Using propane instead of acetylene

[Furu]

Finally hooked up my new propane rosebud, cutting tips/regulator to try out propane for heating and cutting instead of acetylene. Really surprised at how little propane flow can be used (knob on torch) versus acetylene and how much more oxygen is needed to get a neutral flame. The other thing that I initially was confused by was the quantity of water that was showing up on the steel. I wish I remembered my chemistry just a bit more but presume that propane just creates water in the burning process.
One thing I was very surprised at was how clean/smooth the cut was using propane. I did find that I had to slow down my tip speed to get a full through and through cut however. Seemed to take a bit longer to get the cut started as well.

Of course now propane has just jumped in price significantly.

 

[deerseeker001]

I have been using propane for many years i like it.its a little slower than acetylene but not enough to get excited about.

 

[mrmikey]

The other thing that I initially was confused by was the quantity of water.....

I thought I had read somewhere that you get pound for pound propane to water. I used to use a propane catalytic hear in the garage but gave it up as a bad habit as everything was rusting, the amount of condensation on everything was unreal.
As for using it instead of acetylene, same here as it prevents me from paying another rental fee for a bottle.....Mike

 

[Reverser]

I've thought about going that route myself in getting away from acetylene. All I know about propane in place of acetylene is what I've seen discussed on here and other forums.

I've considered seeing if Airgas will swap my acetylene bottle back for another oxygen bottle. That way I would have 2 oxy bottles, and I already have a small #20 propane bottle.

 

[Furu]

I will not give up my acetylene. When it will do the job I think the propane is a good idea.

 

[diesel lover]

Propane is a good option for torching!! Weather using the torch for cutting or rosebud work.

Both liquid propane and vapor propane can be used for torch work. I have used both and find vapor propane can complete several jobs! Liquid propane can be very dangerous if not trained properly

 

[Wyobuckaroo]

When a good friend of mine took over his dads old auto salvage business, I converted his yard torches to propane.... It was enough years ago now that it was a major money saver at that time.....

If I had a lot of fine work to do with a hand torch, I would use acetylene... If there were enough of that kind of work I needed, I would sub it to a shop with a plasma....

But for the occasional user it will work adequately in most instances....

Good luck....

 

[Shield Arc]

I switched to propane a few years ago. I don't see a whole lot of difference between cutting with acetylene and propane. Like already stated it does take a little longer to preheat. But is does make some nice cuts.

Here is a good video on using propane.
Propane & Oxygen Torch Cutting Instructional Video - YouTube

 

[PANHAPP]

Propane is a good option for torching!! Weather using the torch for cutting or rosebud work.

Both liquid propane and vapor propane can be used for torch work. I have used both and find vapor propane can complete several jobs! Liquid propane can be very dangerous if not trained properly

Why would you use liquid propane ?

 

[diesel lover]

Why would you use liquid propane ?

While working at a scrap yard I used torches set up with liquid propane to cut with. I believe since propane in the liquid state is in fact larger than vapor it may supply a hotter flame but I'm not sure myself!!

We had a hot piece of metal cut fall and cut one of the lines of the liquid propane. It caught fire!! There were either two oxygen tanks and one LP tank or two LP tanks and one oxygen tank. For the routing to supply two torch heads I would probably never do it AGAIN!! Liquid propane seems too dangerous to me. We had three cables to shut off as the line was on FIRE! Also we over worked a liquid propane tank and the relief valve released!! I checked it with my thermometer gun and it was colder than -70F !! LP boils at -50F or something like that.

For most work vapor propane and oxygen is very useable and safe. Much more stable than acylene for sure!

Vapor propane is what powers gas grills, heaters, and camping equipment in a normal residential bottle. Liquid propane normally powers forklifts and other engines but has to be preheated by the engines coolant heat to the converted to a vapor