cutting oilfield pipe with oxy/acet

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I'm using a Victor Superange cutting torch with an 00-tip. I've used it quite a bit for cutting thickwall 2-3/8 pipe and it does a nice job when the pipe is laid horizontally on the ground. Yesterday I was shortening some pieces that have been driven into the ground as fenceposts and I had a dickens of a time trying to make a clean cut. Molten material kept clogging the cut and solidified as I progressed around the pipe. I was running Acet at 5 psi and Oxy at 25 psi.  Should I have gone to a 0-tip? I started with 3 and 20 psi and increasing did not help.  Any suggestions from you pros?
Reply:Use more O2 pressure to blow that slag through.  I don't know Victors that well, but my Smith 00 tip runs 35 psi on the O2 side.
Reply:Turn the acetelene up to about 10 and oxygen to 40.  For 3/8" wall that tip should be fine.  Just try turning the flame up a bit and be sure the tip is clean.Lots of toys.
Reply:Where you trying to cut the end that was in the ground? If it has deep rust it won't cut as nice. wire brush as much dirt and rust as possible.
Reply:If it is drill pipe,it probably is magnetised. I don't know how it gets that way or why. I've had to cut a lot of it and all you can do is make the cut and pound hell out of it w/ a sledge to break it apart. If you have a welder handy,try welding two pieces from two different pipes together. You'll learn a new definition of arc blow.                                    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:OK, more gas pressure, got it. I wondered if it needed more to blow the slag out of the cut. The pipes are driven into the ground and I was 'topping' them to the same height for a privacy fence. I originally cut them to eight foot lengths and used a hydraulic post driver but because of the rock around here, they went in at different depths. At $1.31 per foot, it's cheaper than buying galvanized fence posts at the local hardware store. The magnetism issue is interesting. The fellow who built my cattle pens told me the same thing. Not sure how it gets that way but he was telling me it's really difficult to weld. I'm not exactly sure what the oilfield folks use the 2-3/8 pipe for but some of it has small holes about 1/4" diameter.Thanks for all the tips, fellas.Last edited by mvintx; 06-12-2007 at 11:52 PM.