would you reconmend me getting a 75 acly and keep my 80 oxygen?
Reply:HISomething that has not been talked about single and 2 stage regulators.I am no expert but was told the 2 stage regulators have better control when the tanks are getting low.  The output pressure is more constant.My two cents worth.Have funTom
Reply:Here's the pressure chart from Victor's 2010 catalog.  This chart is for 101 style tips, which fit the small and medium duty torch handles.It's a little tough to read, but for everything up to 1" thick steel they recommend 3-6 psi for acetylene pressure and 35-40 psi for oxygen pressure(for a size 2 tip).  That's 20-40 kPa for acetylene and 240-275 kPa for oxygen in metric units.Stamp, maybe you're using a much heavier style industrial or demolition torch?  I'm looking for a good reason for the difference in opinion.... Originally Posted by stampi just dug out my old trade school notes to double check, and they give a guide of acet at 100kPa and oxy from 200 to 450, to cut plate from 6mm (1/4") up to 100mm (4").go figure