On Sat, 17 Dec 2016 14:07:08 +0000, Stormin' Norman
wrote:

On Sat, 17 Dec 2016 00:49:05 -0500, wrote:

On Fri, 16 Dec 2016 22:19:32 +0000, Stormin' Norman
wrote:

On Fri, 16 Dec 2016 16:34:07 -0500, wrote:



The heat value of acetylene is a LOT higher than Propane.

Propane is OK for use in a cutting torch, but I'd hate to have to weld
with it. Also, The reason Propane ( and other alternative fuels ) are
not suitable is that when Acetylene is burning with Oxygen it creates
a cone of CO2 forming a shielding gas over the weld puddle. Propane
does not produce this shielding CO2. Even when cutting it makes a LOT
more slag - clean cuts are virtually impossible.

I have read and heard similar things but I have produced beautiful
welded, brazed and silver soldered joints with Oxy Propane. Must be
one of those things that isn't supposed to work, but does.

Brazing and silver soldering uses a flux to take the place of that
sheild gas. Propane or MAPP are fine for soldering and brazing.
TERRIBLE foir welding. Kinda like Mig welding with no gas and not
using flux core wire.


You can keep telling me it doesn't work well for welding, but I have
used oxy-propane and produced beautiful welds.


They may LOOK good, but I'm not sure I'd trust them - see quote from
Hobart site below.


It killed the mechanic, rendered an F-4 a total loss and blew a large
hole in a blast resistant aircraft shelter. Acetylene is something to
be respected.

When you get down to it - ALL tools should be respected.

OK, good advice, kind of like:

"Treat every gun as if it's loaded and every woman as if she isn't."

That one is mine, you may use it but please provide proper
attribution. ;-)
From Hobartwelders.com site:
IT, makes no difference what the person at the LWS, Fleabay WS, or
your neighborhood "Legend in their own Mind" tells you, There is no
possible way to get a good weld (ferrous) with any thing other than
ACETYLENE!

The only reason you can not weld with any fuel gas other then
"ACETYLENE" is you can not achieve a "TRUE" neutral flame. Which means
you are adding contamination with slightly oxidizing or carburizing
flames.

The oxidizing flame, removes carbon form the weld pool changing the
metallurgy of the weld. It converts the carbon to carbon dioxide.

The carburizing flame, adds carbon to the weld pool and will change
the metallurgy of the weld pool adversely.

Welding means only, joining ferrous metals!

You can braze,solder,silver braze(miss called silver soldering), heat
for bending etc and cutting.

As to hoses:
Use only Grade T hose with MAPP,PROPANE PROPYLENE fuel gases.

Use GRADE R,RM,OR T hose with Acetylene.

The make up of the hoses are different and react to the make up of
the gases differently.

The biggest differences in the tips is the number, sizes and
arrangement of the holes in it. Propane/natural gas tips have smaller
and more of them.

The other difference is with an acetylene/oxy flame the hottest part
is the inner cone of the flame.

The propane/oxy flame is the outer skirt,(outside skirt of the flame)

Other than that it is only a matter of ease of getting the gases. to
refill when the cylinders are empty, or what you have learned on, or
have used in the past.

So other than taking a little longer to hit the temperature, If you
aren't going to gas weld ferrous materials. It shouldn't be a problem.