Can I heat with Propane (cross posted)

I do some minor metal work and automotive work in my shop and was wondering if it is possible to heat parts with propane? I mean realistic to try and do this. Since my shop has a very large propane tank I thought it might make sense to just try and use the propane to heat up parts that are stuck or need to be expanded slightly. I was thinking of trying to cut with it. Is there anything I can do to get more heat out of the propane?

OR do I need to just go get a set of acetylene and oxygen tanks? What am I looking at for regulators and tanks (filled?)

Reply to
HotRod
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You can certainly pre-heat with propane, a regular back yard gas grille makes an excellent pre heat oven for small parts and in some cases can be used as a heated welding table. You might need to add fire brick, depends on what you want/need to do and how. I've used mine for heating up parts to expand them and get them apart, aluminum cases with steel bearings in, etc. You can also cut with propane and oxygen.

Reply to
2regburgess

It is possible to use propane with oxygen, similar acetylene. It has a lower heat capacity, but is a lot cheaper. You need to use "dual fuel" hose though. Regular acetylene hose will break down with propane use.

I don't remember, but I think you can use the same regulators.

Do a search in the archives on oxy/propane.

Reply to
jw

Does adding the fire bricks to the grill conserve heat or increase the heat? Also can I mix propane and oxygen just like acetylene and oxygen? Or am I still just better of getting Acetylene? The reason I don't want to splurge for the tanks is because my shop can literally go months with use since I'm away or working offsite on other projects.

Reply to
HotRod

You could easily build an awesome hand-held torch using Ron Reil's plans. I would suggest the improved design using a 1 1/4" to 3/4" T(elbow?)-adapter and a MIG tip for an orifice. I don't have his URL, but a google search will find his website. Good luck.

Reply to
John

CAUTION: THREAD DRIFT ALERT!

AAAAARRRRRGH! Steel anything in aluminum! AAAAAAAARRRRRRGH!

Blasted Quickie wheelchairs, curse them!

Some of the best wheelchairs in the world, except it can be damn near impossible to work on one. Why? Because they habitually use hardened, black oxided, fine thread, steel Hex Head Cap Screws in aluminum assemblies! Dat's Why! :)

Let those parts go for a couple of years and the aluminum and steel both corrode and bond to each other stronger than a weld. It has too often become necessary to drill out the steel screw and replace it with a through bolt--Or just replace the entire assembly--If it can be taken off at all-- dying--alone--in the rain. (Oops. Disregard that last: Hemmingway Syndrome. Sorry.)

Can't heat them because they're usually in places on the wheelchair where doing so would ruin some other vital subassembly.

And they've never heard of Never-Seize, either!

I tend to think of Mobility Device Engineer as an oxymoron much like Automotive Engineer. :)

If there is _any_ way to overcomplicate an assembly or subassembly, Quickie will find it, use it, and perpetuate it.

Damn shame their equipment is otherwise so excellent.

Oh, yeah, On-Topic: Damn good idea about the gas grill! How many minutes per side, any marinade? :)

Reply to
John Husvar

Get a hold of a copy of " Gas burners for furnaces, forges, and kilns " It has plans to build various sizes of propane burners.

Dan

Reply to
dcaster

ARRrrgh !!! Stoppit ! Thats JUST what I don't need (-:

Fire brick will slow the heating, but retain heat and slow the cooling

- either of which might be good or bad according to what you're trying to do. Yes, the acetylene regulator plugs right into a 20 lb propane gas grille tank, at least the older ones that have the internal left hand thread. I didn't know about the dual use hose issue, thanks, I guess I'd better update my equipment )-:

Reply to
2regburgess

I don't know the whole story or applications you want to do but the "weed" burner that horrible freight sells (I think it's on sale for 20 bucks now) is is like a flame thrower and puts out a LOT of heat fast. It'd probably make a good pre-heater for large parts on the cheap. If nothin else, it's a fun toy to have around to light the BBQ with :)

Koz

Reply to
Koz

Can anyone tell me if I can use propane instead of acetylene with an oxy/acetylene torch kit. Or do I need to buy regulators specific for oxy/propane? Also does anyone know how many PSI the propane needs to be? I'm trying to figure out if I splice into my propane line (at shop) before the regulator or after?

Any Canadian sources for oxy/propane torch and regulators?

THANKS FOR ALL THE HELP

Reply to
HotRod

great article about MAPP, might help.

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good luck, walt

Reply to
wallster

No, not really. Using air/propane anyway.

My vote is also for a Reil burner. I use a 3/4" water pipe EZ burner with

0.030" MIG tip for damned near all heating.

It will braze 3/8" steel rod just fine in the open, but a firebrick or three really gets it going. Something about reflected heat...

Tim

-- "California is the breakfast state: fruits, nuts and flakes." Website:

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Reply to
Tim Williams

IIRC, nitric acid dissolves steel and not aluminum.

Reply to
Nick Hull

The bricks store heat and provide a better transfer function to the work. They work by IR radiation not a smaller flame but now the whole inside or surface.

Once the bricks are red hot, the flame can be turned off and heating will continue. But to be sure - keep the flame on for heat losses to the 'work' and world.

Martin

Reply to
lionslair at consolidated dot

Sorry, I misspoke in the OP: They are socket head, not hex head.

Don't know about that myself, but I might try it as an experiment. Problem is usually time. Often the user is in the chair while we work, God help 'em! :)

So far we've tried every oil and penetrant we could find, from the (virtually useless for this) WD-40 to PB Blaster and a number of CRC products, Gunk Liquid Wrench, etc, etc.

Once that corrosion occurs, it's tough to get the metals to separate. Somehow a 1/4-28 Socket Head screw in aluminum can be nearly impossible to loosen. We have numerous twisted Allen wrenches to witness. :)

We usually put some anti-sieze compound on the screws when we reassemble. So far that hasn't caused us any problems with screws staying tight, but loosening easily when needed.

Any ideas more than welcome, Thanks. The factory just shrugs the problem off.

Reply to
John Husvar

ANYONE KNOW if I can use an Oxy/acetylene setup with Oxy/Propane? or do I need to buy a special rig?

Reply to
HotRod

I think you need a set of mapp hoses, not sure oxy-acetylene would work. (thought i read it here somewhere) I also found an archived post about the regulators. According to the post, acetylene regulator will work with propane, but propane regulator wont work on acetylene gas. I would call a welding supply store in your area. Here's the archived post link:

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luck, walt

Reply to
wallster

Yes, you can. You can't weld with propane but it's a mighty cutting fuel. You need a propane tip, the acetylene tip won't do the job at all.

You may need more pressure than your existing tank regulator will give, if so, use a tee fitting at the tank valve. You can run any pressure you like with propane, it's safe at all pressures the tank can provide. Keep in mind, acetylene is not that way so if you switch to that you'll not want to push it past 15 psi. Anyway, the pressure isn't so critical with propane except for the fact that the higher it is, the touchier the fuel valve on the torch will be. 15 psi is going to be more than adequate, and keeping it as low as practical will prevent things from getting too crazy in the event of a leak or severed hose.

Your acet. regulator will fit right on the fitting at the propane tank, no problems there. As another poster mentioned, you want hose that's compatable with propane. Hose that isn't will get longer over time, before it pops, and it makes for a pain- one of a pair of hoses getting longer and the other not, it wants to curl up.

The place where propane really shines as a cutting fuel is with rusted steel and multiple layers (such as cutting a nut on a bolt). It's got a more aggresive flame than acet., but this can also work against you- cutting bolt heads and wanting to not damage what's beneath them requires more attention than with acetylene.

The trick to cutting with propane is getting the flame right- you get it right and it'll outcut acetylene. Light the torch, lay it against a piece of scrap. Open the fuel valve 'till you have a big, plumey flame and then start opening the oxygen (If you don't lay it against something, the fire will often blow out when you start with the oxygen) Your torch is laying at about a 20 degree angle to the scrap- watch the flame at the tip as you continue to open the oxygen, the hottest part of the flame will be a half-inch or so out from the tip when you first notice it (the flecks of rust on the scrap steel will show red, while those closer and farther from the tip won't). Continue with more oxygen 'till the hot spot is about a quarter inch from the tip and remember the distance it's at. That's the part of the flame you want at the point the cut will start. Fiddle with the oxygen 'till it's where you like it- that's the only "right" spot.

A propane-fired cutting torch makes an evil hiss- hearing protection is definitely in order.

John

Reply to
JohnM

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