Lampwork Etc.
 
TrueDesign

LE Live Chat

Enter Live Chat

No users in chat


Frantz Art Glass & Supply

Caber Light


 

Go Back   Lampwork Etc. > Library > Safety

Safety -- Make sure you are safe!

Reply
 
Thread Tools
  #1  
Old 2005-07-13, 11:53am
arrowsprings's Avatar
arrowsprings arrowsprings is offline
Member
 
Join Date: Jul 12, 2005
Posts: 34
Default Installing and Using Oxygen Mix Torches

Installing and Using Oxygen Mix Torches



INSTALLATION

Flameworking torches are typically used with oxygen and either propane or natural gas. Hydrogen usually requires a special torch. MAPP gas does not perform well. Acetylene will not work with glass and will destroy most flameworking torches.

Use only the appropriate diameter Grade T hoses to connect your torch to its oxygen and fuel supply. Regular welding type Grade R hose, which is fine for acetylene, will rot with propane. Most flameworking torches connect to hoses with hose barbs and hose clamps. Some torches use the same B size screw on fittings to connect the hoses to the torch and to the pressure regulator. For torches with screw on connections, simply screw the fittings of the torch to the hose using an 11/16” open-end wrench. The oxygen hose uses regular right hand threads. The fuel gas hose uses left hand threads.



For torches that use hose barbs to connect the hoses, split the two hoses apart to about 8” from their cut end. With the torch sitting in a position that it will be most used, hold the cut end of the hoses along side of the hose barbs and flex the hose so that it runs down towards the floor. You will notice that as the hose is bent in this manner, that the hose ends will change their relative position to the hose barbs. Mark and cut one of the hoses so that the length of both hoses will align to the length of the hose barbs. The red fuel gas hose connects to the hose barb that leads to the torch’s red gas valve. The green oxygen hose connects to the hose barb that leads to the silver or green gas valve.
· Minor Burner: the green hose is about ¾” shorter than the red hose.


· Glass Torch Technology (GTT) torches: hoses are of equal length.
Before putting the hoses onto the hose barbs, loosely slip the hose clamps over the ends of the hoses. Have the screw of the hose clamp orientate so that it does not sit near the torch’s gas valves after tightening so your fingers do not bump into them. Push the hoses onto the hose barbs at least three quarters of the way, if not all the way, on. If the hose if difficult to push over the torch’s hose barbs, wet them with water only. NEVER use grease or oil anywhere near oxygen. This combination is always explosive. Slide one of the hose clamps over the area of the hose that covers the hose barb and center it. Tighten the clamp only enough to slightly bulge the hose, but not cut into it. Do the same to the other hose clamp. If the fuel and oxygen hoses are reversed, the torch will not work properly.


Connect hoses to properly installed pressure regulators. See our instruction sheet for proper pressure regulator installation and recommended pressures.


GAS CONSUMPTION

Typical gas consumption rates for a Minor Burner:
· Oxygen: 9 to 11 standard cubic feet (scf) per hour.

· Propane: approximately 1 gallon per 250 scf of oxygen.
Torches of similar size will have similar gas consumptions.
FLAME CONTROL

To properly adjust the flame use a flint striker, light the torch with only a small amount of fuel gas on and then add oxygen.

The life of the torch will be greatly shortened if the flame is too weak. A weak flame is one that doesn't have enough force behind it to make it burn straight. It curves upward. This causes the face of the torch to overheat and erode.

For the most frequently used neutral flame, the general shape of the whole flame is rather straight. Adjust both gases until the flame has a small, crisp looking inner dark blue flame with its very tip ever so slightly fuzzy. This inner blue flame will be about 1/4” to 3/8” long on most torches.

If the tip of the inner dark blue flame is very fuzzy and the general shape of the whole flame is slightly barrel shaped, you have a reduction flame and, while this is sometimes a desirable flame, you will find that some colors will reduce to grays or some other unexpected color. Increase the amount of oxygen or decrease the amount of propane to make a neutral flame.

If the tip of the blue flame is extremely sharp and well defined and the torch starts to make a whistling sound and the overall shape of the flame is needle like, you have an oxidation flame. Increase the amount of propane or reduce the amount of oxygen to make a neutral flame.

If you find that you need more heat, try working in the flame closer to the torch where the flame is hotter or adjust the gases to make the flame proportionately larger. You will find that a larger flame will give you more overall heat and that further out in the flame you are less likely to boil the glass because the temperature is lower. If the flame becomes very distorted, you probably have it set too high.

If you find that the glass burns or bubbles or has "scum" on it (scum is actually micro bubbles), then you are most likely getting the glass too hot. This can be corrected by one or all of the following: Rotate the glass more to better distribute the heat throughout the glass, try working in the flame further from the torch where it is cooler or adjust the gases to make the flame proportionately smaller. Also, sharp edges of glass heat up faster, and overheat, than smooth surfaces do because, they cannot dissipate heat as easily. These sharp edges can be a major source of scum. It is always a good idea to remove the end of a cut glass rod by melting it and pulling it off with tweezers.

A reduction flame is cooler than a neutral flame, although it may feel hotter to you, and has a large bushy look to it. It can also be very dirty and may deposit soot on the glass as well as reduce it.

An oxidation flame is also cooler than a neutral flame. The overall flame can be adjusted to very short and needle like. This type of flame is ideal for working with stringers, because it has a jacket of cool, unburned oxygen around it that insulates the part of the stringer not directly in the flame from the heat, thereby giving you better control. Usually, the easiest way to adjust the torch for this type of flame from a neutral flame is to leave the oxygen setting as is and reduce the fuel setting by about one half. A neutral or reduction flame tends to make the stringer soft some distance from the flame quickly and you will soon lose control of it.

CLEANING

Torches require periodic cleaning. You can usually tell when cleaning is necessary. You will see a carbon build up on the face of the burner head or sometimes the fuel ports on the burner face may look restricted. You may not notice the flame reacting differently until quite a lot of carbon buildup has accumulated, but a small amount of buildup can affect flame quality and shorten the life of the torch.
Carbon buildup on the burner face is most often caused or accelerated by using a flame that is too weak. Dirty propane can also be a cause. Different torches build up carbon at different rates. Excessive carbon build up on the burner face works as a heat conduit and will transfer the heat of the flame to the burner face, thereby overheating it. Overheating causes eroding and or swelling of the metals of the burner face. This not only shortens the life of the torch but also, creates poor flame quality. Dirty fuel ports, when left unattended, may get so restricted that it may become nearly impossible to get the cleaning tool into them.

ALWAYS turn off the torch and let it cool before cleaning or you might melt the cleaning tool to the burner face. Only use the provided cleaning tool or an approved torch cleaning tool.

Cleaning is very simple and quick. Usually, most of the carbon build up on the burner face can just be brushed off with a sideways stroke of the cleaning tool. To clean the fuel ports, insert the wire end of the cleaning tool into the port a short distance. The wire is quite a bit smaller than the hole. Work the wire in and out several times while rotating the wire in a circular or cone shaped motion. This breaks off the build up that accumulates at the very edge of the hole. Repeat on all the fuel ports. Typically the oxygen ports stay clean. You can clean them as necessary.

If you accidentally touch molten glass to the torch and it sticks, immediately turn off the torch. If you try to remove it while it is still molten you will just smear it over the burner face and into the ports. After the torch has cooled, carefully use a hard piece of metal and chip away as much of the glass as you can and then clean as usual. Use caution as not to damage the burner face. Molten glass is corrosive to metal, so be sure to remove as much as possible. If only a very small amount of glass is still on the burner face and all of the ports are not clogged, the glass will burn away within a few minutes.



Arrow Springs - Everything You Need For Flameworking
www.arrowsprings.com
Flameworking Tools, Glass, Ovens, Supplies, Books, Videos and all the help you need.
Reply With Quote
Reply


Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
 
Thread Tools

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Forum Jump




All times are GMT -7. The time now is 4:24pm.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.7.5
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.
Your IP: 44.192.53.34