A little torch work.....

[Hammack_Welding]

Just thought about it today. We show all these pics of various welds, but we don't see much in the way of cutting here. In my mind the cutting is as important as the welding when doing quality work. I had to fab some brackets the other day for a D5 Cat and used some 7/8" x 6" flat bar, and thought I would post some pics of the cuts. Take a look, and post some of your own if ya have them. ~Jackson

[Hammack_Welding]

Last three

[usmcgremlin]

nice and clean

[Rob Garner]

Did these wednesday and thursday.

[brandon75173]

Last three

Super steady. I am reaching a point to where my cutting seems to not be able to get much better. My hands are only so steady and thats what it is. Couldnt ever be a sniper for sure. I will get a few pictures tomorrow. Oh yeah, its nice to partner with a sheetmetal guy that has a nice new 4'X10' waterjet. I fab random stuff for him, and he cuts whatever I need. I will also post the letters he just cut out for my new sign.

[76GMC1500]

You need to support your hands. Prop them up against something and they'll be steady. If that doesn't work, make guides for the torch.

[WelderBoy]

Very clean. Much better than I could do. There are guys at my job that are so good at that cutting torch you wouldn't believe it even when seeing it with your own eyes. They can cut complex shapes at any specified angle you give them and freehand cut them by hand and the cut is perfectly smooth, not over/underheated not too fast, not too slow. Barely any slag. It's amazing.

If I get as good as you do some day I will die a happy man. I can weld good, but my cuts are still sloppy!

[brandon75173]

You need to support your hands. Prop them up against something and they'll be steady. If that doesn't work, make guides for the torch.

I do. Make no mistake, I am pretty good, but not like the above work. If I have long cuts I lay out a straight edge. Whats funny though, I can cut circles damn near perfect, its the straight cuts that are harder.

[littlefuzz]

nice cuts guys.

[ltlvt]

My experinece with burning is that take the time to use the right tip and make suer it is clean. I use a file to square the end of the tip and when it is clean and adjusted correctly it will sound like you are ripping cloth and u will also be able to see the stream of oxygen at then end of the flame. I don't know bout the rest of you guys but I only use Victor . I still have the same torch i have had for over 35 years. It is a straight cut with the handle backwards.. My experience is that most people that do a lousy job of burning get the flame too hot -crank up the oxygen pressure to about 40 psi and melt the metal. This is why they call it burning and not melting... i agree with the origional poster.. The burning is just as important as the welding.. A lousy fit only creates a lousy weld and is much more time consuming than taking the time to get a good clean burn and tight fit.. My 3 cnets Terry

[76GMC1500]

One of the Smith reps always told me that the sparks would exit the underside of the cut at a 45 degree angle when your travel speed was correct.

[Diehard]

purrrrdy jackson, purrrrdy.

[pipe fitter]

very nice jackson, i was told to look for the blue scale,the marker to a perfect cut.not much good myself,so no pics.

[Hammack_Welding]

Thanks for the compliments guys.

My dad and I always called it a "wrench" cut. People used to look at us crazy when we said that, but we started that back when dad was running the local cotton gin and we would cut Large wrenches out of 1.25" plate for some parts in the gin. If you could chip the slag off the underside, and cut it straight enough to hit it lightly with a grinder to knock the cut marks out of it for a perfect edge it was a "wrench cut" I will say one reason I can cut as well as I do is thats all I ever had. I started out with nothing but a torch and a little 180 ac portable, and a 4.5" grinder. It was sink or swim, but hey, I payed my way thru college with that setup and still learning a thing or two everyday. Thanks again for the compliments ~Jackson

[ZTFab]

Teach me Jackson!! Teach me!! :laugh:

I have never taken the time (or had the time) to learn and practice flame cutting. I'm pretty handy with my plasma but I would love to learn how to flame cut like you and Lorenzo.

I guess i should just fire up my torch and start practicing, huh?:rolleyes: :laugh:

Very nice job.

- Paul

[Hammack_Welding]

Paul, after seeing your work, I am sure you could teach me every bit as much as I could teach you. As far as me and a plasma that's not purty, lol I may be the only person alive who can cut cleaner with an o/a setup than with my plasma, but As you know, it all comes down to what you do the most as to what you are the best at. For me that's a stick machine and an O/A torch. I have gotten fairly decent at what I do, but I learned it from doing not by training or schooling. So I am a bit behind the curve when it comes to some of the other processes because it's learn by mistakes. I can do most of them proficiently, but not to the level I would like. I look at some of you and ZAP's work with a tig and mig, and wish I had the time to be as proficient as you guys. That's what I like about this site. You have numerous people that have great talent in All different areas who share a willingness to help those who need it. I never have a day I don't learn something from someone on here.....

[ZTFab]

Amen to that Brother.

I am a self taught weldor myself.

Personally, I suck at O/A and stick. I don't use it enough, if ever.

Learning is the reason I love my job and this site.

I swear, one day we're going to have a massive get together for all of the members on this site. We can all sit around and learn from each other first hand! :cool2:

- Paul

[maxyedor]

I swear, one day we're going to have a massive get together for all of the members on this site. We can all sit around and learn from each other first hand! :cool2:


Can't wait to see the electric bill for that one, I just got mine from last month and it was a hair over $400, I guess learning to Tig isn't cheap:laugh:

Jackson, those are some beutiful cuts, I can oxy cut thinner stuff pretty clean, but not that clean by a long shot. I can never seem to move consistently enough to get a "wrench cut" on anything over 1/4", that sort of Jedi level of steadiness is amazing. As long as the peice either falls on my foot, or I can break it off with a pair of pliers I'm happy.

[ltlvt]

Too bad maxedor that u don't live in Texas I could help u a little on that elect bill http://cannonelect.igniteinc.biz/index.asp
Terry

[zapster]

Good looking stuff! :cool2:
I dont spend much time with a torch anymore..
Most of the stuff we order comes flame cut from the mills..

I look at some of you and ZAP's work with a tig and mig, and wish I had the time to be as proficient as you guys. That's what I like about this site. You have numerous people that have great talent in All different areas who share a willingness to help those who need it.

Thank you..
We appreciate it..

Its just a matter of seat time thats all..

...zap!

[jworman]

Just thought about it today. We show all these pics of various welds, but we don't see much in the way of cutting here. In my mind the cutting is as important as the welding when doing quality work. I had to fab some brackets the other day for a D5 Cat and used some 7/8" x 6" flat bar, and thought I would post some pics of the cuts. Take a look, and post some of your own if ya have them. ~Jackson

Whoa! Those are really fine looking cuts. Very impressive.

John

[paintman]

what do you set your gauges at?darn nice looking cuts i think its easyer to cut thicker metal although the thickest ive cut is 3/8"

[Hammack_Welding]

Paintman, Cutting steel is cutting steel. If you use the correct setup a clean tip, and the right spead. Thick or thin the cut's still clean. If you have trouble cutting clean on thinner materials my guess is the torch is set to hot. My gauges pretty much stay around 7psi Acetylene, and oxy around 35psi. When I get into thicker plates. 1" to 2" I will step up the oxy a bit. The key is keep a clean tip. steady hand and travel speed. Those were cut with a Smith with a #2 tip. The smith is not my personal favorite but I think the pics show it will get the job done. I prefer the older air products torches, but that's personal opinion. ~Jackson.