New to me pattern torch. Need info

admin

I got a pantograph pattern torch from a friend. Kind of a barn find. Anyway, it's not in horrible shape, but it's a little rusty. Does anybody have an idea who makes it?I got the motor to turn on and the gas solenoid works(clicks on and off). The whole thing is pretty rough and definitely needs new hoses. I hope it turns out well. I'll most likely build a new base for it. This one doesn't sit level and generally looks bad. Sent from my dumb smartphoneTeach Ag Mech - Mike At Home:Lincoln Electric AC225Miller Challenger 172Gas AxeWork:eclectic bunch of 90's vintage blue boxes
Reply:could be a heath torchmate follower.i.u.o.e. # 15queens, ny and sunny fla
Reply:wow, I thought my pattern burner was old. Mine looks new compared to that one. I can not help on the brand but it is definatly 50s or early 60s vintage.
Reply:I agree with Doc, probably a Heath.
Reply:The magnet appears not to work. Is the magnet actually part of the knurled spindle or is it inside the motor?  Also, it acts like the contacts all need to be cleaned out. The switch that turns on the oxygen flow has to be on for the motor to turn. Seems like it might suck for preheating thicker plate. I might re-wire the control boxSent from my dumb smartphoneTeach Ag Mech - Mike At Home:Lincoln Electric AC225Miller Challenger 172Gas AxeWork:eclectic bunch of 90's vintage blue boxes
Reply:On mine ( not the same as yours) the spindle is magnetized. The rotor becomes magnetized when it is connected to the spindle. The rotors get changed to different dia. to change feed speed. I do not know if yours is that way. If your motor has a very wide rpm range they might use the same dia. rotor all the time.
Reply:Mine is the same as thegary's, the spindle is magnetized but only when it is on. I have cut several things with mine using wood patterns by just holding the motor so the spindle rides on the wood.
Reply:If the magnet coil is junk, what type of rare earth magnet would I need to make the rotor I have magnetized again?Sent from my dumb smartphoneTeach Ag Mech - Mike At Home:Lincoln Electric AC225Miller Challenger 172Gas AxeWork:eclectic bunch of 90's vintage blue boxes
Reply:i don't know anything about those.    but if the torch part means anything, as related to the brand , the tip might be a clue.   the series of  little 45 degree lines on that torch tip look familiar to me, maybe smith tipLast edited by 123weld; 01-30-2016 at 02:51 AM.
Reply:I am wondering if it was ever magnetized. The reason I say that is that the spindle and motor bracket on mine is made of aluminum so that the magnetism is not conducted through the whole frame. Mine is permanently magnetized . I can not turn off the magnetism Like Bobs .  When not in use I always try to make sure the rotor is not touching something magnetic in case it could lose its magnetism. The other reason I question it is that the rotor on mine is only about 1/2" tall and the knurl is much finer. They recommend the patterns to be 1/16-3/16 thick. Yours looks like if you used a thin pattern that the rotor would actually bounce around because the knurl is so corse. I think yours is made to be used with patterns made of something thicker like plywood.Last edited by thegary; 01-30-2016 at 05:24 AM.
Reply:Originally Posted by thegaryI am wondering if it was ever magnetized. The reason I say that is that the spindle and motor bracket on mine is made of aluminum so that the magnetism is not conducted through the whole frame. Mine is permanently magnetized . I can not turn off the magnetism Like Bobs .  When not in use I always try to make sure the rotor is not touching something magnetic in case it could lose its magnetism. The other reason I question it is that the rotor on mine is only about 1/2" tall and the knurl is much finer. They recommend the patterns to be 1/16-3/16 thick. Yours looks like if you used a thin pattern that the rotor would actually bounce around because the knurl is so corse. I think yours is made to be used with patterns made of something thicker like plywood.
Reply:If it were mine I think I would just make an electro magnet that you would just slip around the rotor. Then insulate the motor mount from the frame so it does not conduct magnetism . The electro magnet can be made from a coil for a solenoid valve. you can buy different strength depending on the size of the solenoid it is made to operate. you then can turn it on and off with a switch. you will just line the inside of the solenoid with paper or some other none metalic thin insulator so the rotor does not touch the inside body of the coil. We used to make big electro magnets from large industrial soleniod coils to retrieve parts that fell into coolers under a turbine.
Reply:I'd say that we're looking at a shop-built pantograph.Or possibly a kit based machine?Teachagmech, as to concerns with the cut/travel start sequence; all it takes is a hand to hold the rotor slightly away from the pattern until operator is ready to start the burn.And since all that operator's doing is standing around and watching  cut progress, (ha!)  he can reach up with his third hand to help the rotor to keep good "traction" with the pattern, there's no need to get too fussy or complicated about magnet drive. The magnet follower is mostly optimistic theory, pantograph tracers need  help getting around all but the simplest  patterns. Same goes for travel speed... operator has to be watching closely and be  hands-on ready to adjust speed - and height. So yeah, hope you weren't envisioning yourself reloading the tobacco and giving your pipe a good tune-up while watching the sparks fly. The cutting head is unique, for sure. They're probably still looking for that one down at the mill. At least the tip nut hasn't  been turned with a pipe-wrench.Usually a pantograph  uses a barrel torch with a  rackNpinion knob-turn height adjustment feature. With this machine it appears that it requires a wrench to change height?The wrench-set height adjustment is interesting, because with most cuts operator often and on-the-run adjusts height slightly.  The complex wrench-set height adjustment of this pantograph may be its Achilles' heel. If this is being put to work I'd recommend to be on the look-out for the components needed for changeover to a conventional machine "barrel"  torch.All in all though, looks like  good rig and workable. Thanks for sharing, keep us posted.Last edited by denrep; 01-30-2016 at 10:36 PM.
Reply:Originally Posted by denrepI'd say that we're looking at a shop-built pantograph.Or possibly a kit based machine?Teachagmech, as to concerns with the cut/travel start sequence; all it takes is a hand to hold the rotor slightly away from the pattern until operator is ready to start the burn.And since all that operator's doing is standing around and watching  cut progress, (ha!)  he can reach up with his third hand to help the rotor to keep good "traction" with the pattern, there's no need to get too fussy or complicated about magnet drive. The magnet follower is mostly optimistic theory, pantograph tracers need  help getting around all but the simplest  patterns. Same goes for travel speed... operator has to be watching closely and be  hands-on ready to adjust speed - and height. So yeah, hope you weren't envisioning yourself reloading the tobacco and giving your pipe a good tune-up while watching the sparks fly. The cutting head is unique, for sure. They're probably still looking for that one down at the mill. At least the tip nut hasn't  been turned with a pipe-wrench.Usually a pantograph  uses a barrel torch with a  rackNpinion knob-turn height adjustment feature. With this machine it appears that it requires a wrench to change height?The wrench-set height adjustment is interesting, because with most cuts operator often and on-the-run adjusts height slightly.  The complex wrench-set height adjustment of this pantograph may be its Achilles' heel. If this is being put to work I'd recommend to be on the look-out for the components needed for changeover to a conventional machine "barrel"  torch.All in all though, looks like  good rig and workable. Thanks for sharing, keep us posted.
Reply:Originally Posted by teachagmechDoes anyone recall how the rotor on the Heath/victor/esab machine attaches?  I think it might be pretty easy to build an adapter and run a solenoid magnet as suggested.
Reply:Originally Posted by denrepSimple round shank slips into a simple bore and is secured by a compression nut squeezing a soft washer.No key, drive-lug, or anything like that.I believe the Heath shank is 5/16", not for sure, but fairly certain.I think it was not 1/4" because we po-boys tried unsuccessfully to substituted some common cutter for the pricey easy-break rotors. Rotors should be considered as a consumable; very easy to damage.
Reply:Originally Posted by teachagmechThanks!  I need to source a few scraps and such for the solenoid and get my hands on a rotor. Then it's off to the lathe. Sent from my dumb smartphone