Minor using too much oxygen

[Torcha]

I have a used Nortel Minor that is hooked up to tanked oxygen while I wait for my oxycon. I have noticed 2 things.

1 - I am going through a lot of oxygen. I have gone through 2 tanks of oxygen in about a month and I only torch a few hours about 4 times a week. Don't know the size of my tank, but it is a good size -about 5 feet tall.

2 - I seem to be running pretty hot and am having trouble with overheating my glass. Would these two issues be related?

I currently have my propane set at 4 and my oxygen at about 8. I notice when I first light my torch and set a neutral flame, a few seconds later the flame is very rich with propane and I have to adjust and add more oxygen.

Any suggestions or comments would be appreciated. Perhaps it is as simple as my settings aren't correct.

[bhhco]

Hold onto the rod ;)...

Theoretically the minor can flow up to 11.4 cubic foot of fuel per hour... using 55 cubic foot of oxygen per hour to maintain a neutral flame... and a 250 cubic foot oxygen tank would be empty in less than 5 hours. Technically that would place the Minor up beside a Barrcuda. But at those high flow rates the flame can and does become pretty unruley.

However, what it can do, versus what one needs it to do are very different. IMO most Minor users use it like a minor torch... that is they run a smaller, gentle flame, about 6-8" long which uses only 2-3 cubic foot of fuel per hour... and only 10-15 cubic foot of oxygen per hour.

Reel it in some :grin: ... no, make that reel it in a lot. Know what will reel it real fast?... a 5 LPM oxycon (about equivalent to 10 cubic foot per hour). Many Minor flameworkers use the Minor with one oxycon. We do. It doesn't need to be fed as much oxygen as your giving it. Your pressure settings are fine... just control the flow with the torch valves. don't add more oxygen... just cut back on the propane.

Me

[kbinkster]

I have a used Nortel Minor that is hooked up to tanked oxygen while I wait for my oxycon. I have noticed 2 things.

1 - I am going through a lot of oxygen. I have gone through 2 tanks of oxygen in about a month and I only torch a few hours about 4 times a week. Don't know the size of my tank, but it is a good size -about 5 feet tall.

2 - I seem to be running pretty hot and am having trouble with overheating my glass. Would these two issues be related?

I currently have my propane set at 4 and my oxygen at about 8. I notice when I first light my torch and set a neutral flame, a few seconds later the flame is very rich with propane and I have to adjust and add more oxygen.

Any suggestions or comments would be appreciated. Perhaps it is as simple as my settings aren't correct.

Is it possible that you are running a heavily oxidized flame and working too close to the torch face just to get the glass hot, but end up burning it?

I have some questions:

How long are your candles?
How big/small are the tips on the end?
Is your torch making a lot of hissing?
How far out from the face of the torch are you working?
Have you checked all of your connections for leaks?

Your pressure settings sound fine. Bill is absolutely right that the amount of fuel and oxygen a torch is capable of passing is different than what is necessary or even useful for a good working flame.

A good gauge of whether you have an appropriately sized flame for your work is the candle length. The longer your candles, the further out from the face of the torch you need to work.

So, tell us some more and we'll go from there.

[Torcha]

bhhco-
Thanks for the comments, I will try turning down propane instead of turning up oxygen. Can't wait for my oxycon to get here, Sounds like that will be a big help.

kbinkster-
Candles are at the most 1/2 inch long
Tips are pretty small
There is some hissing - not a lot
I usually try to work anywhere from 4-6 inches out from the face of the torch
I have checked the connections for leaks - none

Thanks for taking the time to respond, I really appreciate it.

[kbinkster]

Are you working soft glass or boro? 1/2" is really too long for soft glass - 3/8" is about as long as you would want to go for that. Most people work soft glass with candles that are between 1/4" and 3/8" long. Working 4-6" out from the face is a good distance. If you are still new at this and/or don't work fast, you can work a little further out.

The longer you run your candles, the more oxygen you have to dump into it to keep the flame neutral. So, if you are working soft glass, try running 1/4"-3/8" candles with small tips and see what happens.

[smutboy420]

YOur o2 uses about right for a tank.



I notice when I first light my torch and set a neutral flame, a few seconds later the flame is very rich with propane and I have to adjust and add more oxygen.

Do you have a real long fuel hose?

Some times when you have a real long hose and its filled with air it takes a few seconds for the propane to purge the hose.

Does this mostly do it the first time you light the torch for the day?

[Torcha]

Good to know about the volume of oxy use.

Yes, I do have very long hoses, and it is usually the first time I start up for the day.

Sounds like this is not unusual. Now if I can keep from devitting some of my purples and greens...I just need to work slower and still farther out from the flame, I guess.

Thanks for the feedback.