We need more videos making twin carbon arc torches a thing again. I can easily make my own carbon arc torch. I also made my first, oil cooled, 3 MOT welder.
Thanks for the video -- those rods are nifty! I like how they can heat up thick steel for a bend! By the way (you probably know this), you don't need acetylene for regular torch welding and cutting! Very inexpensive and easy to get torch tips are available to use propane - yep, grill gas bottles - instead of expensive and inconvenient acetylene. I switched to propane and oxygen a few years ago and it does a VERY good job. It seems almost as hot for welding (and doesn't really matter for most cutting). Waaaay cheaper, too. Just search for oxy-propane welding and cutting conversion tips to fit your torch. It is a 2-part sleeve thingie and about 10 bucks or so. Thanks again!
Thanks so much for the info! I think I saw a guy have a propane tank on his oxy-fuel cart one time but I just assumed he refilled it with acetylene. That's really good to know - I'll be looking into that for sure! Thanks!
@@JohnWheelsA few years ago when I first heard of propane-oxy, I was VERY skeptical. Being open minded (?) I gave it go because it was so cheap and, well, never went back to acetylene. As you know, it's the oxygen that does the cutting once you're hot anyway. For torch welding, the difference is hardly noticable. Of course, I use stick, MIG and TIG for that stuff anyway. Good luck and thanks again for your video! PS: Please make a video if you find p-oxy is a good thing (It IS). I will definitely tune in.
Another benefit of using propane as a substitute for acetylene sometimes overlooked, is the additional safety considerations and usage restrictions specific to acetylene. First, it is dangerous to set the acetylene regulator higher than 15 psi, otherwise acetylene has a tendency to decompose and produce explosive reactions. Second, it is dangerous to use more than 1/7th volume of the acetylene cylinder per hour, because the acetylene cylinder is constructed very differently than other gas cylinders such as used for oxygen, propane, argon, Helium, CO², etc. in that the interior has a porous honeycomb like structure that is saturated with acetone, which acetylene is dissolved in and released as it's used, again due to it's unstable nature above 15 psi. Excessive flow rate (such as could occur when using a large heating tip) can suck the acetone out with the acetylene, potentially damaging rubber seals and other components in the regulator and torch, but most importantly, this can allow a void in the cylinder where free acetylene can compress without the acetone and spontaneously detonate causing serious injuries or fatalities to anyone in the area. Propane, butane, propylene, or hydrogen, also referred to as alternative fuels, do not have these two critical use restrictions.
Super interesting video man I’ve spent a lot of time air arc gouging and never heard of this before! When you said you could use carbon rods like a rosebud I was confused for a minute. Keep up the good work man thanks for the info.
These things are great. Use to have one in the shop growing up, we used it mainly to temper and bend steel parts since we never had an acetylene torch. When I get a multiprocess welder again I'll definitely be picking one of these up again.
You can run these rods perfectly with a DC welder (preferably a modern inverter type) using only one rod and a direct arc. Just like in welding a metal part you're heating must be connected to the ground clamp and the welding machine must be set to DCEN polarity. This is much more efficient than an indirect arc between two carbon rods. An indirect arc is only for non-metals and for materials where a direct arc is too damaging to a workpiece.
Interesting - I feel like it would make a localized molten puddle like a tig torch which would then oxidize and also leave carbon deposits. I guess I'll just have to give it a try. Thanks for the comment!
@@JohnWheels Well, both oxidation and carbon deposition indeed does take place to some extent, but on DC a carbon arc can burn pretty stable even at low current, so you can do different things with it by running it at various currents and arc lengths. A current limit you set on a welder basically defines maximum arc length at which a carbon arc can burn stable, at the same time it defines maximum energy/heat influx. So, at a certain current settings you can either melt and cut material with short arc or gently preheat it with long arc. A little downside to using a direct arc is that the arc tends to land where it feels lower resistance and thus by avoiding non-conductive surface impurities it tries to concentrate current to these conductive spots and then it can overheat and melt them a bit, so it is not applicable to finished surfaces. On a positive side, it is such a powerful and relatively precise and safe acetylene torch replacement I have no words to describe how useful it is, like a TIG that can run continuously without a shielding gas.
Thanks for the tip! I started out with it sharpened, but as they burn away, they get blunt, and I didn't bother sharpening again. It does seem to help though.
We need more videos making twin carbon arc torches a thing again.
I can easily make my own carbon arc torch. I also made my first, oil cooled, 3 MOT welder.
Thanks! That's awesome about your welder!
Thanks for the video -- those rods are nifty! I like how they can heat up thick steel for a bend!
By the way (you probably know this), you don't need acetylene for regular torch welding and cutting! Very inexpensive and easy to get torch tips are available to use propane - yep, grill gas bottles - instead of expensive and inconvenient acetylene. I switched to propane and oxygen a few years ago and it does a VERY good job. It seems almost as hot for welding (and doesn't really matter for most cutting). Waaaay cheaper, too. Just search for oxy-propane welding and cutting conversion tips to fit your torch. It is a 2-part sleeve thingie and about 10 bucks or so. Thanks again!
Thanks so much for the info! I think I saw a guy have a propane tank on his oxy-fuel cart one time but I just assumed he refilled it with acetylene. That's really good to know - I'll be looking into that for sure! Thanks!
@@JohnWheelsA few years ago when I first heard of propane-oxy, I was VERY skeptical. Being open minded (?) I gave it go because it was so cheap and, well, never went back to acetylene. As you know, it's the oxygen that does the cutting once you're hot anyway. For torch welding, the difference is hardly noticable. Of course, I use stick, MIG and TIG for that stuff anyway. Good luck and thanks again for your video!
PS: Please make a video if you find p-oxy is a good thing (It IS). I will definitely tune in.
Thanks! Glad to hear! You got it if I do end up getting the oxy-propane!
Another benefit of using propane as a substitute for acetylene sometimes overlooked, is the additional safety considerations and usage restrictions specific to acetylene. First, it is dangerous to set the acetylene regulator higher than 15 psi, otherwise acetylene has a tendency to decompose and produce explosive reactions.
Second, it is dangerous to use more than 1/7th volume of the acetylene cylinder per hour, because the acetylene cylinder is constructed very differently than other gas cylinders such as used for oxygen, propane, argon, Helium, CO², etc. in that the interior has a porous honeycomb like structure that is saturated with acetone, which acetylene is dissolved in and released as it's used, again due to it's unstable nature above 15 psi. Excessive flow rate (such as could occur when using a large heating tip) can suck the acetone out with the acetylene, potentially damaging rubber seals and other components in the regulator and torch, but most importantly, this can allow a void in the cylinder where free acetylene can compress without the acetone and spontaneously detonate causing serious injuries or fatalities to anyone in the area.
Propane, butane, propylene, or hydrogen, also referred to as alternative fuels, do not have these two critical use restrictions.
Super interesting video man I’ve spent a lot of time air arc gouging and never heard of this before! When you said you could use carbon rods like a rosebud I was confused for a minute. Keep up the good work man thanks for the info.
Thanks! It was a crazy idea to me too at first!
These things are great. Use to have one in the shop growing up, we used it mainly to temper and bend steel parts since we never had an acetylene torch. When I get a multiprocess welder again I'll definitely be picking one of these up again.
Awesome! Just make sure your multiprocess can run AC. One rod will burn a lot faster than the other on DC.
@@JohnWheels interesting. We always ran it on a/c because that's what the welder chart said to do. Never thought to try it on DC.
Yeah, that's what I'm saying - run it on AC. When I tried it on DC, it didn't work very well. I think we're on the same page.
You can run these rods perfectly with a DC welder (preferably a modern inverter type) using only one rod and a direct arc. Just like in welding a metal part you're heating must be connected to the ground clamp and the welding machine must be set to DCEN polarity. This is much more efficient than an indirect arc between two carbon rods. An indirect arc is only for non-metals and for materials where a direct arc is too damaging to a workpiece.
Interesting - I feel like it would make a localized molten puddle like a tig torch which would then oxidize and also leave carbon deposits. I guess I'll just have to give it a try. Thanks for the comment!
@@JohnWheels Well, both oxidation and carbon deposition indeed does take place to some extent, but on DC a carbon arc can burn pretty stable even at low current, so you can do different things with it by running it at various currents and arc lengths. A current limit you set on a welder basically defines maximum arc length at which a carbon arc can burn stable, at the same time it defines maximum energy/heat influx. So, at a certain current settings you can either melt and cut material with short arc or gently preheat it with long arc. A little downside to using a direct arc is that the arc tends to land where it feels lower resistance and thus by avoiding non-conductive surface impurities it tries to concentrate current to these conductive spots and then it can overheat and melt them a bit, so it is not applicable to finished surfaces. On a positive side, it is such a powerful and relatively precise and safe acetylene torch replacement I have no words to describe how useful it is, like a TIG that can run continuously without a shielding gas.
Awesome! Thanks!
Very hip video bud. Im glad to see the younginz not playing the video games for once
Thank you for the kind comment sir!
They seem to be hard to find.
Yea you gotta keep your eye out for a couple months on eBay and marketplace
You can easily make your own.
Tig torch will do that too.
Interesting… Won't it make the Metal Molten close to the tungsten?
@@JohnWheels Back off the torch a little and keep it moving.
Cool, I'll give it a try... thanks!
use 1/4 inch rod sharpened
Thanks for the tip! I started out with it sharpened, but as they burn away, they get blunt, and I didn't bother sharpening again. It does seem to help though.