another oxy-fule question! which fuel?

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Howdy!  I am moving along nicely in outfitting my home shop now.  It's about time for me to get an oxy-fuel setup.  I have no desire to use this process for ANY of my welding neads.  Brazing and such is another matter, that I WOULD use this process for.  Primarily, I nead heating means for large surface areas on 1/8"-1/2" metals, as well as cutting materials of all thicknesses up to 1".  My desires are to use this process to make manipulation of metals to shapes and bends and such much more complex then the simple shapes I can do now through cutting and welding.  My question is this.  What fuel gas would be the best for my neads?  as I understand, acetelyne is really only neccesary for WELDING of steels due to carbon in the fuel gas?  I have talked with many supply houses, and they all recomend different names of gases and now I'm getting confused.  Am I correct in believing that other 1) safer and 2) more affordable gases would suit my neads well?  I have heard chemtane, chemtane 2, agfuel, propelene, propane, and a few more I can't remember.  I understand that I would nead a T rated hose, guages with stainless diaphram (such as the victor journeyman series)  and tips designed for the fuel gas I would be using.  I am not sure, but I think I can use the same torch body setup...?  I still haven't decided which manufacturer to go with.  Smith or Victor.  Thanks for any and all advice folks!!  Brian Lee  Sparkeee24
Reply:Well without getting into the carbon issues, acetylene is used because it gets hotter and hotter quicker. Very beneficial attribute for all processes, but getting pretty spendy. If you can rule out welding completely then whatever home brewed LPG is most commonly available in your area may be the best bet. LPG is supposed to be liquified petroleum gas. However the term Propane has come to replace that in generic terms even tho there are several variations of the propane molecule and many combinations of propane, butayne, and others can be made. The most common is modified natural gas hence "petroleum". That's what the guy in the truck is carrying.  If i was going to convert I wouldn't go to any special blends no matter what the snake oil salesman says. Why go from an expensive hard to get fuel to a less expensive hard to get fuel? I'd go with local LPG. They are all so darn similar in end result there's no reason to even get into teeny chemical differences unless you just like to debate. Here's a for instance; the little bottles you buy in the store are usually 'prophyl-butylidene' but on the torch end you wouldn't be able to tel that from LPG off the truck. If you are going to cut you'll need some tips designed for propane. I did quite a bit of casual cutting years ago with propane and it worked plenty fine for me. Takes a little longer to start. Large round stock is a fun learning curve. Couple other things. There are hydrogen (moisture) issues with propane. but if you are not welding zero/zero. And there are several additives that you can get if you wish to have your supplier set up a tank or two for you as well as pay an inflated price fot their special mix. From what little I can get the main benefit of these additives is in the alumimum arena and in a slight temperature increase.Last edited by Sandy; 09-18-2005 at 05:35 PM.
Reply:Just purchase a 20 pound barbeque tank of propane and some two piece propane cutting tips.  I have used natural gas all the way to acetylene and prefer propane for cutting.  Yes it is slow to start but the cuts are cleaner and torch height is not critical like acetylene.  The salesman will tell you that you will use more oxygen trying to scare you into purchasing acetylene but the price of an acetylene tank rental never mind the gas is more than fair compensation for the extra oxy you might use.  You can use your regular hoses and regulators.  If you are cautious you might upgrade your hoses .I have used propane are several places of work and they just used their regular torch sets except for the fuel gas tips.
Reply:Nobody mentioned MAPP gas. "Liquified Petroleum mixed with Methylacetelene-Propadiene" (C3H4). O2 / MAPP = 2405 BTU/CuFt. A neutral Oxy-MAPP flame gives 5301 deg F (2927 deg C). This is good for heating, brazing, soldering, metalizing and flame cutting. Better than O2/propane.
Reply:mapp smells good too :P
Reply:Well, if your set on getting an oxy/fuel rig i would personally recommend propylene... its safe, and with a rosebud on it, it should be easy to heat metal to high tempatures. just my 2 cents