I'll probably borrow a bigger oxy/acetylene setup from someone for a week or two. Not having to dick with 220 would be nice, and really the only reason I haven't messed more with bigger bottles is the hassle I've associated with the small bottles, which makes no sense. I imagine a big oxygen tank will probably last ages unless I do something stupid like leave a valve on.
As far as safety - I'm actually getting decent about wearing gear. Welding learns you real quick-like.
sweet victory wrote: ↑Thu Nov 15, 2018 9:20 amYou mentioned clean cuts in your last post. You don't want to use oxy acetylene to cut aluminum. With steel, the iron is rusting away - the oxygen creates iron oxide. With aluminum, the oxygen would create aluminum oxide, which creates a very hard outer shell. (Think of an anodized surface) You'd basically end up with a very long, messy cuts with just blobs at the ends of your cut. It's technically possible to do - just like getting circumcised when you're 24 is...but it's just something you don't do. You can cut aluminum with a plasma cutter, but I think you need a set up that uses an inert gas - not compressed air. Cut off wheel or band saw is going to be your best bet for cutting aluminum.5chn3ll wrote: ↑Thu Nov 15, 2018 7:39 am Probably a low-end scratch-start model - $250ish, 220V. I have a couple of projects on the wish list that I need to make clean cuts. My oxyMAP rig will cut steel, but it's sloppy.
I've been looking at some oxyacetylene rigs on Craigslist - people blow out their old rigs for almost nothing; you can get a half full bottle with a current stamp for the cost of the gas...
If I find a good enough o/a torch setup, is the plasma cutter unnecessary? Again, I'm looking at a low-duty-cycle cutter - 1/2" probably pushing it for anything harder than aluminum or mild steel...I just want to be able to make marginally straight cuts.
Oxyacetylene can do everything a plasma can and more - throw a rose bud on there to for installing/removing bearings, heat up stuck fasteners, brazing, cut thicker material, etc. If I could only have one, it would definitely be oxyacetylene. It's something you can pull out once or twice a year and it will work every time. That being said, it definitely takes more skill to get a nice cut with oxyacetylene than it does with a plasma cutter and will produce more slag.
Be sure to get the proper PPE too - no flip flops and safety squints.